Horacio Elizondo
Encyclopedia
Horacio Marcelo Elizondo (born November 4, 1963 in Quilmes) is a former Argentine
international football referee best known for his officiation throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup
. Having achieved all his goals in refereeing, Elizondo retired after the December 10 match between Boca Juniors
and Lanús
, 3 years before the compulsory retirement age of 45.
, and started refereeing after finishing the AFA
course. His debut in the Argentine first division
was in the Deportivo Español vs. Belgrano de Córdoba
match in 1992. He was named international in 1994, and directed his first international match on October 9, 1996 between Ecuador
and Colombia
for the 1998 World Cup qualifications.
, together with country fellow assistants
Darío García and Rodolfo Otero. He officiated three group games: Germany
-Costa Rica
, Czech Republic
-Ghana
, and Switzerland
-South Korea
. He also took charge of the England
-Portugal
quarterfinal, as well as the final game between Italy
and France
, becoming the first referee in World Cup history to referee both the opening and final games of one World Cup (English referee George Reader
also officiated the first and last matches of Brazil 1950
, but the last one, also known as Maracanazo, was not technically a final). Elizondo handed out a total of 29 cards in the tournament, three of which were red, for an average of 5.8 cards per game.
and Costa Rica
, which Germany won 4-2. Elizondo handed out only one yellow card, to Costa Rica’s Danny Fonseca. The match had a total of 22 fouls and 6 offsides, both statistics split evenly between the two teams. FIFA
's president of the World cup organizing committee Lennart Johansson
praised Elizondo performance at the match, saying "I also saw this referee in the opening match and I did not notice him much which is a very good thing."
0-2 Ghana
group game, was slightly more contentious. In the 66th minute he gave a straight red card
to Czech player Tomáš Ujfaluši
for a professional foul
in the box, awarding a penalty to Ghana. He then gave a yellow card to Asamoah Gyan
when he took the penalty kick prematurely. Gyan missed his second attempt.
Elizondo also booked Czech player Vratislav Lokvenc
and Ghanaian players Otto Addo, Michael Essien
, Derek Boateng
and Sulley Muntari
, for a total of seven cards. He called 12 fouls against the Czech Republic and 20 against Ghana. He further ruled the Czechs offside 6 times and Ghanaians 9 times.
2-0 Korea group game. Elizondo handed out nine yellow cards and no red cards during the match. He booked five Swiss players: Philippe Senderos
, Hakan Yakın
, Raphael Wicky
, Christoph Spycher
and Johan Djourou
. The four Koreans to pick up cards were: Park Chu-Young
, Kim Jin-Kyu, Choi Jin-Cheul
and Lee Chun-Soo
. Elizondo called 7 fouls against Switzerland and 19 against South Korea. There were a total of six offsides calls, split evenly between the two teams.
Elizondo accidentally physically touched the ball as it was in play, and thereby interrupting a Korean player's pass. Additionally,
he disallowed two Swiss handballs in the penalty box, and awarded the Swiss a controversial goal overruling the assistant referee
Rodolfo Otero's raised offside
flag. Several players, including two defenders, Kim Jin-Kyu and Choi Jin-Cheul
, who were following Alexander Frei stopped playing when they saw the flag, expecting it to be accompanied by the referee's whistle.
However no whistle was blown that would have signaled a halt in the game. The ball was put into the path of Alexander Frei after being hit by Lee Ho
's foot. According to some commentators and media, Lee Ho's action was not a mere deflection but an intentional move, what would make the offside void, supporting Elizondo's decision. Korean players and staff protested against the decisions by the referee, and Korea's coach Dick Advocaat
was livid to the point that he had to be cautioned twice by the referee. A few days later, though, Advocaat relented and agreed that the decision to allow Switzerland's second goal was correct.
Elizondo's decisions have caused anger among Koreans, many of whom sent e-mails of protest to the official FIFA website. FIFA decided to take the strong step of blocking Korean Internet access to its website due to receiving too many protest e-mails from Korea. FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola said "FIFA's new media department detected this organized attack coming from Korea and, basically, had to block the messages from Korea to fifa.com to protect the Web site". In addition, many Koreans have left negative comments on the website of the Swiss embassy in Korea, and one man has been arrested for threatening to bomb the Swiss embassy in Seoul.
0-0 Portugal
quarter-final, which Portugal won 3-1 on penalties. Elizondo gave yellow cards to Ricardo Carvalho
and Petit
of Portugal and to Owen Hargreaves
and John Terry
of England, as well as a straight red card to England's Wayne Rooney
, for a total of 5 cards. He was criticised for his performances from neutrals and England fans. Elizondo called 18 fouls on England and 10 on Portugal, found Portugal offsides 3 times and England none.
In the 62nd minute, Elizondo sent off Rooney after he stood on Ricardo Carvalho
's groin and then lightly pushed Cristiano Ronaldo
after the whistle had been blown. Portugal players, including Rooney's Manchester United team mate Ronaldo then urged Elizondo to take action. Elizondo later confirmed that it was the kick on Carvalho that led to the red card. Outside England, Elizondo and Rooney's red card has not been an issue, however Wayne Rooney said he was upset by the decision and believes that the red card was unjustified, claiming that he was off balance and had been trying to keep his balance so was not aware of Carvalho. The Football Association
has supported Rooney, while England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson
deferred to Elizondo's decision, saying "I went to the referee to speak and he was 100 percent sure it was a red card. He told me he hit the other player and where he was hit so I can't complain about that."
