'Refereeing Has To Be Fair': Robin Singh Criticizes Officiating In FIFA World Cup, Praises Deschamps - Exclusive

The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals have concluded, setting the stage for a historic semi-final lineup featuring the world’s current top four ranked nations: France, Argentina, Spain, and England. This marks the first time since the introduction of the FIFA world rankings in 1992 that the four highest-ranked teams have all reached the final four of a World Cup.

With the bracket now finalized, the tournament is poised for two blockbuster encounters: France will face Spain in Dallas, while reigning champions Argentina are set to renew their storied rivalry with England in Atlanta.

The stakes could not be higher as these giants battle for a place in the July 20 final at New York New Jersey Stadium. Argentina is aiming for an unprecedented back-to-back title, a feat not achieved since Brazil in 1962, while England remains hungry for their first World Cup trophy since 1966.

For individual icons, the matches carry extra weight: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are locked in a fierce race for both the Golden Boot and the title of all-time World Cup top scorer. Meanwhile, nations like Spain and France are looking to cement their dominance in the modern era, with a second World Cup title or a third-ever final appearance, respectively, within their reach.

The Round of 16 and quarter-final stages have delivered an unrelenting whirlwind of drama, keeping fans on the edge of their seats as the tournament intensity reached a boiling point. France have looked particularly lethal, with their electrifying attacking talent dismantling opponents and pushing Didier Deschamps to his third consecutive World Cup semi-final—a testament to his tactical mastery.

However, the narrative has been frequently interrupted by fierce VAR controversies that have sparked global outrage, alongside a string of high-stakes matches decided by dramatic penalty saves.

Also seeing stars like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé miss big penalty kicks has sparked a huge debate. Fans are left wondering: are the goalkeepers just getting much better, or is the massive pressure of the World Cup finally getting to even the best players in the world?

Former Indian International Robin Singh, part of the expert panel for ZEE5, the official broadcasters of the FIFA World Cup 2026, opened up on the afore mentioned talking points during his exclusive conversation with the Outlook India correspondent.

'France Are The Modern Day Brazil'

The expansive brand of football played by France under the leadership of Kylian Mbappe with the likes of Michael Olise, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele has inevitably surfaced a comparison with the Brazilian sides of the late nineties and early 2000s.

Robin Singh admitted that this group of France footballers have the flair similar to the likes of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho.

Robin said, "The biggest example is Desire Doue saying that I grew up watching Neymar videos and I like to play like him. That just shows you the inspiration of the Brazilian squad of then that has given the younger generation of footballers. As football fans or as lovers of the game you would never score a goal with a stepover, turnaround and say 'oh world cup winner'. You will always call yourself a Neymar or a Ronaldo".

He further added, "That generation transcended into a stepover being called a Messi. Or a freekick being called a Ronaldo. But now you can see the next generation also just like doing the Mbappe celebration. The generation is being transcended, and it is being passed on to the newer generation of footballers."

'Money Can Be Put On France's Chances To Win'

Robin Singh was candid in appreciating the France side and he bowed down to their greatness.

He explained his view as he said, "This France side will win a lot moving forward but you also have to understand that this is the new France. They have everything among them. When you look at teams where you have got somebody like Mbappe, you stop him, you get someone like Dembele, you stop him, you get someone like Desire Doue. You stop all three and you get someone like Olise, Barcola or Ryan Cherki. I think this squad is brilliant."

Robin did not bite down that this France squad is difficult to stop. "That's what you have to figure out, how to deal with this monster. You chop one and four more pop up and I think that's just galvanized with a coach who has won the world cup and has mutual respect for the talent he has. I am sure a lot of them are wounded from their last final. They don't want to repeat that again. Can they win it? I think I can put my money on it."

'Deschamps Has Ascended Into The Throne Of Great Managers'

Robin Singh was all praises for France manager Didier Deschamps who has been setting new precedents every day for more than a decade.

"I think that he is the second person to win the world cup as a captain and then a coach. When you have that wealth of experience, it obviously helps. When you talk about a Pep, a Mourinho, these are club coaches where they have over a course of time months to show their abilities and the team they are building. Also the ability to sign players from any nationality. When you are looking at a Didier Deschamps, he has built a squad and has made it sure that he manages and evolves the squad with time. "

Robin also highlighted Deschamps' ability to adapt across eras.

"You go to the previous world cup, you have the Girouds and the Griezmanns playing. Now he has evolved the squad for the kind of players like Olise and a Desire Doue. But you will also have to credit him for unlocking a new way to make Olise play. Cause we saw him at Bayern on the wing and we thought his is the most lethal Olise we have seen. And then he has come and unlocked it."

"So that just shows you he is a great man manager as well. When you are playing for your country specially one of the contenders or the big boys of the world cup as we call them, you have to understand that they are great and immensely talented players. But that also comes with making sure you keep them happy, you treat them well and you get the best out of them. I think that is what Didier Deschamps has done." He added.

"For me, he is up there already. If he adds another world cup to his cabinet, what does that make him now, that is the biggest question", said Robin when quizzed about if Deschamps shares the same chair as a Guardiola, Mourinho or Ancelotti.

Robin thinks the death of Deschamps' mother has given the France side an emotional focal point.

