Slavko Vincic, the referee who took charge of the recent World Cup final, is officially retired, just one week after the tournament wrapped up. Talk about a mic drop! The Slovenian official called it quits right after reaching the pinnacle of his career, but not without facing a firestorm of criticism for how he handled the intense match.
That World Cup Final Was A Total Mess, And Vincic Was In The Middle
The World Cup final saw Argentina fall 1-0 in extra time to Spain, and honestly, the game was brutal. Vincic drew widespread flak for letting Argentina’s physical approach go unchecked for much of the game. It all culminated in stoppage time, when he finally sent off Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, but by then, tempers were already boiling over. And if you thought the drama ended with the final whistle, you were dead wrong. The aftermath was just as ugly, with players from both Spain and Argentina clashing right there on the pitch. Fifa is now investigating those wild post-match scenes. Remember Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes throwing Gavi to the ground? Yeah, that happened. Even Gavi himself has said he doesn’t want Paredes to get a suspension, but you know Fifa has to look into it. The Slovenian Football Association confirmed Vincic’s departure, saying he “officially concluded his historic refereeing career at the top of the world.” “Top of the world” maybe, but it sure ended with a bang, right?
Beyond The Chaos: A Distinguished Career That Ended With A Bang
Despite how it ended, Vincic, who is 46, actually had a super distinguished career before this World Cup controversy hit. He was named the World Cup’s best referee by both the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) and the Association of Italian Referees (AIA), which even gives out the biennial Giulio Campanati Award. The guy’s been a member of Uefa’s elite group of referees since 2019, officiated at Euro 2020, and even took charge of the 2024 semi-final between Spain and France. At *this summer’s* World Cup, he oversaw four matches, including Brazil’s Group C opener against Morocco and Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the last 16. That Mexico game also had its own controversy, by the way, when Vincic controversially dismissed Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie for covering his mouth under a newly introduced rule. And at club level? He refereed the 2024 Champions League final, where Real Madrid snagged their 15th title against Borussia Dortmund. He also presided over the 2022 Europa League final, saw Rangers get beaten by Eintracht Frankfurt, and was the fourth official for the 2021 final when Manchester United lost on penalties to Villarreal. He even became the first foreign official to take charge of the 2025 Turkish Super Lig fixture between Galatasaray and Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce, after both clubs specifically asked for him.
So, Vincic is out, his career ending on the highest, and most controversial, note possible. But FIFA’s investigation into those ugly post-match scenes, especially Leandro Paredes throwing Gavi to the ground, is still wide open. Even with Gavi saying he doesn’t want Paredes suspended, you gotta wonder what kind of message this sends. The beautiful game sometimes gets real ugly, and this World Cup final was proof.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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