Have you ever imagined how football would look like if there were no referees? Of a Truth, it will be a total disaster. Here are the Top best referees in football currently.
The beautiful game of football cannot be enjoyed without a referee.
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A referee is responsible for enforcing the rules during the course of a football match.
The referee makes the decision regarding all facts connected with play, and is the only official on the pitch with the authority to start and stop play and discipline the players during a match.
A referee also co-operates with the assistant referees and, even with the fourth official to make sure matches go smoothly.
Does Referees make mistakes?
Of course referees make mistakes since they are only humans, but the controversy keeps making football more fun to watch.
I’m sure you know some of favourite referees in the leagues you watch.
There are referees who has made the marks when it comes to officiating football.
Most of this referees are known in top European leagues and have officiated so many big and noble matches.
Let’s find them out.
1. Felix Brych:
Felix Brych, Aged 47, is a German football referee, who is currently considered to be one of the best football referees at the moment.
He has been a FIFA licensed referee, since 2007, and is ranked as a UEFA Elite group referee.
Brych has officiated great and notable matches like the 2014 UEFA Europa League Final between Sevilla and Benfica.
And also the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final.
He was selected among the referees going through 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Brych is regarded one of the highest-ranked European referees of his generation.
Brych started refereeing in the Bundesliga in 2004 and was awarded his FIFA badge in 2007.
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He refereed his first senior international match in October that year, taking charge of Romania’s 2–0 win over Luxembourg in UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group G.
In February 2008, Brych was appointed to referee the 2007–08 UEFA Cup Round of 32 match between Panathinaikos and Rangers, and in October 2008, he officiated the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League Group D match between Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven.
On 25 November 2023, Brych torn his PCL during a game between Eintracht Frankfurt and VfB Stuttgart.
The game also marked Brych 344th appearance in the Bundesliga which tied Wolfgang Stark for the most in Bundesliga history.
2. Daniele Orsato:
The 46-year-old Italian referee has been a full international referee for FIFA since 2010 and has officiated over 300 matches.
Orsato was in charge of the 2020 UEFA Champions League Final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
He was awarded by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFTHS) as best referee of 2020.
Daniele Orsato was chosen to officiate the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar between Qatar and Ecuador.
Orsato became a FIFA referee in 2010. He has served as a referee in qualifying matches for the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2012.
On 13th December 2022, Orsato refereed the World Cup semi-final between Argentina and Croatia where he come under fire by Ballon d’Or winner and Croatia captain Luka Modrić who has defined Orsato as “one of the worst” referees, describing his performance in that game as “a disaster.”
3. Bjorn Kuipers:
Bjorn Kuipers is a 48-year-old Dutch referee, a FIFA listed referee since 2006 and a UEFA Elite group referee.
Kuipers is a very athletic referee with good officiating records and few controversies.
Bjorn Kuipers has officiated so mang prestigious Football matches like the 2011 UEFA Super Cup, the 2013 UEFA Europa League Final, and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup final.
He has also officiated the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final and the recent 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup final.
He is also a super market owner in the Netherlands. Bjorn Kuipers also refereed the Euro 2020 final.
He has been a FIFA listed referee from 2006 to 2021 and an UEFA Elite group referee from 2009 to 2021.
He was assisted during international matches by Sander van Roekel and Erwin Zeinstra. A supermarket owner by occupation, Kuipers has officiated at two World Cups and three European Championship tournaments.
It was announced on 29 July 2021 that Kuipers would be retiring from refereeing, officiating his final match between Ajax and PSV on 7th August in the 2021 Johan Cruyff Shield.
4. Damir skomina:
Damir Skomina, is a 45-year-old Slovenian referee, and a full international FIFA referee since 2003.
Skomina officiated as the fourth referee severally in many matches.
He was the fourth official in the 2013 UEFA Champions League final.
Among other notable matches he has officiated, include the 2012 UEFA Super Cup and the 2017 UEFA Europa League Final, between Ajax and Manchester United.
Skomina was the fourth referee at several UEFA Euro 2008 matches. He refereed the quarter-final match of the football tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Skomina refereed the second leg of the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League round of 16 match between Arsenal and Milan.
He also refereed in the Champions League quarter-final match between Chelsea and Benfica at Stamford Bridge on 4 April 2012.
5. Anthony Taylor:
The 44-year-old English referee has been an international referee for FIFA since 2013. Early in his career he officiated as the fourth official in several matches.
Anthony is regarded as one of the best soccer referees in the world.
The notable matches he has officiated include the referee for the Football League Cup final between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in 2015.
In September 2020, Taylor was chosen to be the main referee for the 2020 UEFA Super Cup.
Taylor was named among the six English officials who will oversee matches at the November and December’s FIFA World Cup in 2022.
Taylor started refereeing in the Northern Premier League in 2002, progressing to officiate in the Conference North in 2004.
He was appointed to the Football League referees’ list at the start of the 2006–07 season and his first appointment was a 0–0 draw between Wrexham and Peterborough United in a League Two match in August 2006.
In November 2006 he refereed an England under-19s international friendly match against Switzerland under-19s at Gresty Road, the home of Crewe Alexandra; England won 3–2.
Taylor’s first Premier League appointment was a February 2010 encounter between Fulham and Portsmouth, which Fulham won 1–0.
He refereed one more game in the top-flight during that season before being promoted to the League’s list of Select Group of Referees for 2010–11.
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