Said Martinez from Honduras is the first referee from CONCACAF to officiate at 2026 World Cup.
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Match 8
Group B
13 June 2026, 21:00 CET
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara
QATAR - SWITZERLAND
Referee: Saíd Martínez HON
Assistant Referee 1: Walter López HON
Assistant Referee 2: Christian Ramirez HON
Fourth Official: Oshane Nation JAM
Reserve AR : Caleb Wales TRI
Vidéo Assistant Referee: Guillermo Pacheco MEX
Assistant Vidéo Assistant Referee 1 : Erick Miranda MEX
Assistant Vidéo Assistant Referee 2 : Leodán González URU
Dear colleague Chefren, may I ask you for an on-field review to proofread the phrase "frist referee" again – in my opinion, it's a clear and obvious mistake. 😜
ReplyDeleteCould have intentionally meant the Norwegian noun for deadline ;)
DeleteHas the same meaning in German usage too. ;-)
DeleteAfter On Field Review, I decide to change the word "frist" to "first". Reason: typo.
DeleteThe VARs being made to smile at the camera every match is starting to make me giggle
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely unnatural smile by Pacheco from VAR room, definitely no need to do that...
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth not. I guarantee that the majority of people seeing that smiled themselves and thought it must be cool to be a referee.
DeleteWhy?! They dont need to be serious full time, the Brazilian broadcast loved! And I did too
DeleteCome on, lets smile! Acid people hahaha
ReplyDeletePotentially missed YC at 12’
ReplyDeletePelanty in 13min
ReplyDeleteMaybe offside
ReplyDeleteOffside before the penalty correctly whistled by referee.
ReplyDeleteMaybe even two offsides, the second one being 100% clear, though.
Apparently not offside
DeleteYep the second one is clear let's wait for animation
DeleteCorrect PK call but potentially offside
ReplyDeleteOne of those I think where the angle distorts things. Actually onside. A great call from the AR
ReplyDeleteOg I was wrong, no offside before :) strange because player looked to be ahead
ReplyDeleteHow is this not offside?
ReplyDeleteNot offside the second time ? Hum hum 🤨
ReplyDeleteWaiting for animation for bouth action
ReplyDeleteThat is surprisingly not offside
ReplyDeleteDo var check for offside with the new aitomated tool
ReplyDeleteDid you notice that when the referee blew the whistle to restart play after Switzerland’s first goal, his positioning was incorrect? This is an inexcusable mistake for a referee officiating at the World Cup.
ReplyDeleteThere is no incorrect position in that situation. Felix Brych was known for his odd position while restarting the play after goal 10 years ago
DeleteEven without offside it should not be a penalty, ball was already gone and the contact was soft.
ReplyDeleteIn what world could you possibly describe it as soft? It's potentially as clear a foul as you'll ever see
DeleteExtremely clear penalty. You won’t see a clearer one this decade.
DeleteWe are watching the same match, right?
DeleteIt seems that the TV camera angles in this stadium are different from the others, being farther away and perhaps not exactly parallel to the pitch.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if fifa was still using line what will be the outcome
DeleteNo offside same defender line. Good and clear PK gesture by Martinez. Exceptional so far
ReplyDeleteHarsh Yellow card in 21 minutes
ReplyDeleteGood yellow. He warned the same player 10 minutes before
DeleteVery harsh for me indeed, but that same player could have gotten a yellow at 12
DeleteI agree. A well-executed application of progressive player management where a previous verbal warning to the same player was appropriately followed up with a caution for stopping a promising attack.
DeleteClip: https://streamable.com/a3v90q
DeleteFirst warning and player management at 11’
Deletehttps://streamable.com/sz1gis
DeleteThe swiss totally overreacting when they are being fouled.
ReplyDelete"Pelanty" and ONSIDE by AR1:
ReplyDeletehttps://streambug.org/cv/c3b42d
About the call by referee, I think we can say that keeper was very late and he directly went on opponent, yes, in the end not a strong contact, but clear arguments to say penalty for me. Hard to play on.
Elegant refereeing style, high signal tempo, excellent "wait-and-see" approach when assessing fouls, and very good timing of whistle signals. I really like the overall style shown in the opening stages of the match.
ReplyDelete+1
Delete+ 1 : very fan of Said Martinez during first 30 mn ! Well done by Honduras 🇭🇳 ref and his ARs !
