A referee’s job is not merely to make correct calls. Rather than simply blowing the whistle after an incident occurs, a referee must sense the "temperature" of the match beforehand and foster an environment where the players themselves can manage the flow of the game. This summer, Japanese referees Ryo Tanimoto and Koji Takasaki attended a training seminar for officials from Germany’s Bundesliga. There, they discovered a depth to officiating that cannot be measured solely by the accuracy of one’s decisions.
"Instead of reacting only after a problem arises, the goal is to manage the match before issues can occur. This is the mindset required for top-level officiating today. It’s not about 'controlling the match'—it’s about the referee creating an environment where the players themselves can control the flow of the game." These words come from Marco Fritz, a referee instructor in Germany. This past summer, ahead of the new season, Japanese referees Ryo Tanimoto and Koji Takasaki participated in a training seminar for Bundesliga officials. Following the seminar, both remained in Germany, gaining firsthand experience of the local football landscape by officiating matches in the third and fourth tiers. What do referees observe, what do they think about, and how do they approach a match? What role does officiating play within the sport of football itself? And how do German players and fans perceive the role of the referee? In Germany, Takasaki came to a profound realization: "It is not the officiating that comes first—it is the football itself. Every referee makes decisions based on the rules and standards for blowing the whistle; that remains constant anywhere in the world. However, those standards—and the nuances of where the lines are drawn—shift depending on the country or the competition. The standards in the J.League, for instance, differ from those in the AFC Champions League. In any context, what is required of a referee is to possess a deep understanding of the game and to consistently make the best possible decisions to ensure the match functions as it should. That is something I truly grasped while in Germany. Regarding the relationship between referees and players, I once heard an intriguing perspective from former Bundesliga referee Deniz Aytekin: perhaps what players truly seek during a match is not necessarily a 100% "correct" decision, but rather an explanation that they can accept and understand. "Whenever I blow the whistle for a foul, almost invariably, a player will come up and ask, 'Why did you blow the whistle?' If I respond calmly—'Well, it was a foul'—most players will simply say, 'Right. Got it.' Of course, since it’s a match, emotions run high; some players might even head back to their positions while still angry (laughs). The key is communication. Even when a player rushes over, I make sure not to get drawn into their emotional state, choosing instead to address the situation from their perspective. This approach makes it much easier to maintain control of the match."
No matter how excellent a referee’s positioning or preparation may be, there will always be moments or angles that remain hidden from their view. Recognizing this, German television commentators—even when a referee makes an incorrect call—will casually remark, "Just as players and coaches make mistakes, referees make them too." This does not mean that mistakes are acceptable simply because they are inevitable. While the possibility of error is a given, the hallmark of a top-level referee is the effort to minimize such occurrences. In German training seminars, the importance of "preparation" to achieve this is emphasized time and again. "Take a look at the footage from this match—the Argentina versus England semifinal at the North/Central American World Cup. Only about a minute has passed since kickoff, yet that single minute contains a wealth of information," says Fritz. In the footage, a series of late challenges from behind against Argentine players occurs right from the start. Just past the one-minute mark, when England’s Jude Bellingham is brought down by Argentina’s Leandro Paredes, the referee calls a foul, halts play and establishes a clear standard for both teams. The way the referee handles this moment—the decisions they make—sets the tone for the entire match. The instructor emphasized the importance of understanding the characteristics of players and teams before a match even begins. A referee who enters a game with no prior information will have a vastly different capacity to respond to early developments compared to one who has prepared thoroughly. Fritz explains it this way: "It is crucial to gauge the 'temperature' of the match. Are the players competing with mutual respect, or are emotions running high from the start? Game management is about reading the overall flow of the match and asserting your presence in a way that aligns with that flow. That is why you cannot afford to overlook even the smallest incidents. A minor collision, a slightly heated protest, a shove—on their own, these might not seem like major issues. But when they accumulate, they shift the atmosphere of the entire match. That is precisely why it is vital to engage in the necessary communication at an early stage." Just as coaches and players read the space on the pitch, top-level referees also analyze the structure of the game to determine their own positioning.
During a training seminar in Germany, Tanimoto noted a significant difference in approach: rather than isolating a single incident, the officiating philosophy there evaluates decisions within the context of the entire match. "Instead of obsessing over whether each individual call is strictly 'right' or 'wrong,' the focus is on 'overall management.' In Japan, perhaps there’s an excessive emphasis on the technical aspects—coaches, the media, and fans alike tend to fixate on specific calls. While that perspective is certainly necessary for improving the quality of refereeing, focusing solely on individual moments means losing sight of the broader picture of the match. It was striking how the discussions at this seminar were built upon that more holistic understanding." An analysis of a match between Argentina and England perfectly illustrates this point. Early on, the referee struggled to establish a consistent standard. However, as the game progressed, he began to blow his whistle calmly and efficiently whenever a foul occurred, using simple, direct communication. As a result, the match began to flow; players stopped crowding the referee, and the atmosphere on the pitch improved dramatically. "What matters isn't the act of blowing the whistle or issuing a card itself. It’s about the message you convey to the players when you call a foul or show a card." This observation by Fritz touches on the very essence of game management. To effectively "read" a game, a referee must have a deep understanding of football itself. Furthermore, the pace of transitions in modern football has intensified. The moment a team loses possession, the opponent strikes back, and a previously compact side suddenly surges forward. Within seconds, the referee may be forced to make a split-second judgment: Was it a foul or not? Did it happen inside or outside the penalty area? That is precisely why, in modern football, referees are required—more than ever before—to position themselves by anticipating what will happen next, and to maintain a level of physical conditioning that allows them to keep pace with the unfolding action. Simply following the ball is no longer enough.
This is not to say that Japanese officiating is inferior. In fact, Takasaki recognizes the strengths inherent in the Japanese approach. There is a culture in Japan of meticulously refining technical aspects—a level of precision that can serve as a powerful asset for Japanese referees. "I don’t want to frame this as 'Europe is right and Japan is wrong.' It’s not about choosing one over the other; it’s about how to combine the holistic game management I experienced in Germany with the meticulous attention to detail that Japanese referees possess. There are moments when you need to assert a strong presence, but there are also times when stepping back—choosing not to take center stage—allows the match to flow more smoothly. If each referee can master that sense of balance, I believe Japanese officials will be capable of officiating on the global stage." During the training seminar, it was also noted that "a referee doesn't necessarily need to possess every single skill at the exact same level." Whether it’s commanding presence, communication, or the ability to make sound judgments in high-pressure situations, every referee has their own unique set of strengths. That is precisely why it is so important to compare one’s own self-assessment with the feedback received from others. "Even after reaching the professional or international level, you must never fall into the trap of 'refereeing for the sake of refereeing.' Our goal, too, is to contribute to the betterment of football through our officiating." Preparing before kickoff, reading the flow of the match, communicating with the players, asserting one’s presence when necessary, and stepping back when it’s not—this is how a referee ensures that the 90 minutes unfold as a cohesive, well-managed game. Referees are an essential part of the "football family"—a group that grows and evolves alongside the sport itself.
