For the referees at the World Cup, it is also about the most important game: which of them gets the final? Twelve referees are still there.
36 referees started the tournament, including three women. Stéphanie Frappart made history by becoming the first woman to officiate a match at a men’s World Cup.
According to information from the sports show, twelve of the 36 referees are still in Qatar, and the rest have left. For the remaining referees, it’s about writing football history: The World Cup final is the biggest possible game for them too. The decision seems more open than four years ago.
Several candidates, no clear favourite
“While there was a clear favorite in Nestor Pitana four years ago, nobody is so clearly ahead this time.”says Alex Feuerherdt from the referee podcast “Collinas Erben” in an interview with the sports show. “Three candidates are Szymon Marciniak from Poland, Ismail Elfath from the USA and Danny Makkelie from the Netherlands.” In Feuerherdt’s opinion, the English referee Anthony Taylor could also be considered.
However, after the turbulence in the game between Argentina and the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, Dutchman Makkelie is unlikely to appear in a final involving Argentina. Another possible caveat: American referee Ismail Elfath was born in Casablanca, which could work against him in a final involving Moroccans.
Daniele Orsato, who officiated the opening game, may already be out of contention having been handed the first semi-final between Argentina and Croatia. César Arturo Ramos of Mexico referees the other semi-final between Morocco and France. The game for third place must also be occupied. The final will be decided on Friday (12/16/2022).
Siebert already gone, Rudi Glöckner so far the only German referee in the World Cup final
The only German referee, Daniel Siebert, is no longer there, he officiated two games at the World Cup.
In history, a German referee was only used once in a final of the men’s World Cup: Rudi Glöckner from the GDR of the 1970 final in Mexico City between Brazil and Italy (4:1). It was only his ninth international match, as he said himself. In 1999, Glöckner died in his birthplace, Markranstädt near Leipzig.
Former referee Rudi Glöckner (centre) before the 1970 World Cup final with the captains from Italy and Brazil
| WM | referee | country |
|---|---|---|
2018 | Nestor Pitana | Argentina |
2014 | Nicholas Rizzoli | Italy |
2010 | Howard Webb | England |
2006 | Horacio Elizondo | Argentina |
2002 | Pierluigi Collina | Italy |
1998 | Said Belqola | Morocco |
1994 | Sandor Puhl | Hungary |
1990 | Edgardo Codesal Mendez | Mexico |
1986 | Romualdo Arpi Filho | Brazil |
1982 | Arnaldo David Cezar Coelho | Brazil |
1978 | Sergio Gonella | Italy |
1974 | JohnTaylor | England |
1970 | Rudi Gloeckner | GDR |
1966 | Gottfried Dienst | Switzerland |
1962 | Nikolai Latyshev | Soviet Union |
1958 | Maurice Guigue | France |
1954 | William Ling | England |
1950 | No endgame | – |
1938 | Georges Capdeville | France |
1934 | Ivan Eklind | Sweden |
1930 | John Langenus | Belgium |