DeleteCorrect penalty and two YCs. Very good start for Martinez
ReplyDeleteHand to the face and SPA, so not soft, especially bc it’s the same player that had received a warning in min 11 already
ReplyDeleteIn the 30th minute, a Qatari player who received treatment left the pitch and immediately re-entered. Doesn't he have to wait a minute?
ReplyDeleteNot when the injury was caused by a collision with his own player
DeleteThat’s if BOTH need attention. Not one.
DeleteI think when Swiss players complain he shows the head, which will mean in a head collision this rule will not apply
DeleteDid the broadcasters end up showing the offside animation? Why have they been so lazy this tournament?
ReplyDeleteNo we havent seen it
DeleteIt is incredibly poor from the director. The Uefa method of a few mins later at worst is really needed, if not the English instant (without the live camera overlay) system. We saw a really delayed and difficult to work out why it was shown image in the US:Paraguay match, then nothing for these two close onsides. Not good
DeleteWe had the water break with replays of everything but the SAOT decision...
DeleteStrange considering for the World Cup, they usually get the best TV directors from Europe, which also get the big games in the Champions League.
Delete80th minute and the US announcers are puzzling about the lack of any animated replay on the on/offside call on the penalty and deeming it a "talking point." Clattenburg says we have to trust the technology but even he is wondering why it hasn't been shown. (For what it's worth, I do think both phases are onside.)
DeleteThe only area I see now for improvement is his movement pattern, particularly when play develops down his right-hand side towards the touchline. He occasionally reacts a little late and sometimes rushes unnecessarily to catch up. He would benefit from being more dynamic in the way he moves both towards the touchline and back into the field of play, allowing him to maintain better positioning and observation angles.
ReplyDeleteThird YC totally mandatory and almost perfect refereeing by referee crew ! Congrats : very impressed by Martinez style, line and attitude. A boss on the pitch !
ReplyDeleteCorrect YC at 42’
ReplyDeleteClip: https://streamable.com/jyphu3
Delete45:20 – Good advantage played for Switzerland. However, there is a slightly amateurish mistake here as the advantage signal is shown too late. By the time the arm goes up, the advantage may already have been fully realized, which can create unnecessary protests and confusion from the players. My impression is that he may have received input through the headset reminding him to signal the advantage. At this level, however, the referee should not need assistance from the team to remember to apply and signal an advantage correctly.
ReplyDeleteAgree that the advantage signal was late
DeleteIn this first half, Honduran referee Said Martinez has delivered a very good performance so far, I must say, and has tried to "challenge" the position of Salvadoran referee Iván Barton, who, in terms of reputation and consideration, could be seen ahead of him, at least before the start of this competition. He will need to continue at this level if he wants to complete the task. For me the two (Barton and him) can be better referees than Ramos.
ReplyDeleteAgree. For me, the better refereeing performance of this WC now. Hope the same on second half.
DeleteGiven that Collina reads the blog, we must inform him that it would be good thing to instruct VAR to show the confirmation of crucial onside / offside decisions before penalties and goals. That's a miss by the room in first half. They should always think they are working for transparency.
ReplyDeleteO desempenho de Martinez foi realmente impressionante. Talvez o melhor primeiro tempo até agora nesta Copa do Mundo. Seguro, perfeito em seus penalidades, aplicação convincente da área de grande penalidade, chamadas de falta corretas e um estilo clássico de arbitragem de esperar um pouco antes de soprar o apito e usar a inteligência para parar em momentos acalorados.
ReplyDeleteCollina deve se orgulhar de que excelentes árbitros da CONCACAF estejam emergindo de países inesperados e possam contribuir significativamente para jogos decisivos e grandes!
Uma grande e maravilhosa surpresa, espero que a segunda metade continue esta masterclass! Simplesmente perfeito!
Martinez's performance was truly impressive. Perhaps the best first half so far in this World Cup. Secure, perfect in his penalties, convincing application from the penalty area, correct foul calls, and a classic refereeing style of waiting a bit before blowing the whistle and using intelligence to stop in heated moments.
DeleteCollina should be proud that excellent CONCACAF referees are emerging from unexpected countries and can contribute significantly to decisive and big games!
A great and wonderful surprise, I hope the second half continues this masterclass! Simply perfect!
They have to show the replay, we all want to so why not, its quite frankly ridiculous as it makes people lose trust in the decision if they dont show us the evidence.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise I really like Martinez, love his style.
Excellent first time for Said !! Excellent. Rizzoli work very good .
