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Confusion surrounded France v Spain in the first half of the World Cup 2026 semi-final after a free-kick was overturned.
Fans were left baffled after Ousmane Dembele appeared to win a foul after being confronted by Fabian Ruiz in the 43rd minute.
Dembele dribbled away from Dani Olmo across the pitch before poking the ball just as Fabian Ruiz arrived. The French forward then stumbled before any contact was made from the Spaniard.
The initial decision from Salvadoran official Ivan Barton saw Les Bleus handed a free-kick, with no yellow card handed to Ruiz.
But moments later the decision was changed, and The Independent understands that Barton was given advice from the assistant referee, not VAR, as some fans had initially suggested on social media.
Previous decisions in this tournament have been overturned once a yellow card has been wrongly handed to an opponent, such as the quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland.
Spain’s Fabian Ruiz (8) protests to referee Ivan Barton (AP)
Spain’s Rodri, Alex Baena, Lamine Yamal and Fabian Ruiz remonstrate with referee Ivan Barton (Reuters)
Fabian Ruiz #8 of Spain argues a call with referee Ivan Barton (Getty)
The decision prompted comparisons with referee Joao Pinheiro’s decision to award a yellow card to Leandro Paredes, before reversing his decision to punish Breel Embolo for simulation, with “mistaken identity” underlined as the reason for the VAR intervention and the Swiss forward sent off for a second yellow.
Yet no card was given in this incident involving Dembele and Ruiz, leaving many fans around the world initially baffled, though it is understood that Barton did not use VAR to inform his decision.
Spain led through Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty, won by Lamine Yamal after a collision with Lucas Digne, despite some suggestions of a handball from the Barcelona superstar.
And the European champions made it 2-0 thanks to Pedro Porro’s neat finish to move closer to the World Cup final.