Refereeing World

FIFA Arab Cup 2021 – Group Stage (Matches 17-24)

6 December 2021

Syria – Mauritania

Referee: Wilton Sampaio (BRA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Danilo Manis (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Bruno Pires (BRA)
Fourth Official: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
VAR: Rafael Traci (BRA)
AVAR 1: Leodan Gonzalez (URU)
AVAR 2: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)
AVAR 3: Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez (ESP)

Tunisia – UAE
Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Rafael Foltyn (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Christian Gittelmann (GER)
Fourth Official: Matt Conger (NZL)
VAR: Christian Dingert (GER)
AVAR 1: Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL)
AVAR 2: Jerson Dos Santos (ANG)
AVAR 3: Eber Aquino (PAR)

Oman – Bahrain
Referee: Ryuji Sato (JPN)
Assistant Referee 1: Jun Mihara (JPN)
Assistant Referee 2: Osamu Nomura (JPN)
Fourth Official: Jair Marrufo (USA)
VAR: Hiroyuki Kimura (JPN)
AVAR 1: Kevin Blom (NED)
AVAR 2: Adonai Escobedo (MEX)
AVAR 3: Fernando Guerrero (MEX)

Qatar – Iraq
Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Djibril Camara (SEN)
Assistant Referee 2: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
Fourth Official: Said Martinez (HON)
VAR: Shaun Evans (AUS)
AVAR 1: Redouane Jiyed (MAR)
AVAR 2: Tomasz Listkiewicz (POL)
AVAR 3: Juan Soto (VEN)

7 December 2021
Jordan – Palestine
Referee: Alireza Faghani (IRN)
Assistant Referee 1: Mohammadreza Abolfazli (IRN)
Assistant Referee 2: Pawel Sokolnicki (POL)
Fourth Official: Szymon Marciniak (POL)
VAR: Abdulla Al-Marri (QAT)
AVAR 1: Jair Marrufo (USA)
AVAR 2: Rafael Foltyn (GER)
AVAR 3: Christian Dingert (GER)

Morocco – Saudi Arabia
Referee: Andres Matonte (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Martin Soppi (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Carlos Barreiro (URU)
Fourth Official: Said Martinez (HON)
VAR: Leodan Gonzalez (URU)
AVAR 1: Eber Aquino (PAR)
AVAR 2: Jerson Dos Santos (ANG)
AVAR 3: Shawn Evans (AUS)

Lebanon – Sudan
Referee: Fernando Hernandez (MEX)
Assistant Referee 1: Michael Barwegen (CAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Karen Diaz (MEX)
Fourth Official: Matt Conger (NZL)
VAR: Adonai Escobedo (MEX)
AVAR 1: Fernando Guerrero (MEX)
AVAR 2: Bruno Pires (BRA)
AVAR 3: Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL)

Algeria – Egypt
Referee: Facundo Tello (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Ezequiel Brailovski (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Gabriel Chade (ARG)
Fourth Official: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
VAR: Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez (ESP)
AVAR 1: Juan Soto (VEN)
AVAR 2: Danilo Manis (BRA)
AVAR 3: Rafael Traci (BRA)

UEFA Advanced Course for Top Referees – Winter 2022

Cyprus, 31 January – 3 February 2022

Elite (25)

Aleksei Kulbakov (BLR), Michael Oliver (ENG), Anthony Taylor (ENG), Carlos Del Cerro Grande (ESP), Jesus Gil Manzano (ESP), Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP), Benoit Bastien (FRA), Clement Turpin (FRA), Deniz Aytekin (GER), Tobias Stieler (GER), Felix Zwayer (GER), Anastasios Sidiropoulos (GRE), Orel Grinfeeld (ISR), Daniele Orsato (ITA), Danny Makkelie (NED), Szymon Marciniak (POL), Artur Soares Dias (POR), Ovidiu Hategan (ROU), Istvan Kovacs (ROU), Sergei Karasev (RUS), William Collum (SCO), Ivan Kruzliak (SVK), Damir Skomina (SVN), Slavko Vincic (SVN), Cüneyt Cakir (TUR).

