Day in the life of top referee Xavier Estrada Fernandez

Uefa filmed a day in the life of top referee Xavier Estrada Fernandez. He is one of the referees at the u21 European Championships being held in the Czech Republic. “We are priviliged men that we can do such a fantastic job.”

A great way to show how a referee experiences a match day. Xavier Estrada Fernandez wakes up at 7 in the morning for breakfast. He also fills out a daily questionnaire about their fitness and does a mental check on the iPad.

He and his team went to the train station and took the train to Olomouc. There he is in a private cabin where he can talk with team members about team tactics. “It’s so important to talk about that because it puts the focus on the field of play”, Xavier Estrada Fernandez says.

When arriving at the stadium the first thin the team does is going to the dressing room. They check the tools for the match there, like the flags and communication systems. Warming-up before the game is about half an hour. “It’s not only important for players, also for referees”

You can see the team active during the game. Xavier Estrada Fernandez: “You need good teamwork to make the match a success.”

Check out the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEplAy8Q8P4

How are your match days? How long before a game do you leave your house and when are you back?