Spanish referee Fernando Gutierrez Lumbreras has been named by AGLA/Futsal Planet the world’s best futsal referee of 2012 with 206 points, ahead of the Brazilian Renata Leite (120) and English Marc Birkett (88) and is the second Spanish referee getting this award, after Pedro Galan in 2004. Gutierrez Lumbreras, 42, started his refereeing career in 1986, at the young age of 16. In the season 1995/1996 he had his debut in the top flight of the National Futsal in Spain. Ten years later, in January 2006, he received his FIFA badge. He has achieved almost everything possible: in Spain has refereed the finals of major competitions: League, Cup of Spain, Copa SM El Rey and Supercopa, while internationally has participated in the UEFA Futsal Cup, Euro 2012 in Croatia and the 2012 FIFA World Cup in Thailand. In Spain, he has been chosen five times as the best referee of the National Futsal League.
Since 1996, when FIFA introduced the list of FIFA Futsal Referees, Spain is the only country in Europe that has had at least one representative at all World Cup editions. Before Fernando Gutierrez in Thailand 2012, Pedro Galan (the current chairman of the Futsal Referees Committee) refereed at three FIFA World Cups, in Spain 1996, Guatemala 2000 and Taipei 2004, while Roberto Gracia did the same in Brazil 2008. (Source: Valladolid Deporte)
AGLA World’s Best Futsal Referees
1. Fernando Gutierrez (ESP, photo) 2063. Marc Birkett (ENG) 88
4. Gabor Kovacs (HUN) 83
5. Danijel Janosevic (CRO) 81
6. Eduardo Fernandes (POR) 73
7. Ivan Shabanov (RUS) 73
8. Hector Rojas (PER) 72
9. Nurdin Bukuev (KGZ) 33
10. Scott Kidson (AUS) 17