First Category (30)

Harald Lechner (AUT), Lawrence Visser (BEL), Irfan Peljto (BIH), Georgi Kabakov (BUL), Fran Jovic (CRO), Jakob Kehlet (DEN), Christopher Kavanagh (ENG), Craig Pawson (ENG), Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez (ESP), Jose Sanchez Martinez (ESP), Francois Letexier (FRA), Daniel Siebert (GER), Marco Guida (ITA), Maurizio Mariani (ITA), Davide Massa (ITA), Donatas Rumsas (LTU), Andris Treimanis (LVA), Nikola Dabanovic (MNE), Serdar Gözübüyük (NED), Bartosz Frankowski (POL), Pawel Raczkowski (POL), Tiago Martins (POR), Radu Petrescu (ROU), Sergei Ivanov (RUS), Srdjan Jovanovic (SRB), Sandro Schärer (SUI), Matej Jug (SVN), Andreas Ekberg (SWE), Glenn Nyberg (SWE), Halil Meler (TUR).

Second Category (3)

Joao Pinheiro (POR), Nicolas Walsh (SCO), Rade Obrenovic (SVN).

Women’s Elite (17)

Ivana Martincic (CRO), Jana Adamkova (CZE), Rebecca Welch (ENG), Marta Huerta De Aza (ESP), Lina Lehtovaara (FIN), Stephanie Frappart (FRA), Riem Hussein (GER), Katalin Kulcsar (HUN), Sandra Braz Bastos (POR), Anastasia Pustovoitova (RUS), Lorraine Watson (SCO), Esther Staubli (SUI), Pernilla Larsson (SWE), Tess Olofsson (SWE), Sara Persson (SWE), Kateryna Monzul (UKR), Cheryl Foster (WAL).

Women’s First Category (7)

Hristiana Guteva (BUL), Frida Klarlund Nielsen (DEN), Ivana Projkovska (MKD), Shona Shukrula (NED), Henrikke Nervik (NOR), Monika Mularczyk (POL), Iuliana Demetrescu (ROU).

Video Assistant Referees (15)

Stuart Attwell (ENG), Paul Tierney (ENG), Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetchea (ESP), Jerome Brisard (FRA), Willy Delajod (FRA), Bastian Dankert (GER), Christian Dingert (GER), Marco Fritz (GER), Marco Di Bello (ITA), Massimiliano Irrati (ITA), Paolo Valeri (ITA), Jochem Kamphuis (NED), Pol Van Boekel (NED), Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL), Tiago Martins (POR).

CONMEBOL Exchange (2)

John Ospina (COL), Emikar Calderas (VEN).

Pitana discriminated?

It happened on Friday, 19 November 2021, eight days before the final of the CONMEBOL Libertadores. On one side was Nestor Pitana, the referee who had been appointed to the Libertadores final between Flamengo and Palmeiras in Montevideo. On the other side Federico Beligoy, National Director of Refereeing in Argentina, and a witness summoned by the director of referee instruction.

Beligoy said “Nestor, everything has its expiration date. You are going to stop being an international referee because of your age.” Pitana responded "I don't understand, Federico." (Patricio) Loustau and (Mauro) Vigliano are 46 years old, like me, and will continue refereeing internationally.” The conversation back and forth between Pitana, the referee of the 2018 World Cup final in Russia, and Beligoy had a moment of tension. From the high spheres of the AFA, Pitana was stripped of his international badge, but they generated a conflict with CONMEBOL and FIFA, who still consider him one of the best referees in the world. The news surprised the international organisations, both in Paraguay and Switzerland. And they seemed to be unaware of the AFA's decision because Pitana is the first name on the list of referees presented by CONMEBOL. The decision is important for the technical and physical training that international referees from all over South America have to undergo during the first days of January in Asuncion.

"What they did with Pitana is discriminatory and has a union component," said Guillermo Marconi, general secretary of SADRA (the Referees Union of Argentina). “What they told him about his age is a lie. Why were Loustau and Vigliano ratified, if they are the same age? They separate him because he belongs to SADRA, as they did with so many other referees in our union”, emphasized Marconi, in dialogue with Clarin. And he added: “The other day, after the final in Uruguay, (Claudio) Tapia hugged him. It was the bear hug! He embraces him and then downgrades him”. Vigliano will continue to be on the FIFA List, but only as VAR. Loustau, on the other hand, will continue as a referee. Instead of Pitana, Pablo Echavarria (39 years old), who had left SADRA due to the union conflict with the AFA, would be promoted, and Vigliano will be replaced by Yael Perez (32), a young referee who is well regarded by the AFA leadership. The list of international referees will be made official on 3 January 2022. The other names are: Fernando Echenique, Nicolas Lamolina, Fernando Espinoza, Andres Merlos, Fernando Rapallini, Facundo Tello and Dario Herrera. However, there is a precedent that excites Pitana, along with the support of CONMEBOL: Pericles Cortez was appointed VAR of Junior-Libertad, for Copa Sudamericana, although he was no longer an international referee for the CBF. The referee of that match was his compatriot Wilton Sampaio.

