Following the recent Olympic Football Tournament, Mexican FIFA referee Lucila Venegas (40) has announced her retirement from active refereeing after 20 years of career and having won the National Sports Award in 2019. With a degree in Physical Culture and Sports, Venegas has been refereeing since 1999. She made her debut into the professional sector in 2005 and continued her way through the Premier League, LIGA MX U-15, U-17 and U-20, Copa MX, ASCENSO MX and LIGA MX Femenil. She has been wearing the FIFA badge since 2008, keeping it for 12 consecutive years. Her greatest international achievements were two Women's World Cups, Canada 2015 and France 2019, and two Olympics, Rio 2016 and Tokio 2020. In addition, she was appointed to two U-17 Women's World Cups, Costa Rica 2014 and Uruguay 2018 and the U-20 Women's World Cup Japan 2012.
“19 years after having set foot on a football field for the first time in my referee uniform and without knowing what exactly I had to do, my last match was at the Olympic Games; time flew by. I am taking a step forward at this beautiful stage of my life to continue with new challenges. I am very grateful to the refereeing for everything I received and the wonderful people I met, for having had the privilege of representing my country, traveling and getting to know so many different cultures. I did much more than I imagined one day, but it was thanks to all the people who sincerely believed in me, my family, my friends. The feeling that fills my heart at this moment is indescribable, but I am totally satisfied and grateful with my career”, said Lucila Venegas on Twitter.