Last update 16 June, 2014 by Julio Muñoz
It does not monopolize the headlines of Howard Web or the prominence of Portuguese Proença but there is a referee in the World Cup who is from Uzbekistan and is the best in the world: it's about Ravshan Irmatov. Yesterday we saw him whistle the Ecuador-Switzerland in what is to his 36 years, his second World Cup and the road who knows if to his first World Cup final.
Born in the capital Tashkent, He has been elected the best Asian referee five times and, year after year, FIFA places him among the best on the planet. In South Africa 2010 had the honor of refereeing the opening match and the Uruguay-Netherlands semifinal, plus three more games.
In the complex world of arbitration, has already called Olympic medal matches in London, finals of Mundialitos and the Asian Cup as well as matches of the Confederation Cup, where by the way in an Italy-Brazil he made one of the few mistakes that are reminded of him. So, stopped whistling a clear penalty to signal Chiellini's goal in a controversial advantage law that violated one of the most elementary principles of football: there is no more law of advantage than that of a penalty.
Because Irmatov is one of those who is not mistaken, of those who let play and of those who try to go unnoticed. For the protagonism does not exist, it belongs to the players. Maybe, The fact of belonging to a country with so little football history benefits you. Oblivious to biases and controversies, his name sounds to contest the World Cup final. It's still early, but Irmatov seems prepared.