Source: noticiasdel6.com

UEFA Youth League 2021/2022 – Group Stage (Matchday 6)

7-8 December 2021

RB Leipzig – Manchester City
Referee: Balazs Berke (HUN, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Balazs Szalai (HUN)
Assistant Referee 2: Gergő Vígh-Tarsonyi (HUN)
Fourth Official: Alexander Sather (GER)
Referee Observer: Helmut Fleischer (GER)

Shakhtar Donetsk – Sheriff Tiraspol
Referee: Haris Kaljanac (BIH)
Assistant Referee 1: Goran Dujak (BIH)
Assistant Referee 2: Damir Lazić (BIH)
Fourth Official: Klym Zabroda (UKR)
Referee Observer: Volodymyr Petrov (UKR)

Paris St. Germain – Club Brugge
Referee: Kristoffer Karlsson (SWE)
Assistant Referee 1: Mikael Hallin (SWE)
Assistant Referee 2: Niklas Nyberg (SWE)
Fourth Official: Romain Lissorgue (FRA)
Referee Observer: Pascal Garibian (FRA)

Borussia Dortmund – Beşiktaş JK
Referee: Denys Shurman (UKR)
Assistant Referee 1: Volodymyr Korotin (UKR)
Assistant Referee 2: Oleksandr Berkut (UKR)
Fourth Official: Thorben Siewer (GER)
Referee Observer: Edgar Steinborn (GER)

AC Milan – Liverpool FC
Referee: Vladimir Moskalev (RUS)
Assistant Referee 1: Rustam Mukhtarov (RUS)
Assistant Referee 2: Maksim Kovalev (RUS)
Fourth Official: Lorenzo Maggioni (ITA)
Referee Observer: Antonio Damato (ITA)

AFC Ajax – Sporting CP
Referee: Espen Eskas (NOR)
Assistant Referee 1: Kim Haglund (NOR)
Assistant Referee 2: Anders Dale (NOR)
Fourth Official: Sander Van Der Eijk (NED)
Referee Observer: Rudy Bossen (NED)

FC Porto – Atletico de Madrid
Referee: Rob Harvey (IRL)
Assistant Referee 1: Christopher Campbell (IRL)
Assistant Referee 2: Shane O'Brien (IRL)
Fourth Official: Gustavo Correia (POR)
Referee Observer: Joao Ferreira (POR)

Real Madrid – Inter Milano
Referee: Erik Lambrechts (BEL)
Assistant Referee 1: Rien Vanyzere (BEL)
Assistant Referee 2: Jo de Weirdt (BEL)
Fourth Official: Alvaro Rodriguez Recio (ESP)
Referee Observer: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (ESP)

FC Zenit – Chelsea FC
Referee: Dumitri Muntean (MDA)
Assistant Referee 1: Denis Oala (MDA)
Assistant Referee 2: Natalia Ceban (MDA)
Fourth Official: Artem Lyubimov (RUS)
Referee Observer: Nikolai Ivanov (RUS)

SL Benfica – Dynamo Kyiv
Referee: David Coote (ENG)
Assistant Referee 1: Nick Hopton (ENG)
Assistant Referee 2: James Mainwaring (ENG)
Fourth Official: Flavio Lima (POR)
Referee Observer: Nuno Castro (POR)

Atalanta BC – Villarreal CF
Referee: Yasar Ugurlu (TUR)
Assistant Referee 1: Ali Ögel (TUR)
Assistant Referee 2: Abdullah Özkara (TUR)
Fourth Official: Andrea Colombo (ITA)
Referee Observer: Antonio Damato (ITA)

FC Salzburg – Sevilla FC
Referee: Vilhjalmur Thorarinsson (ISL)
Assistant Referee 1: Gylfi Sigurdsson (ISL)
Assistant Referee 2: Egill Gudlaugsson (ISL)
Fourth Official: Stefan Ebner (AUT)
Referee Observer: Konrad Plautz (AUT)

