Criticized by Didier Deschamps after France's elimination against Spain in the World Cup semi-final , Ivan Barton has responded to the French coach. The 35-year-old Salvadoran referee insists that the criticism leveled after Spain's 2-0 victory did not affect him. A guest on the show " Jorge Ramos y su banda , " Barton first reiterated that everyone is free to judge his performance : "No, absolutely not. Everyone has the right to their opinion, whatever the subject, so no, not at all."
"No comment will make us doubt."
The referee of the semi-final then defended his career and his appointment to such an important match. Without directly attacking Didier Deschamps , he gave a firm response to the French coach's questions : "In truth, we know what we have had to go through, what we have had to face, how and why we got here. So, no comment will make us doubt the reason why we are here."
Ivan Barton believes that his presence at this level stems from the work done over several years and the trust placed in him by those in charge of international arbitration.
Didier Deschamps had directly questioned his level
After France's defeat, Didier Deschamps acknowledged his team's responsibility before publicly questioning the Salvadoran referee's competence : "It's primarily our fault. Then, I'll ask a question, and I'm not going to answer it: is the referee qualified to officiate a World Cup semi-final?" This statement, made to M6, placed Ivan Barton at the center of criticism following France's elimination. The coach, however, did not specify the precise decisions he was contesting.
Pierluigi Collina defends the level of FIFA referees
Ivan Barton also received support from Pierluigi Collina , FIFA's head of refereeing. The former Italian referee defended the quality of the officials selected for the competition, stating that they belonged to the highest international level. The Salvadoran now hopes that his experience will allow other referees from countries less represented in major competitions to get their chance : " Personally, I am happy and proud, but I am also aware that I have accomplished something very important: proving that football and the passion for this sport exist in every corner of the world, regardless of the flag."
"Quality is not linked to nationality."
Ivan Barton rejects the notion that a referee's worth should be judged based on their country of origin or its place in football history : "The quality of players, but also of referees and coaches, is not necessarily linked to their nationality or the size of their country of origin." The Salvadoran referee will therefore not revisit his performance against France . Despite criticism from Didier Deschamps, he maintains his conviction in his right to officiate a World Cup semi-final.