ReplyDeleteI’m still not convinced about trusting Honduran referee Said Martínez deep in the tournament. His performance in the Canada vs. Mexico CONCACAF Nations League semifinal last year Was disappointing
ReplyDeleteHere is one of the key decisions he made!
https://youtu.be/eXjxVuv9Oy4?t=89s
So we should report all previous tournaments and all games by all referees at this WC? I repeat again, and it's valid for all names, that would be not fair.
DeleteA very decent performance so far. It's very bizarre however that the SAOT image has not been shown
ReplyDeleteThat should be a caution IMO
ReplyDeleteNot an obvious SPA.
DeleteMaybe. Maybe not. Generally for a blatant pulling offense you'd expect a YC
DeleteSo the referees at World Cup know the law change? Play stopped because of injury and player does not have to go off. New law is very clear that once play is stopped for an injury the injured player has to go off for 1 Minute regardless if they get treatment or not
ReplyDelete62’ missed yc-spa
ReplyDeleteFull-Sequence: https://streamable.com/9qh1ep
DeleteDo you mean the incident involving Switzerland No. 17 when he is fouled just outside the penalty area? If so, I would not consider this stopping a promising attack (SPA). The attacker is moving towards the byline with limited opportunities to create a dangerous attacking situation. In addition, he has pushed the ball some distance ahead of himself. While the numbers in the penalty area are balanced (3v3), the overall attacking potential of the situation is still limited and does not, in my opinion, meet the threshold for SPA.
DeleteIt's a clear SPA, for me missed YC as well, strange by referee given his approach.
DeleteSimply saying that the decision is “clear” does not really explain the reasoning behind it. I would appreciate a more detailed explanation of how you assess the criteria for SPA in this situation.
DeleteYes. Referee was close, we can consider that almost every movement from the side towards the PA is SPA.
DeleteI agree that if the attacker is moving clearly towards the penalty area, there is a stronger argument for SPA. However, in this situation I think it is important to pause and assess the primary direction of the ball. For me, the ball is travelling more towards the touchline/byline than towards goal, which makes the promising nature of the attack far less obvious.
DeleteIn addition, had the attacker got beyond the defender and regained control of the ball, the defence would already have had time to recover and become more organised. For those reasons, I do not see the attacking potential as sufficiently clear or immediate to support an SPA caution in this situation.
The player is running, entering the penalty area. If that's not even enough for a SPA, then the players in midfield shouldn't be booked for SPA at all. That's my view. In fact, I don't justify these missed yellow cards on the edge of the penalty area. I think everyone should be booked due to the position of the foul, at least the players with a run like this one. You can say that it's not a promising attack here, but you can't say that in midfield? The same argument would apply. I think DOGSO is another argument and you must be sure, but to deny SPA just a few outside the box has no explanations for me (now I turn it into a general discussion, starting from this incident).
DeleteI understand your point, and I agree that the location of the foul is an important factor. However, for me, SPA cannot be assessed primarily based on where the foul occurs on the field. The key question is how promising the attack actually is at the moment of the offence.
DeleteMy concern is that if we start from the premise that fouls just outside the penalty area should almost automatically result in a caution, we risk replacing the SPA criteria with a geographical criterion. I don't think that is what the Laws intend.
In this particular situation, I am not focusing on the distance to goal. Rather, I am looking at the direction of play, the direction of the ball, the likelihood of the attacker regaining clear control, the available attacking options and the defensive recovery. For me, the ball is travelling more towards the byline than towards goal, and by the time the attacker regains possession the defensive team has a reasonable opportunity to recover and organise.
That is why I do not see the attacking potential as clearly promising, despite the foul occurring close to the penalty area. In midfield, I would apply exactly the same principles. Some SPA cautions in midfield are stronger than incidents near the penalty area if the attacking potential is genuinely greater.
So I think we may agree on the criteria but differ on how much attacking potential this specific situation actually contains.
62min: https://streamff.com/v/deb349da
DeleteThe key to being a great referee, in my opinion, is understanding what the players are trying to achieve with their actions. I don't disagree per se with anything that DD wrote, but would argue his explanation is overcomplicating a rather simple situation - despite being in a promising position (indeed, SPA-like), Sui17 deliberately puts his leg across the defender in order to win a freekick. He has no actual intention of running into the penalty area. Thus, though there is a careless trip, the 'PA' is ended by Sui17 and not the defender - freekick and no card is the correct decision.