Juventus – Malmö FF
Referee: Novak Simovic (SRB)
Assistant Referee 1: Goran Beljin (SRB)
Assistant Referee 2: Milos Miskeljin (SRB)
Fourth Official: Matteo Marcenaro (ITA)
Referee Observer: Alfredo Trentalange (ITA)

Bayern München – FC Barcelona
Referee: Dario Bel (CRO)
Assistant Referee 1: Marjan Tomas (CRO)
Assistant Referee 2: Kruno Saric (CRO)
Fourth Official: Michael Bacher (GER)
Referee Observer: Michael Johansen (DEN)

Manchester United – BSC Young Boys
Referee: Mohammed Al-Emara (FIN)
Assistant Referee 1: Mika Lamppu (FIN)
Assistant Referee 2: Juuso Mantere (FIN)
Fourth Official: Anthony Backhouse (ENG)
Referee Observer: Stephen Lodge (ENG)

VfL Wolfsburg – LOSC Lille
Referee: Juxhin Xhaja (ALB)
Assistant Referee 1: Ilir Tartaraj (ALB)
Assistant Referee 2: Egin Doda (ALB)
Fourth Official: Florian Lechner (GER)
Referee Observer: Robert Schörgenhofer (AUT)

Elleray accused of historic racism by whistleblower

A complaint of historic racism has been lodged to the FA against David Elleray, one of the most powerful officials in world football. Elleray, chair of the FA’s referee committee and technical director of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), made comments to a black official during a referee conference at St George’s Park in 2014. In front of several witnesses, Elleray said to referee Rob McCarthy “You look rather tanned” and “have you been down a coal mine?”. The FA said at the time it did not receive a complaint but “gave this matter its full consideration and it is our view that the comment did breach the FA Council Code of Conduct”. Elleray apologised, was reminded of the Council Code and took an equality and diversity training course. However, a complaint from a whistleblower, who was present at the conference attended by more than 30 officials but wants to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, has now landed with the FA calling for an independent investigation into the 2014 incident, how it was handled by the governing body and Elleray’s conduct while working for the organisation.

At the time of the comment, Elleray, now 67, was chairman of the FA’s referee committee and held advisory roles at UEFA and FIFA. In 2014, he was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to football. Elleray was a Premier League referee from its inception in 1992 to 2003, took charge of more than 70 internationals and refereed the FA Cup final. Since retiring from refereeing in 2003, he has risen to become one of the most influential officials in the game. As of the 2021/22 season, Elleray sits on three FA committees. He is chair of the referee committee, a National Game representative for the Football Regulatory Authority and is a member of the youth participation committee. As technical director at IFAB, he has the power to shape the game’s rules and has overseen more than 150 changes to the law book, including the introduction of video assistant referees.

As well as the racist comment in 2014, Elleray has been involved in a series of controversies. In 2018, former referee Mark Clattenburg, one of English football’s most successful officials who in 2016 took charge of the finals of the FA Cup, Champions League and European Championship, accused Elleray of “bullying” him while he was a Premier League official. No formal complaint was made to the FA and therefore no investigation was conducted into the claim. Last year [2020], Elleray was also accused of fat-shaming officials after telling a group of aspiring referees: “There are too many beards, tattoos and beer bellies in this room.” At the time, Elleray did not deny making the comment, but said it was likely that he had commented on the importance of appearance and that there was an expectation that referees look “smart and athletic”. An FA spokesperson told i: “The FA investigated inappropriate comments made by David Elleray in 2014 and found that he breached the FA Council Members’ code of conduct. He apologised unreservedly for his actions. Nonetheless, as a result, Mr Elleray was ordered to undertake mandatory diversity and inclusion training and was reminded of his responsibilities as an FA Council Member. The FA has made great strides in recent years and continues on its journey to ensure that there is a zero-tolerance approach towards discrimination both on and off the pitch. This commitment is reiterated in our equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, A Game For All, which was published earlier this year. We will always thoroughly investigate any incidents or allegations of discrimination, taking appropriate action when necessary. Delivering a game free from discrimination remains core to the values and strategy of the organisation.” Attempts were made to contact Elleray via the FA and IFAB, but he did not respond. IFAB declined to comment.

Source: iNews

Protests by South Africa and Benin dismissed by FIFA

Protests by South Africa and Benin regarding incidents during last month’s World Cup qualifying games were dismissed by FIFA on Friday, confirming that Ghana and Congo have advanced to the play-off round. Both protests were ”declared inadmissible by the disciplinary committee,” FIFA said.

