Former English Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher states Kylian Mbappe was in an offside position for the controversial Nations League Final winner.
However, the retired whistler believes it should still have stood following a VAR check.
Mbappe raced onto a France through ball with 10 minutes remaining and finished past Spain number one Unai Simon from what looked like a clear offside position.
It went to the video checks, and it was decided that defender Eric Garcia had flicked the ball on to Mbappe before the Paris Saint-Germain attacker slid home the decider.
Gallagher backed on-field referee Anthony Taylor and VAR official Stuart Atwell for applying the letter of the law - claiming the Barcelona centre-back did look to have mistimed his clearance.
He admits he doesn't agree with the technicality which allowed the strike to stand.
When asked on Sky Sports News if allowing the goal to stand was the right decision, the Irishman said: "Well, technically, I have to say yes.
"What I would say is that you asked me many years ago if there is anything in the laws of the game I don't like, and I think a lot of people would be on my side here, without a doubt Mbappe is in an offside position.
"Is an offside position an offence? No. You then go 'does he impact on the defender?' And many people will say yes because of where he is.
"He forces Garcia to play the ball, and the law says if Garcia decides to play the ball on his own, which he does, and mis-controls it, Mbappe is deemed to be onside, and that's how it progressed.
"The VAR decides that Garcia goes to clear the ball, and that adds that caveat. What you would say is if the VAR wasn't there it still would have been a goal because the assistant didn't flag on the day because it's so tight.
"There is a lot of distaste about it but technically it was a goal.
"Technically, definitely a goal. I don't like the rule but still, as a referee I need to apply the rule. That's how it is."
