No Turkish referees in IFFHS top 10 as criticism mounts
Referee Slavko Vincic on the pitch during the Bayern Munich vs. Lazio match in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League. (Photo via UEFA)
The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) released its list of top referees of 2024, with no Turkish referees making the cut.
The Zurich-based organization included 10 referees from various countries, with England, France, and Brazil each having two representatives, while Germany, Italy, Poland, and Slovenia contributed one referee each.
IFFHS top 10 referees of 2024
- Francois Letexier – France
- Slavko Vincic – Slovenia
- Daniele Orsato – Italy
- Clement Turpin – France
- Michael Oliver – England
- Felix Zwayer – Germany
- Szymon Marciniak – Poland
- Anthony Taylor – England
- Raphael Claus – Brazil
- Wilton Sampaio – Brazil
Turkish refereeing under scrutiny
Domestic controversies
Following Besiktas’ 2-1 home defeat against Gaziantep FK, Turkish refereeing has once again come under fire.
The match, officiated by Zorbay Kucuk, included several controversial decisions, sparking anger among Besiktas players, management, and fans. Supporters voiced their frustration throughout the game, chanting “We don’t want Turkish referees in the derby!”
Similarly, Fenerbahce board member Fethi Pekin made a public statement regarding Cihat Aydin, who was assigned to officiate the Galatasaray-Kasimpasa match. In an official club statement, Pekin questioned the referee’s impartiality, citing past incidents that could influence his decision-making.
International criticism
In addition to domestic criticism, Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler has also faced backlash abroad.
During a Saudi Pro League match between Al Shabab and Al Hilal, Meler’s decisions were widely disputed. Then-Al Shabab’s head coach, Vitor Pereira, criticized the referee.
Halil umut meler was not fair. the red card was wrong. he only gave yellow cards to us. we played very well, but the referee changed the course of the game.
Then-Al Shabab’s head coach, Vitor Pereira
In response, Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s referee committee president Manuel Navarro confirmed that Meler will no longer officiate matches in the country.
If a referee makes serious mistakes, we will not deal with him again. we will not call halil umut meler to our matches. his errors affected the result of the al hilal vs. al shabab match.
Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s referee committee president Manuel Navarro
