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🚨🎙️PIERLUIGI COLLINA (EX-REFEREE) ON THE OFFICIATING IN FRANCE VS PARAGUAY “In my life, I've never been more disappointed with a refereeing performance like this. I've defended officials for years because I know how difficult the job is, but tonight was simply not good enough.” “At times, it almost looked like the referee had already made up his mind before certain challenges even happened. The inconsistency was astonishing.” “I think he should be removed from the remainder of the tournament because... what have I just watched? This is the World Cup. The margin for error is incredibly small, and the standard of officiating has to match the standard of football.” “I honestly felt France were on the wrong end of far too many decisions. Whether it was the fouls, the advantage calls or the disciplinary decisions, the balance just didn't feel right. Had France not possessed so much quality, they might well have lost that game.” “The worrying thing isn't one controversial decision. It's when several decisions begin to pile up in the same direction. That's when players lose confidence in the officiating, and the match becomes harder to control.” “As a former official, I know mistakes happen. No referee goes onto the pitch intending to have a poor game. But accountability matters. When performances fall below the level expected at the biggest tournament in football, those performances have to be reviewed seriously.” “The players deserved better. The supporters deserved better. And football deserves better. After a match like this, the headlines should be about the football, not the referee.”