Didier Deschamps wanted to put any controversy to rest regarding the appointment of Argentine referee Facundo Tello for the 2026 World Cup quarter-final between France and Morocco. With international tensions running high between France and Argentina since the 2022 World Cup final, the French coach expressed his trust in the officiating team and stated he does not see the man in black as an opponent to his squad.
FIFA has chosen Argentine Facundo Tello to officiate this highly anticipated match between the Blues and the Atlas Lions, set for Thursday in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The referee will be joined by two Argentine assistants, a decision that quickly sparked reactions due to the strained sports relations between the French and Argentines in recent years.
This appointment comes just days after another match that stirred debate over officiating. In the quarter-final between Argentina and Egypt, which Argentina won 3-2, French referee François Letexier was at the center of much discussion. The rivalry that emerged after the 2022 final, where Argentina triumphed over France in a penalty shootout, has heightened sensitivity around these appointments.
Facing questions from journalists, Didier Deschamps chose to remain calm and focused on the pitch. The French coach believes referees should be judged solely on their ability to enforce the rules of football.
“I assume there are appointments and I can’t do anything about it. I make sure to trust the referees. I hope Mr. Tello and his assistants will be as good as Mr. Letexier and his assistants. There are always decisions that can spark discussions depending on which camp you’re in. Our opponent is Morocco. I won’t consider the referee as an opponent. He is there to apply the laws of the game as best as possible,” said Didier Deschamps at the press conference.
This statement comes after France’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the round of 16. That match drew significant criticism regarding some decisions made by Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev. Despite the debates, Deschamps emphasized the importance of staying focused on collective performance rather than refereeing decisions.
Beyond officiating, the French coach also highlighted the quality of the Moroccan team. According to him, the Lions of the Atlas’ journey to the quarter-finals confirms their status among the best teams in the tournament.
The attitude of some Moroccan journalists during Didier Deschamps’ press conference is simply shameful and far from professionalism.
Trying to destabilize the coach with provocative and disrespectful questions has nothing to do with the…
— KoraMaroc (@AtKoraMaroc) July 8, 2026
“The profile of Morocco is not the same as Paraguay. Morocco is among the very good teams with excellent players. They are not here by chance. It will be a clash between two teams that love to have the ball, attack, and score goals. We need to perform because this Moroccan team is of very high quality. They will be as effective as possible offensively, in the other zone too,” he added.
Deschamps expects an intense showdown between two ambitious teams capable of producing great football. For France, the goal is to confirm their status as favorites, while Morocco aims to continue their historic run in this World Cup.
