July 12th 2024.
Mark Clattenburg has been in the refereeing game for quite some time now, and he's certainly seen his fair share of major finals. So when he heard that UEFA had chosen Francois Letexier to officiate the highly-anticipated Euro 2024 final between England and Spain, he couldn't help but feel a bit surprised. After all, Letexier is only 35 years old and has been a referee in Ligue 1 since 2016. That's a pretty quick rise to the top, but it's clear that Letexier has what it takes to handle such a big match.
Letexier's resume is nothing to scoff at either. He's already been in charge of the Coupe de France final and the UEFA Super Cup between Manchester City and Sevilla. He's also been a part of the Champions League and Europa League finals as a fourth official and VAR, respectively. And now, he's been entrusted with the final match of Euro 2024. Letexier has already officiated three matches in this tournament, and he's handled them well. He even took charge of the Spain vs Georgia match in the round of 16, which ended in a 4-1 victory for Spain.
At first glance, Letexier seems like a solid choice for the final, and one that wouldn't stir up any controversy. Unlike Felix Zwayer, who caused quite a stir when he officiated the semi-final between England and Netherlands, Letexier's presence in the final was met with less resistance. However, Clattenburg, who has officiated numerous high-profile matches himself, believes that UEFA could have made a better choice.
In an interview with Mail Sport, Clattenburg expressed his surprise at Letexier's appointment, stating that there were other more experienced and qualified referees available. He specifically mentioned Clement Turpin, who has already officiated in the finals of both the Europa League and Champions League. Clattenburg also pointed out Daniele Orsato, who will be retiring after Euro 2024 and may have been too emotionally invested in the match. He also mentioned Szymon Marciniak, who is rumored to be making a move to Saudi Arabia and is still facing backlash for his handling of Bayern Munich's Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
In the end, UEFA went with Letexier, who is currently officiating in his first international tournament. He's done a good job so far, keeping controversy to a minimum, but this final will undoubtedly be the biggest match of his career thus far. The pressure will be on for Letexier to deliver a fair and unbiased performance. But with his experience and skill, there's no doubt that he's up for the challenge. And with England finally delivering the team that fans have been begging for, and the possibility of them benefiting from Spain's playing style, this final is shaping up to be an exciting and memorable one.
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