This game was clearly something apart from what Sampaio/Tello/Makkelie faced but, nevertheless, with a lesser referee this game would have looked very different, and featured lots of deliberate fouling/conflicts. Martinez handled the match in a (very) astute manner and assured that it didn't. It will be really interesting to see if the Honduran keeps up this level in a second appmnt, which should now be a given for him.
I feel, the way he took the position pointing his body towards the goal line sort of told me why he might not have gone for SPA (maybe he was thinking no control of the ball after the challenge).
DeleteI agree with you, clear SPA. With SPA we don’t have the strict interpretation of DOGSO where we need every condition met and it needs an obvious goal scoring opportunity. SPA is stopping a promising attack, this situation the attacker had beaten 3 defenders is clearly entering the penalty area even if the direction is not perfect it is sufficient.
Mikael W-Aha, that’s actually a bit of an eye-opener for me. I haven’t really focused that closely on the attacking player’s intention in situations like this, but you’ve identified it very well. I may have gone a little too deep into the analysis, but I think there’s value in breaking situations down and putting words to the reasoning process so we better understand how we arrive at a decision.
DeleteThat said, if I were the observer and my referee had cautioned for SPA here, I would have supported that decision as well. For me, though, the better option is no caution for the reasons mentioned above. Either way, I don’t see this as a clear error regarding the assessment of a promising attack, and certainly not something that should have any impact on the numerical mark.
I agree with DD regarding the value of such a thorough and deep analysis, there is actually nothing I can disagree about in your detailed explanation. However, Mikael is right, the intention of the SUI attacker to "win" defensive foul was really obvious when watching the replays. Combining your two arguments (ball slightly out of control, the attacker without any real intention of trying to regain control of it), I also think Martinez actually reached a correct decision, and I praise him for doing so because my initial feeling was clear SPA. Following this thought, I also agree that it's difficult to actually blame a referee who deems this SPA, just because of this "image" of a rather clear promising attack, although it actually isn't so, which makes Martinez's decision even more commendable, at least for my taste.
DeleteThis hydration break, requiring players to wait for the American TV commercial to finish before the game can restart, is a shame. Football should take precedence over commercial interests, not leave players waiting!
ReplyDeleteWhilst the players and FAs are taking in the money they will "live" with the delay
ReplyDeleteIf a top quality player gets injured directly after the advert (oops drinks) break then it will be questioned. The games I have seen have definitely changed after the breaks.
For me missed YC in min 88 for the coach of Qatar. He is standing on the pitch and shouting at Martinez
ReplyDeleteAgree
DeleteIt’s obviously onside which anyone with good understanding of angles would spot. But obviously they should provide lines in the broadcast immediately. Most people will think it’s offside. But it was definitely not.
ReplyDeleteWell, very good performance by Martinez tonight. Correct penalty, good 1h, standard disciplinary decisions, with some missed YC, but all in all, he can be happy what he showed tonight. I m very happy to see that this championship is officiated very good, and Fifa can be satisifed with tournament officiating standard for now.
ReplyDeleteApart one YC perhaps not given, faultless and very convincing performance by Martinez with for example stellar advantage applying rule. Well done in this surprising draw by Qatar.
ReplyDeleteTwo minutes for goal celebration. Game ended at 7.20. Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteYou get 30 seconds for a goal. So there were 10 seconds left and keeper was about to launch it into the air anyway. No issue
DeleteGood performance by Martinez. Maybe something missing for assessing it as "very good" but not a real issue.
ReplyDeleteCorrect or at least supportable (for different opinions) penalty call.
Second half for me less challenging than first half.
All correct bookings in first half and referee very alert.
But he should have booked in 62' for SPA.
Surprising final score, without controversy.
VAR should have shown the ONSIDE picture.
The referee from Honduras will surely get a second one and maybe he will raise the bar, we must wait and see.
Best refereeing performance so far. His only mistake was not applying YC to QAT coach. Positioning, gestures, composure, correct use of his assistants, courage in calling the PK directly on the field wo support.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, and I hope to see him again with his classic, elegant, and discreet style! He reminded me of the great English referees of the 80s.
Good performance, good disciplinary choices and management of players. Only spoiled by poor calculation of added time.
ReplyDeleteThoroughly enjoyable performance from Martinez, good throughout with minor points for improvement. Certainly worth a second game possibly in a more challenging environment. Definitely earned it tonight with his positive performance.
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