Referees ready for competition kick-off
Friday, September 6, 2024
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Officials from across Europe revisit the success of UEFA EURO 2024 and look ahead to a busy 2024/25 campaign.
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Whether it's familiarising themselves with the latest changes to the Laws of the Game or staying in top physical condition to meet the demands of European football, there is plenty to keep referees busy throughout the year.
To prepare for the challenges of the 2024/25 season, more than 100 top male and female officials from across the continent attended UEFA's Summer Course for Top Referees in Geneva, Switzerland this week.
Under the guidance of managing director of refereeing Roberto Rosetti, officials discussed directives for the forthcoming campaign – including the implementation of the captain-referee communication initiative applied at EURO 2024 – as well as undertaking fitness tests and updating themselves on rule amendments.
"I want to acknowledge the referees participating in EURO this summer. We saw improvements in standards, especially with the successful implementation of captain-referee cooperation. This approach has promoted respect for referees and the sport itself and we hope this positive trend continues throughout the upcoming season.
"As we approach the new season, I encourage you to maintain professionalism, integrity and exemplary conduct. While this will be a demanding journey, I am confident you can deliver another year of outstanding officiating. I wish you the best of luck with the course and a successful season."
Reflecting on a successful EURO 2024
Rosetti echoed the UEFA president's sentiments on the referees' impressive performances in Germany, stressing the importance of the new initiative with captains, which is designed to improve dialogue while reducing displays of dissent from players.
"We had a very good EURO and we are very happy with it," he said. "We were 100% convinced about this communication project but we had to be courageous to start. The impact on the matches was great, so we did something for the referees but more importantly, for the image of the game and for football. This initiative can have positive consequences for young referees, so we must continue.
"Now it's time to start another amazing season. Our target is to maintain our top standard. The EURO referees are the best referees in the world. For this reason, we expect from them the maximum effort in terms of quality of decisions on the pitch and exemplary behaviour outside of the pitch."
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EURO 2024 represented an unforgettable first major tournament for Switzerland's Sandro Schärer.
"It's something I dreamed of and worked hard towards for the past 20 years and it was an unbelievable experience for me," the 36-year-old told UEFA.com. "I tried to enjoy it as much as I could, but it's a difficult feeling to describe.
"To begin with. I was nervous. You know there is a lot of pressure on you, but afterwards, you realise what you have achieved and what this tournament means to the world of football. I still get goosebumps talking about it and I will remember this feeling forever."
Preparing for the new campaign
Schärer took a short break after EURO 2024 before returning to UEFA duty as referee for last month's UEFA Super Cup between Real Madrid and Atalanta.
"I went camping with my brother to bring me back to real life, and it was good to find some balance," he explained. "Then the Super Cup was also fantastic, a very fair match with a great crowd that I could really enjoy."
That game marked the beginning of UEFA's 2024/25 season, which will bring an exciting new format to men's club competitions while Women's EURO 2025 next summer will be a key moment in the calendar for Europe's top female officials.
Discussing the new format, Rosetti said: "We have more matches and so more opportunities for our referees. Younger referees will have more opportunities, but we also need the experience of our top referees and will continue to give them important matches."
This week offered the perfect opportunity for Schärer and his colleagues, some of whom were attending their first summer course for top referees, to understand what Rosetti and UEFA's refereeing committee are looking for in their performances.
"It's extremely important for everyone to be together at the start of the new season," Schärer said. "We are coming from different leagues across Europe, but UEFA is giving us a unique and consistent application of the laws of the game. In Europe, we must speak only one technical language of refereeing. We feel very motivated and ready for kick-off."
Just like players, coaches and fans of teams across the continent, referees also have their ambitions at the beginning of a new campaign.
"Our target for every game is to perform at a top level," Schärer explained. "As a referee, it's important to take it game by game and the most important match is always the next one; you can never relax after a good performance."
When the Line is Crossed – watch now on UEFA.tv
Earlier this summer, UEFA premiered When the Line is Crossed, a new documentary which focuses on the abuse that referees can face throughout their careers.
It offers insights into the impact of physical and mental abuse on officials at both elite and grassroots levels of the game and includes first-hand testimonies from affected referees, as well as from footballing greats including Luís Figo and Esteban Cambiasso.
The documentary follows last year's launch of UEFA's Be a Referee! campaign, which highlights the positive aspects of the role and aims to recruit 40,000 new officials each season.
On the flip side, When the Line is Crossed addresses one of the main reasons that referees quit the game. It reminds the football community that we must never cross the line into abuse and that once the 90 minutes are over, we are all on the same team and that abuse against referees is abuse against football itself.