​France’s hopes of overturning a controversial yellow card for star midfielder Michael Olise were dashed when FIFA upheld the decision, Didier Deschamps confirmed on Wednesday. The ruling means Olise could face a suspension for a World Cup semi-final should he collect another booking during France’s quarter-final clash with Morocco on Thursday. “There was no change when it comes to Olise’s yellow card. We received FIFA’s decision this morning that the yellow card was maintained,” Deschamps said. The French federation had appealed the sanction, which was issued to Olise in the 97th minute of their 1-0 victory over Paraguay after an altercation with Matías Galarza. While Galarza went to ground, video replays appeared to show Olise merely grabbing the Paraguayan’s jersey before he toppled.
The decision stands in sharp contrast to a recent case involving US forward Folarin Balogun. FIFA lifted Balogun’s suspension for a red card after a phone call from Donald Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, arguing for the player’s reinstatement. Balogun subsequently played in the United States’ 4-1 defeat to Belgium, a result that eliminated them from the tournament.
The status of Olise’s appeal was among the first questions directed at Deschamps as France prepared for their fourth consecutive World Cup quarter-final appearance. A victory would keep them on track to become only the third nation to reach the semi-finals in three successive tournaments, a feat previously achieved by Germany and Brazil. Yet Deschamps’ news conference was dominated by a range of off-field issues, from recent racist remarks aimed at France talisman Kylian Mbappé, concerns over officiating, to questions about his own future.
The upcoming match against Morocco, a repeat of the Qatar 2022 World Cup semi-final, is so significant that law enforcement in France is mobilising thousands of officers to prepare for potential unrest. Mbappé himself condemned comments made by a Paraguayan senator after her country’s loss to France, while Deschamps described his star player’s mood as focused despite the incident. “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,” he said.
Concerns about officiating arose after three French players received yellow cards in the preceding round, while Paraguay had none in an ill-tempered match. Yet Deschamps voiced little worry, noting that such matters are beyond his control. “I trust the refereeing. Some refereeing decisions may lead to discussions. It really depends on everyone’s opinion. Our opponent is for better SEO.”