"Our Opponent Is Morocco, Not the Referee!" France Manager Deschamps Responds to Controversy Over 'Argentine Referee Appointment'

Ahead of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup quarterfinal match between France and Morocco on July 10 (KST), the French national team held a press conference.

According to the list of match officials announced by FIFA ahead of the game, the entire officiating crew, including the referee and assistant referees—excluding the VAR team—are from Argentina. This marks the first time in this tournament that an entire officiating crew for a single match has been composed of individuals from the same country.

Given that France and Argentina are fierce competitors for the championship, many fans have expressed concerns. However, France manager Didier Deschamps and his players remained composed, showing no signs of being swayed by the external controversy.

Sports Mug brings you the highlights from the French national team's pre-match press conference and interviews.

(Reported and edited by Ju-hyeon Nam | Produced by Sports News Department)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.