South Africa and Benin both lost decisive matches in the final round of group games last month, with Ghana and Congo both earning three points to win their respective groups and advance to the play-offs. The South African soccer federation challenged the conduct of Senegalese referee Maguette N’Diaye and cited unfair decisions, including a first-half penalty awarded to Ghana that decided the 1-0 victory. Benin lost 2-0 to Congo, which made substitutions during four different stoppages in play. Current FIFA rules allow teams to use five substitutes but to make those changes in a maximum of three stoppages, plus the half-time break.

FIFA did not give the exact reason for denying the protests but cited sections of its disciplinary code and regulations for the 2022 World Cup qualifying program. Those sections include rejecting all protests “about the referee’s decisions regarding facts connected with play.” It also said team captains must immediately dispute “any incidents that occur during the course of a match” both before play resumes and “in the presence of the captain of the opposing team.” Protests also have to be made formally in writing within 24 hours of the game and with an administration fee of 1,000 Swiss francs ($1,100) paid. FIFA said South Africa and Benin can challenge the disciplinary rulings at its appeal committee.

Ghana and Congo are among the 10 group winners that will take part in five two-leg playoffs scheduled for March 21-29. The pairings have not yet been drawn. The play-off winners will get Africa’s five places at next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Source: AFP

FIFA Arab Cup 2021 – Group Stage (Matches 13-16)

4 December 2021

Jordan – Morocco
Referee: Facundo Tello (ARG, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Ezequiel Brailovski (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Gabriel Chade (ARG)
Fourth Official: Alireza Faghani (IRN)
VAR: Juan Soto (VEN)
AVAR 1: Rafael Traci (BRA)
AVAR 2: Jun Mihara (JPN)
AVAR 3: Leodan Gonzalez (URU)

Lebanon – Algeria
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL)
Assistant Referee 1: Pawel Sokolnicki (POL)
Assistant Referee 2: Tomasz Listkiewicz (POL)
Fourth Official: Ryuji Sato (JPN)
VAR: Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL)
AVAR 1: Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez (ESP)
AVAR 2: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
AVAR 3: Hiroyuki Kimura (JPN)

Sudan – Egypt
Referee: Matt Conger (NZL)
Assistant Referee 1: Tevita Makasini (TGA)
Assistant Referee 2: Bernard Mutukera (SOL)
Fourth Official: Andres Matonte (URU)
VAR: Kevin Blom (NED)
AVAR 1: Christian Dingert (GER)
AVAR 2: Christian Gittelmann (GER)
AVAR 3: Abdulla Al Marri (QAT)

Palestine – Saudi Arabia
Referee: Said Martinez (HON)
Assistant Referee 1: Walter Lopez (HON)
Assistant Referee 2: Christian Ramirez (HON)
Fourth Official: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
VAR: Fernando Guerrero (MEX)
AVAR 1: Eber Aquino (PAR)
AVAR 2: Rafael Foltyn (GER)
AVAR 3: Jair Marrufo (USA)

Vasconcellos: "My 1991 souvenirs still bring tears to my eyes"

It was a small walk for woman, a giant leap for womankind. It wasn’t, after all, far from the Guangdong Provincial People's Stadium dressing room on to its turf, but Claudia Vasconcellos was taking steps that would revolutionise a sport. In the uber-macho, chest-thumping days of the early 1990s, nobody knew If a woman would ever referee in a FIFA competition. Some questioned if it would ever happen. An explosion of hope, however, met the news that six females were being sent to China PR to act as assistant referees at the maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup. Maybe, people fantasised, one could take charge of a match before the century was out. One would… and sooner than any star-gazer could have imagined. Claudia Vasconcellos had impressed to such an extent running the line in the group stage that FIFA, despite having no plan for it going into the tournament, announced to the euphoria of women across the planet that the Brazilian would referee at that very event – and in no less than the bronze-medal match. Vasconcellos shared the widespread ecstasy… at least for a few seconds. Then she realised “the future of women's refereeing was in my hands”.

Thirty years to the day after that historic, ground-breaking day for women in football, Vasconcellos graciously took time out to chat to FIFA from Montevideo, where she watched her beloved Flamengo play in the Copa Libertadores final.

- FIFA: Claudia, can you tell us about the difficulties you faced when you started out refereeing?

