facts and statistics,  world cup

Facts about referees in World Cup finals

Some more statistics about the World Cup. Fifa announced today that Howard Webb will get the final of 2010’s World Cup in South Africa. The last English referee was Jack Taylor in the match between The Netherlands and West Germany. In all 19 WC finales (including 2010) there were 4 referees from Britain.

Referees in World Cup finals

2010 Howard Webb (England)
2006 Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)
2002 Pierluigi Collina (Italy)
1998 Said Belgola (Marocco)
1994 Sandor Puhl (Hungary)
1990 Edgardo Codesal Mendez (Mexico)
1986 Romualdo Arppi Filho (Brazil)
1982 Arnaldo Coelho (Brazil)
1978 Sergio Gonella (Italy)
1974 Jack Taylor (England)
1970 Rudolf Glöckner (East Germany)
1966 Gottfried Dienst (Switzerland)
1962 Nickolaj Latychev (Russia)
1958 Maurice Guigue (France)
1954 William Ling (England)
1950 George Reader (England)
1938 Geroge Capdeville (France)
1934 Ivan Eklind (Sweden)
1930 Jan Langenus (Belgium)
Source: Fifa

Number of referees per country
4 England
2 Italy
2 France
2 Brazil
1 Argentina
1 Hungary
1 Sweden
1 Belgium
1 Marocco
1 Switzerland
1 Mexico
1 East Germany
1 Russia

Youngest referees in a World Cup final

Everyone is talking about the age of Ravshan Irmatov (32), who got five matches during this World Cup. But he wouldn’t be the youngest if he got the final this year.

29 Ivan Eklind from Sweden (1934)
38 Howard Webb (2010; he’ll become 39 on the 14th of July)
39 Jan Langenus from Belgium (1930)
39 George Capdeville from France (1938)
39 Arnaldo coelho from Brazil (1982)
39 Edgardo Codesal Mendez from Mexico (1990)
39 Sandor Puhl from Hungary (1994)

Oldest referee in a World Cup final

These days there’s an age limit for international refereeing at 45. Earlier World Cups proved that also older referees are able to get the most important match in the world.

54 George Reader from England (1950)
51 Rudolf Glöckner from East Germany (1970)
49 Nickolaj Latychev from Russia (1962)

Total number of yellow cards in World Cup finals: 40
Maradona is the only player with two yellow cards in World Cup finals who’s not sent off. And yes, it was against the same opponent: West Germany. In both finals in 1986 (win) and 1990 (loss) he got one yellow card.

Total number of red cards in World Cup finals: 4
Monzón and Dezotti (both from Argentina) were sent off in 1990. Marcel Desailly during France’s WC win in the home country against Brazil. And the last red card was from Zinedine Zidane in the most recent World Cup final in 2006 in Germany.

One Comment

  • Ben van Maaren

    Hi Jan,

    Technically, the 1950 World Cup did not have a final, so George Reader should not be on that list and the number of English referees in WC finals is only 3. The match that decided the 1950 World Cup was the last in a round-robin poule system between the four group winners. Brazil didn’t even need to win: a draw would have handed them the trophy.
    Anyway, just a technicality. But an important one for historians!

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