Morocco launch official referee complaint after World Cup exit vs France

Morocco have filed a complaint to FIFA regarding Cesar Ramos' refereeing performance during their 2-0 defeat against France on Wednesday.

Walid Regragui's side crashed out of the World Cup as Les Bleus progressed into the final courtesy of goals either side of half-time from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani. It was a professional display from France, although Morocco pushed them all the way in a pulsating last four clash at Al Bayt Stadium.

However, the Atlas Lions were furious with the referee's performance on the night after he made a couple of controversial decisions. Morocco were baffled when Sofiane Boufal was awarded a yellow card for fouling Hernandez, when it appeared the decision should've gone the other way.

The France left-back slipped inside the box and his outstretched leg caught Boufal and sent him crashing onto the surface. But instead of awarding what looked like a penalty, Ramos chose to give a free-kick to France - to the frustration of the Morocco players, management team and fans inside the stadium.

Now the Royal Football Federation of Morocco have confirmed they have lodged a complaint to FIFA over his display. They also believe that a penalty should have been awarded when Selim Amallah fell in the box from a free-kick. Ramos decided that there was no foul and waved play on. VAR also chose to not get involved in either incident and felt the referee made the right call.

Any complaint is unlikely to have any effect, especially since it is in only a matter of days before France take on Argentina in the final of the World Cup at Lusail Stadium. Morocco are also in action on the weekend when they face Croatia in the third/fourth place play-off.

In a statement the RFFM said: "The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) strongly protested against the arbitration of the Morocco-France match officiated by Mr. Cesar Arturo Ramos. To this end, the FRMF sent a letter to the competent body in which it returns to the arbitration situations which deprived the Moroccan selection of two indisputable penalties in the opinion of several arbitration specialists.

"The FRMF also expressed its great astonishment that the Video Assistance to Arbitration (VAR) system did not react to these arbitration situations. The FRMF recalls that it will spare no effort to defend and preserve the rights of the National Selections by advocating fairness in arbitration and by denouncing these arbitration decisions taken during this semi-final confrontation of the World Cup. of FIFA Qatar 2022."

Despite losing out in the semi-final, Morocco can take plenty of positives from their performance at the tournament as they became the first African side to reach the last four of a World Cup. The Atlas Lions beat Portugal, Spain, Belgium and Canada out in Qatar.