- Claudia Vasconcellos: The Brazilian culture is very sexist, therefore since the start of my journey I needed to show in each match that me choosing refereeing was the result of my love for football and respect for its rules. Taking charge of games in women’s football wasn’t a problem. On the contrary, it was a solution found so that men’s referees wouldn’t have to take charge of women’s games, which was considered beneath them. However, to officiate in men's football, there was a lot of mistrust and disbelief that a woman could take charge of a match with the firmness and balance that every referee needs to control disputes between men. However, after I refereed several matches, people became accustomed to my presence.

- How did you feel when you heard FIFA would be organising the first Women’s World Cup?

- Really happy and hopeful that, finally, with its inclusion in international competitions, women's football would get the recognition it deserved and that, especially in countries where the macho culture is predominant, there would be greater support and development.

- How were you chosen to officiate?

- The news that FIFA, along with the national associations, was researching female referees to act as assistant referees at the first Women’s World Cup gave me a lot of expectation, even knowing that only six would be chosen. Every referee’s dream is to work at a World Cup. I knew from the start that I could have the opportunity to go due to my performances in the competitions in which I’d participated, though I knew other female referees would have the same chances. Ultimately, though, my hopes and desires were fulfilled as I was the only Brazilian sent.

- How did you feel when you were chosen to become the first woman to referee a game in a FIFA competition?

- I was chosen to work as an assistant from, probably, dozens of female referees around the world. This was already a huge triumph, both personally and professionally. When I was put forward to take charge of the match for third place, something that was unprecedented in the history of world football, I was hit by great emotion and, at the same time, realised the great responsibility that had fallen on me.

- What was going through your head before the game? Were you nervous?

- Despite having spent my entire career viewing every match as a championship decider, it was inevitable that that match, in particular, could give another path to women’s referees on an international stage. The future of women's refereeing was in my hands, as a member of the refereeing committee stated in the dressing room before the game. Even today I remember several moments from that memorable day, from going on to the pitch to arriving at the hotel. What most stands out was when I raised my arms to end the game with a deep sense of accomplishment.

- How proud are you of being a pioneer in women’s football, of helping it grow?

- I am aware of this and proud of the role I played, together with all the women’s referees who contributed.

- Which players most impressed you at China 1991?

- I had the privilege of working in games involving highly developed teams with spectacular players. One player in particular, Michelle Akers, was unstoppable as well as having impeccable behaviour. Alongside Mia Hamm, they were the stars of that World Cup.

- Overall, what did you think of the first FIFA Women’s World Cup?

- I can only praise the entire organisation of the event, both by China and FIFA. The entire infrastructure of the hotels, training venues, transport to the games, people helping us at every stage were vital so that we could have the necessary calm to focus solely on the games. I have all the badges, caps, souvenirs, balls – in short, a collection of objects that bring tears to my eyes and fond memories of the World Cup in China, especially the kit I used for the third-place match.

Source: FIFA

FIFA Arab Cup 2021 – Group Stage (Matches 9-12)

3 December 2021

Bahrain – Iraq
Referee: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Zakhele Siwela (RSA)
Assistant Referee 2: Jerson Dos Santos (ANG)
Fourth Official: Daniel Siebert (GER)
VAR: Redouane Jiyed (MAR)
AVAR 1: Fernando Guerrero (MEX)
AVAR 2: Elvis Noupue (CMR)
AVAR 3: Christian Dingert (GER)

Oman – Qatar
Referee: Wilton Sampaio (BRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Danilo Manis (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Bruno Pires (BRA)
Fourth Official: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
VAR: Rafael Traci (BRA)
AVAR 1: Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez (ESP)
AVAR 2: Rafael Foltyn (GER)
AVAR 3: Shaun Evans (AUS)

Mauritania – UAE
Referee: Andres Matonte (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Martin Soppi (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Carlos Barreiro (URU)
Fourth Official: Alireza Faghani (IRN)
VAR: Juan Soto (VEN)
AVAR 1: Leodan Gonzalez (URU)
AVAR 2: Christian Gittelmann (GER)
AVAR 3: Jair Marrufo (USA)

Syria – Tunisia
Referee: Fernando Hernandez (MEX)
Assistant Referee 1: Michael Barwegen (CAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Karen Diaz (MEX)
Fourth Official: Ryuji Sato (JPN)
VAR: Adonai Escobedo (MEX)
AVAR 1: Eber Aquino (PAR)
AVAR 2: Osamu Nomura (JPN)
AVAR 3: Kevin Blom (NED)

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