Referee François Létesse excluded from World Cup list after Egypt vs Argentina match

Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashov became the subject of serious criticism following his performance in the Round of 16 match of the 2026 World Cup between Paraguay and France.

Refereeing Assessment

The authoritative French sports publication L'Equipe gave the local referee's performance a score of only one out of ten. The low rating was attributed to Tantashov's perceived inability, according to the publication, to control the aggression on the field.

Game Control Issues

Despite the Latin American team displaying very aggressive play and constant clashes, the main referee did not issue a single yellow card to the Paraguayan players. Such an absence of warnings for Paraguayan footballers in World Cups has not been recorded since 1998. Meanwhile, the French players received three yellow cards from the Uzbek referee.

Match Progression and Outcome

The match ended with a 1-0 victory for France and was accompanied by significant controversy. Kylian Mbappé, who scored the only goal, demonstratively refused to shake hands with the Paraguayan goalkeeper, after which the keeper threw the ball at the Frenchman's back. Furthermore, Mbappé provocatively celebrated the goal in front of defender Junior Alonso, with whom he had previously had a conflict during the game. Thanks to this victory, France advanced to the quarter-finals of the tournament, where it is scheduled to play Morocco.