France’s national soccer team has had its appeal against a yellow card received by Michael Olise during the Round of 16 victory over Paraguay denied by FIFA, according to coach Didier Deschamps. The ruling, confirmed Wednesday, means Olise will remain one booking closer to suspension in the quarterfinal match against Morocco on Thursday. Should he receive another yellow card in that game, he would be ineligible for a potential semifinal.
Olise was cautioned in the 97th minute of France’s 1-0 extra-time win after a confrontation with Paraguay’s Matías Galarza. Video footage showed Olise pulling on Galarza’s jersey just before the latter fell to the ground, prompting the referee to issue the card. The French Football Federation lodged the appeal in an attempt to have the booking rescinded.
The appeal’s rejection follows a recent high-profile intervention in a separate disciplinary matter, when U.S. President Donald Trump contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request the reversal of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension. FIFA ultimately overturned Balogun’s red card match ban, allowing him to participate in the United States’ subsequent loss to Belgium. Despite his clearance, the U.S. team was eliminated after the 4-1 defeat.
Deschamps addressed the card situation during a pre-match press conference as France prepares for their fourth consecutive World Cup quarterfinal appearance. A victory over Morocco would place France among an elite group of nations to reach three straight semifinal berths, alongside Germany and Brazil.
While the yellow card issue attracted significant attention, Deschamps spent much of his media availability discussing broader concerns, including racist comments directed at France star Kylian Mbappé following the Round of 16. The remarks, which originated from a Paraguayan senator, were publicly condemned by Mbappé and led to heightened security measures ahead of the upcoming fixture. French law enforcement plans to deploy thousands of officers to prevent unrest.
Deschamps described Mbappé’s mental state as composed and focused despite the controversy. “Kylian is OK. Whatever happens, I don’t want to look back and think about it again. He’s a very strong guy mentally, physically. He’s just focused on tomorrow’s game,” the coach said.
The match with Morocco has also sparked debate over refereeing after France racked up three yellow cards in the previous round while Paraguay received none. Deschamps maintained confidence in officiating, noting, “It is out of our control… The referee is there to apply fairly the laws of the game.”
Additionally, questions about Deschamps’ future as France coach surfaced during the conference. The 57-year-old former World Cup-winning captain announced prior to the tournament that he intends to step down after the current campaign. He emphasized a focus on the present match rather than retirement, saying, “In my head, with the technical staff, we want to win tomorrow. That’s the objective.”