Elizondo chosen as Cup final ref

[khay 10]

Referee Horacio Elizondo, who sent off England striker Wayne Rooney against Portugal, will take charge of the World Cup final between Italy and France.

German Markus Merk and Slovakian Lubos Michel were the favourites to land the honour for Sunday's showdown in Berlin.

 

But that responsibility will be given to the 42-year-old Argentine, who dismissed Rooney in the last eight for a stamp on defender Ricardo Carvalho.

 

Elizondo was also in charge of the opener between Germany and Costa Rica.

 

The physical education teacher has been a professional referee since 1994 and his first international was a game between Ecuador and Colombia in October 1996.

 

Dario Garcia and Rodolfo Otero, also of Argentina, will be Elizondo's assistants.

 

Japan's Toru Kamikawa will handle Saturday's third-place match between Germany and Portugal in Stuttgart

 

 

[Jimbo 175]

Should have been the Mexican tbh

[MattM4 0]

How Lubos Michel could even be anywhere close let alone a "favourite" is beyond me. The guy is a card crazy, letter of the law maniac... in a teacher's pet kind of way. I guess I've answered my own question and that's why FIFA love him so much

[Gemmill 46144]

The ref from last night had a decent game I thought. Let the game flow and didn't go daft with the cards. Plus he pretty much refused to be taken in by any of Portugal's bollocks. Not too sure about this Elizondo bloke.