Introduction
Four years ago, I tracked the performance of twenty-four referees at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
FIFA has announced a pool of 33 referees for the 2014 World Cup. Included in this number are eight standby referees. The final list of 25 referees and their assistants was derived from 52 officials and their assistants.
Five of the officials on this final list were at the 2010 World Cup: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan), Yuichi Nishimura (Japan), Howard Webb (England), Joel Aguilar (El Salvador), and Peter O’Leary (New Zealand). Howard Webb refereed the Final between the Netherlands and Spain.
The youngest referee at the 2014 World Cup, Alioum Alioum (Cameroon) was born in 1982. The four oldest referees were born in 1970: Roberto Salazar (Panama); Pedro Proenca (Portugal); Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria); and Noumandiez Doue (Côte d’Ivoire).
Refereeing at the 2014 World Cup
The referees at the 2014 World Cup have been:
Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)
Brazil v Croatia (Group A) (Match 1)
4 goals, 26 fouls (Brazil 5, Croatia 21), 4 yellow cards (Brazil 2, Croatia 2)
Wilmar Roldan (Colombia)
Mexico v Cameroon (Group A) (Match 2)
1 goal, 23 fouls (Mexico 11, Cameroon 12), 2 yellow cards (Mexico 1, Cameroon 1)
Korea Republic v Algeria (Group H) (Match 32)
6 goals, 29 fouls (16 Korea Republic, 13 Algeria), 3 yellow cards (2 Korea Republic, 1 Algeria).
Nicola Rizzoli (Italy)
Spain v Netherlands (Group B) (Match 3)
6 goals, 23 fouls (Spain 5, Netherlands 18), 4 yellow cards (Spain 1, Netherlands 3)
Nigeria v Argentina (Group F) (Match 43)
5 goals, 23 fouls (17 Nigeria, 6 Argentina), 2 yellow cards (2 Nigeria).
Argentina v Belgium (Match 60)
1 goal, 25 fouls (11 Argentina, 14 Belgium), 3 yellow cards (1 Argentina, 2 Belgium).
Germany v Argentina (Match 64)
1 goal, 36 fouls (20 Germany, 16 Argentina), 4 yellow cards (2 Germany, 2 Argentina).
Noumandiez Doue (Ivory Coast)
Chile v Australia (Group B) (Match 4)
4 goals, 27 fouls conceded (Chile 9, Australia 18), 4 yellow cards (Chile 1, Australia 3).
Ecuador v France (Group E) (Match 42)
0 goals, 23 fouls (17 Ecuador, 6 France), 1 yellow card (Ecuador), 1 red card (Ecuador).
Mark Geiger (USA)
Colombia v Greece (Group C) (Match 5)
3 goals, 33 fouls (19 Colombia, 14 Greece), 3 yellow cards (1 Colombia, 2 Greece).
Spain v Chile (Group B) (Match 19)
2 goals, 29 fouls (14 Spain, 15 Chile), 3 yellow cards (1 Spain, 2 Chile)
France v Nigeria (Match 53)
2 goals, 27 fouls (12 France, 15 Nigeria), 1 yellow card (France).
Felix Brych (Germany)
Uruguay v Costa Rica (Group D) (Match 6)
4 goals, 38 fouls (20 Uruguay, 18 Costa Rica), 3 yellow cards (3 Uruguay), 1 red card (Uruguay).
Belgium v Russia (Group H) (Match 31)
1 goal, 23 fouls (14 Belgium, 9 Russia), 3 yellow cards (2 Belgium, 1 Russia).
Björn Kuipers (Netherlands)
England v Italy (Group D) (Match 8)
3 goals, 20 fouls (8 England, 12 Italy), 1 yellow card (England).
Switzerland v France (Group E) (Match 25)
7 goals, 28 fouls (12 Switzerland, 16 France), 1 yellow card (France).
Colombia v Uruguay (Match 50)
2 goals, 36 fouls (19 Colombia, 17 Uruguay), 3 yellow cards (1 Colombia, 2 Uruguay).
Enrique Osses (Chile)
Cote d’Ivoire v Japan (Group C) (Match 6)
3 goals, 25 fouls (12 Cote d’Ivoire, 13 Japan), 4 yellow cards (2 Cote d’Ivoire, 2 Japan).
Italy v Costa Rica (Group D) (Match 24)
1 goal, 34 fouls (10 Italy, 24 Costa Rica), 2 yellow cards (1 Italy, 1 Costa Rica).
Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
Switzerland v Ecuador (Group E) (Match 9)
3 goals, 24 fouls (9 Switzerland, 15 Ecuador), 2 yellow cards (1 Switzerland, 1 Ecuador).
Croatia v Mexico (Group A) (Match 34)
4 goals, 30 fouls (18 Croatia, 12 Mexico), 3 yellow cards (1 Cratia, 2 Mexico), 1 red card (Croatia).
United States v Germany (Group G) (Match 45)
1 goal, 24 fouls (15 US, 9 Germany), 3 yellow cards (2 US, 1 Germany).
