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France coach Didier Deschamps said his players were left \u201cdevastated\u201d by their 2-0 World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain<\/a> on Wednesday morning before aiming a barb at match referee Ivan Barton from El Salvador.<\/p>\n Deschamps\u2019 free-flowing French team had dazzled the competition en route to the last four, rattling in 16 goals in six games to earn comparisons to some of the greatest teams in World Cup history.<\/p>\n Tszyu v Spence Jr. | Sunday July 26 from 11am AEST | Tim Tszyu takes on the biggest name in his career so far – future hall-of-famer Errol Spence Jr, in a can\u2019t miss event for boxing fans around the world. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports<\/a>.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n But France\u2019s dreams of a third World Cup title were left in tatters after a dominant Spanish performance that left Deschamps, who is stepping down after the tournament, struggling for answers.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, there is a lot of disappointment,\u201d Deschamps said immediately after the defeat at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n \u201cThe players are devastated because we had a lot of ambition, even though we also have to be realistic and acknowledge that today we were a notch below on the technical level against a team that controlled the game well.<\/p>\n \u201cBut first of all, it\u2019s our fault, I don\u2019t want to blame anyone.\u201d <\/p>\n Deschamps though could not resist firing a shot at referee Barton, who had awarded Spain an early penalty after Lucas Digne kicked Lamine Yamal in the first half.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll ask a loaded question and I won\u2019t answer it,\u201d Deschamps said. \u201cIs the referee at the level required to officiate a World Cup semi-final?<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m not saying this just because we lost today. There were quite a few situations. There were some favourable calls, too,\u201d he said, without elaborating.<\/p>\n