"With him saying that I am leaving and the way the squad has galvanized behind him even after personal losses. Sometimes you need that, as football fans yourself you know that. You need that emotional connect, you need that emotional motivation to push you forward. We always say to each other find that one face in a million people that pushes you forward. And I think for the France side, that is the fans already and now they have Didier Deschamps to say we are going to do this for you".

'Refereeing Has To be Fair'

Robin made it very clear that he was not happy with the refereeing and the VAR operations of the Argentina vs Egypt Round of 16 match.

"It has to be fair. If you have checked a foul three attacks or two attacks back, then you have to check the other ones as well. That's the first and foremost point. I believe that needs to be fair, when you talk about VAR, whether it is a foul or not, it has to be checked. You have to go see it, if you think it is not a foul, you need to make sure it is not a foul. If a team is talking about another team, you always talk about players that can be dangerous. The same way referees talk about other players and other teams where they see, ok does he manipulate the game by diving? Does he manipulate the game by winning fouls? Is he someone who will not go down if there is no foul? These are the conversations that referees do have because I have had a few conversations with the referees during my playing career as well."

Robin cited examples of previous games and the reputations of big players as a factor of maintaining fairness in refereeing decisions.

"When you look at a Mo Salah, you know somewhere that he won't go down without a touch. If he has, look at it, book him for diving, for manipulating the game, but again you have to look at it. For me that's the fairness, because you went three attacks back, you went to a foul after the ball has gone halfway across the pitch, and then Argentina still has not defended it. That is where I draw the line saying it needs to be fair. If you check one, you check all."

"You go back to the opening game, the referee gave a red card. The only reason Mexico got a red card was also because he started the game with a red card. It is about fairness. If there is a foul there, this is a foul as well. Last man there, last man here, red card, has to stand. This is the prime example of being fair. The ball was going nowhere. But he was the last man, he put the tackle in. Same rules. Applied to both things. So you make it fair. "

Also Read: Investigating Claims Of Favoritism For Lionel Messi's Argentina At The FIFA World Cup 2026

'Egypt Needs To Reflect On Their Defending'

Robin clarified that every criticism depends on perspectives. The Argentina vs Egypt match was no different.

"Every time you team concedes a foul, it is never a foul. That is the universal law of football. But then again, it comes down to you conceding three goals in what, ten minutes? We have all seen games where you say the referee is looking the other way; the referee is not giving decisions. That is where you take a step back, you take a deep breath and you say right, if it is going to go against me, I need to make sure I am a lot more tuned in. I am a lot more focused."

He also said that Egypt should reflect on their way of defending and the management of situation before questioning the integrity of the game.

"When you start defending from the 70th minute or the 80th minute, all the way down for ten minutes, it is never easy. Attack vs defence training is not easy when you have to do the same thing over and over again for ten minutes and that too deep inside your box. You cant tackle the likes of Messis, Dembeles, Ronaldos, Olises inside the box, they are that good with their feet. So you have to push out and you have to defend. So I think that's where Egypt has to look at themselves and say how did we blow a two goal lead up. "

"I am sure, when they go back they will also somewhere feel like, right the decision didn't go in our favour but let me look at the video, did we defend well? I think if the players and coaches are not doing that, then it is also a question. Have I done enough defending? Have I worked on my defence enough to make sure that I don't concede? Three goals in ten minutes is difficult, but it is also the same time you lose your focus due to the frustration that the foul is not given to you. That is where you have to keep the focus, that is where your true character comes out. Ok, done, finished. Let's do this again, they can't score 2-3 goals against us, take it to extra time, we will beat them. We have scored two in the beginning; we will score one more."

"I think that is where the Egypt players will go back. After the emotions run through, when the emotions run dry, they will then look at it and say, hey listen, it was also our fault, we defended too deep. So, I think these are some things they have to look at and understand, how do we take this forward. You can say the referee's decision needs to be fair, but at the same time you also have to say it is done, we had to do better.

'Trust The Process For Penalties'

Robin Singh pointed out the context around Kylian Mbappe's penalty miss and how it is different from Lionel Messi's penalties being saved.

"If you look at Mbappe's penalty, there was a three and a half minutes delay. You know when you are standing on the penalty spot, one on one with the goalkeeper, the first question that comes to your mind, has he gone back and seen my penalties? Do I change it? Should I use power?Should I just chip him? You are also battling with all of those thoughts. So I think with the Mbappe penalty, the delay kind of put him off a little. But that is also the small margins of errors you are looking at when you are thinking of the world cup. You just need that bit of error. When you look at Messi, when you are looking at his penalties as well, they were not in the corners as well."

Robin gave example of Harry Kane as a player who knows his areas of target while taking a spotkick.

"Prime example is Harry Kane. He misses but at the same time he knows his spot. He will be one of those strikers who targets for say the top left. But the new age of taking a stutter, waiting for the goalkeeper, if the goalkeeper doesn't move, you are in trouble. For Messi, I just think his placements were not right. You have to credit the goalkeepers as well for judging the right way. They are also doing their homework that it is usually going to go this way. The cheatcode is also sometimes before the kick happens the reaction time of how the body is opening. The goalkeeper knows where it is going, then you just go, If the player outsmarts you, he just does. That's how it is.

Robin suggested shot-takers to trust the process they have followed.

"We saw Panenka at the penalty shootout as well. It is just about confidence at that point of time. You just have to make sure you trust the process and slot it in the decision you made in your head." he signed off.