Joel Aguilar ended his 20-year career in professional refereeing, after being appointed as director of the Referee Department of the Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT). It was Aguilar himself who confirmed his new responsibility. "With this appointment I have to leave active refereeing. I cannot do both at the same time", said Aguilar, who at the end of last month announced that the second division final between Platense and Racing Junior had been the last of his career.
Aguilar leaves refereeing after having been participated in three World Cups in a row (South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018). Apart from that, he was involved in the Gold Cup finals, Club World Cup matches, U-20 and U-17 World Cups. The only major competition missing from his career was the Olympic Games. In South Africa 2010 he was a support referee, but in Brazil, four years later, and Russia, eight years later, he actually refereed games. At the last World Cup he was in charge of the first round match between Sweden and South Korea. The Swedes won 1-0. Now, at 44 years old, Joel Aguilar will start a new stage in his career, although it will be more administratively. "I understand that today they will give him recognition from FESFUT, hopefully Joel will help the new generations of referees. They say that the job of a teacher is for his students to overcome him and hopefully he will help those on the next step to reach the level it should be, "said Elmer Bonilla, former FIFA referee. But for Bonilla, the fact that Joel Aguilar can help future generations of members will depend on the powers granted by the president of FESFUT, Hugo Carillo. "It will depend if it gives you the tools and resources combined with a good administration and that there is no interference in the objectives that should be achieved by referees, which have to do with sports justice, regardless of colors. Hopefully Joel has the conviction of where the refereeing should be directed", added Bonilla.
Source: El Grafico
Source: El Grafico