The Russia World Cup goes full circle as Argentinian referee Néstor Pitana is cast as the leading arbitrator in the France vs. Croatia World Cup final in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. The 43-year-old physical education teacher, probably the most successful gym teacher of all time, will be aided by two more Argentinians Hernan Maidana and Juan Pablo Belatti with the Dutch Bjorn Kuipers as the fourth World Cup final referee.
Pitana also refereed the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia — yup that 5-0 circus, you’re right — and three other matches: Mexico vs. Sweden during the group stages, Croatia vs. Denmark in during the Round of 16 and Uruguay vs. France during the quarterfinals.
Referee designations FWC 2018 Match 64: #FRA#CRO (15 July) FINAL
Referee: Nestor PITANA (ARG)
ASR 1: Hernan MAIDANA (ARG)
ASR 2: Juan P. BELATTI (ARG)
4th Off. Bjorn KUIPERS (NED)
Res.Ass.Erwin ZEINSTRA (NED)@FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/iqJmgyxZPk— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) July 12, 2018
Pitana has been refereeing internationally since 2010 and also refereed in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He is the second Argentinian referee to work two World Cups after Angel Norberto Coerezza, who participated in the 1970 and 1978 World Cups. Pitana is also the second Argentinian World Cup final referee after Horacio Elizondo in 2006. Elizondo also stuffs Pitana in the second Argentinian referee category since Elizondo refereed both the opener and closing match in 2006.
To put things into context, Elizondo is the dude who red-carded Zidane after the Frenchman sledgehammered his head onto Italy’s Marco Materazzi.
Damn, Pitana, why you always second best? That’s just first loser or hopefully France this year.
Football fans on Twitter are loving the bulky Pitana, and I won’t lie, I wouldn’t mind seeing him getting physical with any unruly divers during the final.
Referee Néstor Pitana is 6’ 4” and has some guns. Seems like the players aren’t as eager to get in the ref’s face when he’s bigger than them. Howard Webb was the same. Didn’t take any BS but let the players speak their mind, albeit at arm’s length. pic.twitter.com/ozOuqcmpWQ
— Chad Smith (@chadsmith71) July 7, 2018
For the third-place game between England and Belgium, American Mark Geiger serves as VAR. So is the refereeing standard really something to fix at this point?
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