The 2026 FIFA World Cup The semifinal between France and Spain produced several talking points before Spain won 2-0 to reach the final, but one of the most unexpected moments of the evening came eight minutes into the match when referee Iván Barton briefly stopped play after forgetting one of the most important tools to manage the game. The Salvadoran captain was preparing to take charge of the Spanish ball when he realized he didn’t have his white spray on, prompting a breathless pause before fourth official Glenn Nyberg ran onto the field to hand him a can. Although the delay lasted a long time, the extraordinary event began to spread on social media, and became one of the most talked about sports in a game that was later led by the most controversial decisions.
Barton’s forgotten spray causes an early delay
That happened after French midfielder Adrien Rabiot fouled Dani Olmo in the eighth minute.Rabiot stood at the feet of the Spanish midfielder, receiving a free kick in a dangerous position and receiving the first yellow card of the game.As Barton approached the edge of the French barrier to mark the required distance, he suddenly realized that he had forgotten his missing hair.After failing to resume play, the 35-year-old smiled as he raced to the dugout as fourth baseman Glenn Nyberg entered the field holding the bat before giving it up.Players from both teams were left waiting as the officials resolved the impromptu dispute, allowing the free-kick to go ahead only after Barton had written a defensive wall.The unusual moment immediately attracted the attention of the broadcasters.Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former England player Chris Sutton joked: “The referee has forgotten his spray. Come on, you’ve got two jobs.
Another story of an eventful evening for adults
Although the forgettable smoke briefly amused his fans, Barton’s later actions will come under much scrutiny.Spain took the lead through Mikel Oyarzabal after Barton scored a first-half penalty and Lucas Digne caught Lamine Yamal in the penalty area. Although the decision divided opinion, it was allowed to stand without the intervention of VAR.Later in the half, confusion surrounded another incident when Barton gave France a dangerous chance after he was adjudged Fabián Ruiz to have tripped Ousmane Dembélé on the edge of the box.
Fabian Ruiz (8) of Spain challenges referee Ivan Barton, of El Salvador, during the World Cup final match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Following advice from his assistant, however, Barton changed the decision before the restart after it was revealed that Ruiz had not contacted Dembélé. The change caused brief confusion among players and supporters, with many mistakenly believing that VAR had intervened.France head coach Didier Deschamps later questioned whether Barton had managed the match at the level expected in the World Cup semi-final, saying his disappointment was due to “a lot of things” rather than the decision itself.
A celebrity with an interesting career
Born in Santa Ana, El Salvador, Barton previously worked as a professor of organic chemistry after earning a degree in chemical engineering before becoming one of CONCACAF’s leading experts.He made his debut at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and continued to perform at the highest level in the 2026 games. Before the semi-final, Barton supervised the Round of 16 clash between Colombia and Switzerland, and also emphasized FIFA’s confidence in his experience at the highest level.At the start of this World Cup, Barton once again made headlines when he became the first referee in the tournament to send off a player for covering his mouth in a row. Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón was kicked out of their match against Turkey after repeatedly covering his mouth while arguing with officials, in what appears to be a breach of FIFA’s public display guidelines.In addition to his World Cup duties, Barton has attracted attention for his bold actions, including the suspension of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League match between the United States and Mexico due to homophobic chants from supporters.While Spain’s display of control led to a 2-0 win and a World Cup final victory, Barton’s forgettable performance, coupled with a number of high-profile decisions later in the game, ensured that the manager remained one of the biggest talking points of the evening.