Netherlands v Costa Rica (Match 59)
0 goals, 28 fouls (15 Netherlands, 13 Costa Rica), 6 yellow cards (2 Netherlands, 4 Costa Rica).
Sandro Ricci (Brazil)
France v Honduras (Group E) (Match 10)
3 goals, 27 fouls (13 France, 14 Honduras), 5 yellow cards (3 France, 2 Honduras), 1 red card (after second yellow card) (Honduras).
Germany v Ghana (Group G) (Match 29)
4 goals, 28 fouls (11 Germany, 17 Ghana), 1 yellow card (Ghana).
Germany v Algeria (Match 54)
3 goals, 31 fouls (11 Germany, 20 Algeria), 2 yellow cards (1Germany, 1 Algeria).
Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)
Argentina v Bosnia & Herzegovina (Group F) (Match 11)
3 goals, 24 fouls (10 Argentina, 14 Bosnia & Herzegovina), 2 yellow cards (1 Argentina, 1 Bosnia & Herzegovina).
Japan v Greece (Group C) (Match 22)
0 goals, 41 fouls (23 Japan, 18 Greece), 5 yellow cards (1 Japan, 4 Greece), 1 red card (following a second yellow card) (Greece).
Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Germany v Portugal (Group G) (Match 13)
4 goals, 19 fouls (8 Germany, 11 Portugal), 1 yellow card (Portugal), 1 red card (Portugal).
Argentina v Iran (Group F) (Match 27)
1 goal, 22 fouls (8 Argentina, 14 Iran). 2 yellow cards (2 Iran).
Carlos Vera (Ecuador)
Iran v Nigeria (Group F) (Match 12)
0 goals, 34 fouls (18 Iran, 16 Nigeria), 1 yellow card (Iran).
Greece v Cote d’Ivoire (Group C) (Match 38)
3 goals, 36 fouls (13 Greece, 23 Cote d’Ivoire), 3 yellow cards (3 Cote d’Ivoire).
Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)
Ghana v United States (Group G) (Match 14)
3 goals, 22 fouls (10 Ghana, 12 USA), 2 yellow cards (Ghana).
Cameroon v Brazil (Group A) (Match 33)
5 goals, 33 fouls (14 Cameroon, 19 Brazil), 3 yellow cards (3 Cameroon).
Argentina v Switzerland (Match 55)
1 goal, 47 fouls (19 Argentina, 28 Switzerland), 5 yellow cards (3 Argentina, 2 Switzerland).
Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)
Belgium v Algeria (Group H) (Match 15)
3 goals, 38 fouls (20 Belgium, 18 Algeria), 2 yellow cards (1 Belgium, 1 Algeria).
Italy v Uruguay (Group D) (Match 39)
1 goal, 39 fouls (19 Italy, 20 Uruguay), 4 yellow cards (2 Italy, 2 Uruguay), 1 red card (Italy).
Brazil v Germany (Match 61)
8 goals, 25 fouls (11 Brazil, 14 Germany), 1 yellow card (Brazil).
Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey)
Brazil v Mexico (Group A) (Match 17)
0 goals scored, 31 fouls (13 Brazil, 18 Mexico), 4 yellow cards (2 Brazil, 2 Mexico).
Algeria v Russia (Group H) (Match 48)
2 goals, 29 fouls (15 Algeria, 14 Russia), 5 yellow cards (3 Algeria, 2 Russia)
Argentina v Netherlands (Match 62)
0 goals, 25 fouls (15 Netherlands, 10 Argentina), 3 yellow cards (2 Netherlands, 1 Argentina)
Nestor Pitana (Argentina)
Russia v Korea Republic (Group H) (Match 16)
2 goals, 22 fouls (15 Russia, 7 Korea Republic), 4 yellow cards (1 Russia, 3 Korea Republic).
Honduras v Switzerland (Group E) (Match 41)
3 goals, 35 fouls (17 Honduras, 18 Switzerland), 1 yellow card (Honduras).
USA v Portugal (Group H) (Match 30)
4 goals, 25 fouls (11 USA, 14 Portugal), 1 yellow card (USA).
France v Germany (Match 57)
1 goal, 33 fouls (15 France, 33 Germany), 2 yellow cards (2 Germany)
Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)
Australia v Netherlands (Group B) (Match 20)
5 goals, 43 fouls (18 Australia, 25 Netherlands), 2 yellow cards (1 Australia, 1 Netherlands)
Costa Rica v England Group D (Match 40)
0 goals, 34 fouls (17 Costa Rica, 17 England), 3 yellow cards (1 Costa Rica, 2 England).
Belgium v United States (Match 56)
3 goals, 38 fouls (27 Belgium, 11 USA), 2 yellow cards (1 Belgium, 1 USA).
Brazil v Netherlands (Match 63)
3 goals, 36 fouls (16 Brazil, 20 Netherlands), 5 yellow cards (3 brazil, 2 Netherlands).
