Spain is headed to the 2026 World Cup final after a clinical 2-0 win over France, but the scoreline barely captures the drama surrounding the matchup. Before the semi-final kicked off, former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy came under fire for remarks about France’s national team that sparked accusations of racism in both Spain and France.

And by the end of the night, the chatter had shifted from the political drama to a contentious officiating display by Ivan Barton and a frustrating lack of tactical awareness from the French squad. Combined, these storylines turned one of the tournament’s marquee fixtures into an occasion defined almost as much by off-field noise as by the on-field football itself.

Former Spanish PM draws backlash over comments on France’s national team

Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s former conservative prime minister, found himself at the center of criticism after questioning the makeup of France’s squad in a column for the online outlet, El Debate, ahead of the World Cup semi-final.

“It’s worth remembering that France has been a two-time world champion and was a finalist in the last World Cup,” Rajoy wrote. “They’ve won every match they’ve played in this World Cup and are currently ranked No 1 in the FIFA rankings. They also have a top-level squad. That said, they don’t have any French players. And they’re playing very well. They’ll be a formidable opponent.”

The remarks quickly prompted criticism from political leaders on both sides of the border.

Spain’s current Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejected Rajoy’s comments in a post on X, arguing that nationality cannot be reduced to appearance or ancestry.

“There are those who still measure belonging by surname, place of birth, or skin colour,” Sánchez wrote online. “Others measure it by our roots in a country and our will to contribute to it. Playing football. Caring for our elders. Or opening businesses. Spain belongs to those who love it and work for it. Not to those who shame it with xenophobic statements.”

France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez also condemned the remarks, calling them “completely unacceptable” and defending France as “a country of diversity where everyone can thrive and find their place.” French Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure echoed that message, reminding critics that France’s national team is made up entirely of French citizens.

The controversy dominated much of the pre-match discussion before attention shifted to events on the field.

Didier Deschamps questions refereeing after France’s exit

Spain controlled long stretches of the semi-final, limiting Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé while scoring early once in each half to secure a 2-0 victory. But France coach Didier Deschamps believed the contest turned on a first-half penalty awarded after Lucas Digne caught Lamine Yamal inside the area.

Asked about the decision afterward, Deschamps refused to directly criticize the officials but made his feelings clear.

“Now, I’m asking you, and I’m not going to answer it,” the French coach said via a translator. “I don’t want to come across as a whiner because we lost, but did tonight’s referee have the level to officiate a World Cup semifinal?”

The France boss later clarified that his frustration wasn’t limited to the penalty itself, but an “accumulation” of questionable decisions.

The penalty gave Spain an early lead through Mikel Oyarzabal’s surgical execution and forced France to chase the game against an iron-wall defense that has conceded only one goal in seven World Cup matches. That defensive record underlined why Spain has looked like the tournament’s most complete team as they now head towards the final.

Rules expert backs penalty despite handball debate

The penalty itself sparked another debate after French players argued Lamine Yamal had ‘handled’ the ball before Lucas Digne made contact. But ITV Sport rules analyst Christina Unkel disagreed.

According to Unkel, the ball struck Yamal’s sleeve area, which does not constitute a handball offense under the Laws of the Game.

“It’s a good analysis to take a look at that, the contact is on the sleeve of Yamal, it would not be considered part of the arm,” Unkel shared. “That would not be recalled back for a handling offence. the penalty should stay. Like Harry Kane, they’re committed to the challenge, but they have the option of not making contact.”

Her interpretation aligned with referee Ivan Barton’s on-field decision, although the incident remained one of the game’s biggest talking points.

Referee’s forgotten spray can adds an unexpected twist

In fact, Ivan Barton was already under the spotlight before the penalty. Just eight minutes into the match, play stopped after the Salvadoran referee realized he had forgotten his vanishing spray before organizing a Spanish free kick.

Fourth official Glenn Nyberg quickly ran onto the pitch with the spray can while Barton smiled through the awkward moment. The delay was brief, but it quickly spread across social media.

The 35-year-old is no stranger to high-profile matches. He makes regular appearances in CONCACAF’s largest tournaments and made his first World Cup appearance as a referee at the 2022 Qatar tournament. He had earlier made headlines after becoming the first referee to send off a player for covering his mouth during an argument with an opponent, with a red card for Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron during their clash against Turkey.

Kylian Mbappe points out what went wrong for France against Spain

While debate continued around the officiating, Kylian Mbappé focused on France’s own shortcomings. The Real Madrid forward, who finished the tournament with eight goals, admitted Spain outplayed Les Bleus both tactically and technically.

“I don’t think we played the match we wanted to play,” Mbappe admitted to French broadcaster M6. “Whether tactically, technically, or in terms of our overall performance level, and when you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don’t win.”

Mbappé said France wanted to disrupt Spain’s build-up by pressing aggressively, but admitted his side failed to execute that plan. Spain’s control of the game ended Les Bleus’ hopes of reaching a third straight World Cup final in Arlington. He also pointed to France’s struggles in midfield, where Adrien Rabiot and Aurélien Tchouaméni repeatedly found themselves outnumbered by the Spanish trio of Rodri, Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz.

Spain, meanwhile, heads into the World Cup final carrying momentum on and off the ball, while France leaves Dallas with questions about officiating, tactics and a missed opportunity to make history.