Pedro Proenca (Portugal)
Cameroon v Croatia (Group A) (Match 18)
4 goals, 20 fouls (11 Cameroon, 9 Croatia), 1 yellow card (Croatia), 1 red card (Cameroon).
Japan v Colombia (Group C) (Match 37)
5 goals, 29 fouls (10 Japan, 19 Colombia), 2 yellow cards (1 Japan, 1 Colombia).
Netherlands v Mexico (Match 51)
3 goals, 20 fouls (8 Netherlands, 12 Mexico), 3 yellow cards (3 Mexico).
Howard Webb (England)
Colombia v Cote d’Ivoire (Group C) (Match 21)
3 goals, 25 fouls (11 Colombia, 14 Cote d’Ivoire), 2 yellow cards (2 Cote d’Ivoire).
Brazil v Chile (Match 49)
2 goals, 51 fouls (28 Brazil, 23 Chile), 7 yellow cards (4 Brazil, 3 Chile).
Carlos Carballo (Spain)
Uruguay v England (Group D) (Match 23)
3 goals, 29 fouls (17 Uruguay, 12 England), 2 yellow cards (1 Uruguay, 1 England).
Bosnia & Herzegovina v Iran (Group F) (Match 44)
4 goals, 37 fouls (20 Bosnia & Herzegovina, 17 Iran(, 2 yellow cards (1 Bosnia & Herzegovina, 1 Iran).
Brazil v Colombia (Match 58)
3 goals, 54 fouls (31 Brazil, 23 Colombia), 4 yellow cards (2 Brazil, 2 Colombia).
Ben Williams (Australia)
Honduras v Ecuador (Group E) (Match 26)
3 goals, 32 fouls (15 Honduras, 17 Ecuador), 5 yellow cards (2 Honduras, 3 Ecuador).
Korea Republic v Belgium (Group H) (Match 47)
1 goal, 27 fouls (16 Korea, 11 Belgium), 2 yellow cards (1 Korea, 1 Belgium), 1 red card (Belgium).
Costa Rica v Greece (Match 52)
2 goals, 39 fouls (23 Costa Rica, 16 Greece), 6 yellow cards (4 Costa Rica, 2 Greece), 1 red card after second yellow card (Costa Rica).
Peter O’Leary (New Zealand)
Nigeria v Bosnia & Herzegovina (Group F) (Match 28)
1 goal, 16 fouls (9 Nigeria, 7 Bosnia & Herzegovina), 2 yellow cards (1 Nigeria, 1 Bosnia & Herzegovina).
Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain)
Australia v Spain (Group B) (Match 35)
3 goals, 23 fouls (14 Australia, 9 Spain), 3 yellow cards (2 Australia, 1 Spain).
Portugal v Ghana (Group G) (Match 46)
3 goals, 37 fouls (21 Portugal, 16 Ghana), 4 yellow cards (1Portugal, 3 Ghana).
Bakary Gassama (Gambia)
Netherlands v Chile (Group B) (Match 36)
2 goals, 40 fouls (26 Netherlands, 14 Chile), 2 yellow (1 Netherlands, 1 Chile).
Referees Remaining in Brazil after the Quarter Finals
FIFA announced on 7 July which referees would stay at the Tournament after the Quarter Finals.
AFC
Staying in Brazil:
1. Ravshan Irmatov (UZB)
2. Yuichi Nishimura (JPN)
Leaving:
1. Nawaf Shukralla (BHR)
2. Benjamin Williams (AUS)
3. Alireza Faghani (IRN)
CAF
Staying in Brazil:
1. Noumandiez Doue (CIV)
2. Djamel Haimoudi (ALG)
Leaving:
1. Bakary Gassama (GAM)
2. Néant Alioum (CMR)
CONCACAF
Staying in Brazil:
1. Mark Geiger (USA)
2. Marco Rodríguez (MEX)
Leaving:
1. Joel Aguilar (SLV)
2. Walter López (GUA)
3. Roberto Moreno (PAN)
CONMEBOL
Staying in Brazil:
1. Enrique Osses (CHI)
2. Sandro Ricci (BRA)
3. Carlos Vera (ECU)
Leaving:
1. Néstor Pitana (ARG)
2. Wilmar Roldán (COL)
3. Víctor Carrillo (PER)
OFC/CAF
Leaving:
Peter O’Leary (NZL)
Norbert Hauata (TAH)
UEFA
Staying in Brazil:
1. Cüneyt Çakır (TUR)
2. Jonas Eriksson (SWE)
3. Pedro Proença (POR)
4. Nicola Rizzoli (ITA)
5. Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP)
6. Howard Webb (ENG)
Leaving:
1. Felix Brych (GER)
2. Björn Kuipers (NED)
3. Milorad Mažić (SRB)
4. Svein Oddvar Moen
Photo Credit
England vs Algeria 2010 (mikkelz, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Nicola Rizzoli (The Third Team)