FIFA requested an explanation from Rooney regarding his conduct during the game; this is standard practice when the referee reports violent conduct. Rooney received a two match ban and was fined 5,000 Swiss francs for the incident. FIFA could have banned him for up to five games.
on July 9, between France
and Italy
. He awarded France a penalty after Florent Malouda
went down in the box under limited contact from Marco Materazzi
. In the 53rd minute, France had a strong claim for another penalty turned down after Malouda once again went down in the box, this time after a challenge from Gianluca Zambrotta
.
Elizondo gave Zinedine Zidane
a red card
after he headbutted Marco Materazzi
in the chest in the 110th minute after a verbal dispute between the two players. France coach Raymond Domenech
said the fourth official, Luis Medina Cantalejo
from Spain
, broke the rules and looked at video replays when making the decision. If correct, this would have been the first use of a video replay by an official during a World Cup match. However, FIFA
officials said that Elizondo and his assistants acted properly in the matter.
competitions in which he participated are the Copa América
of 1997
and 1999
), the U-17 World Cup of 1997 and 2005, the U-20 World Youth Championships of 2003
and 2005
, the Olympic Games
of 2004
, and the FIFA Club World Championship of 2000. In the latter, he showed a red card to David Beckham
in the tie between Manchester United and Necaxa
.
He also refereed in the final matches of the 2002 and 2005 Copa Libertadores de América
. In the 2005 tournament
the two Brazilian finalist teams São Paulo FC and Atlético Paranaense lobbied Conmebol
to have Elizondo as the main referee.
On August 16, 2006 Elizondo refereed the second final of the 2006 Copa Libertadores
.
Elizondo broke the Argentine First Division
record showing 12 yellow cards on August 19 in the match between Boca Juniors
and Independiente
. The media, though, supported most of his decisions.
In the annual world referee ranking of the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), Elizondo was positioned 5th in 2001, 12th in 2005 and 1st in 2006.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
international football referee best known for his officiation throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
. Having achieved all his goals in refereeing, Elizondo retired after the December 10 match between Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
and Lanús
Club Atlético Lanús
Club Atlético Lanús is a sports club from Lanús, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Founded on 3 January 1915, the club's main sports are football and basketball. In both sports, Lanús plays in Argentina's top divisions: Primera División and Liga Nacional de Básquet...
, 3 years before the compulsory retirement age of 45.
Background
Elizondo completed studies in physical educationPhysical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
, and started refereeing after finishing the AFA
Argentine Football Association
The Argentine Football Association is the governing body of football in Argentina. It organises the Argentine football league and the Argentina national football team. It is based in Buenos Aires...
course. His debut in the Argentine first division
Primera División Argentina
The Primera División is a professional football league in Argentina. It is the country's premier football division and is at the top of the Argentine football league system. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Primera B Nacional. The season runs...
was in the Deportivo Español vs. Belgrano de Córdoba
Belgrano de Córdoba
Club Atlético Belgrano is a sport club from Córdoba, Argentina, best known for its football team, promoted to the Argentine first division at the end of the 2010/2011 season. The football team is very popular and it has one of the largest fan bases outside Buenos Aires...
match in 1992. He was named international in 1994, and directed his first international match on October 9, 1996 between Ecuador
Ecuador national football team
The Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
and Colombia
Colombia national football team
The Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
for the 1998 World Cup qualifications.
2006 FIFA World Cup
Elizondo was appointed to represent Argentina in the 2006 FIFA World Cup2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, together with country fellow assistants
Assistant referee (association football)
In association football, an assistant referee is one of several officials who assist the referee in controlling a match. Two officials, traditionally known as linesmen , stand on the touchlines, while a fourth official assists administrative or other match related tasks as directed by the referee...
Darío García and Rodolfo Otero. He officiated three group games: Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
-Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
-Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
, and Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
-South Korea
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
. He also took charge of the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
-Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
quarterfinal, as well as the final game between Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, becoming the first referee in World Cup history to referee both the opening and final games of one World Cup (English referee George Reader
George Reader
George Reader was the fourth man to referee a FIFA World Cup Final, the first Englishman to do so, and the oldest match official at any World Cup in history...
also officiated the first and last matches of Brazil 1950
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
, but the last one, also known as Maracanazo, was not technically a final). Elizondo handed out a total of 29 cards in the tournament, three of which were red, for an average of 5.8 cards per game.
Germany vs. Costa Rica
Elizondo took charge of the opening game of the tournament between GermanyGermany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
and Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
, which Germany won 4-2. Elizondo handed out only one yellow card, to Costa Rica’s Danny Fonseca. The match had a total of 22 fouls and 6 offsides, both statistics split evenly between the two teams. FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
's president of the World cup organizing committee Lennart Johansson
Lennart Johansson
Lennart Johansson was the president of UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations from 1990 until 2007. Johansson is probably most famous for starting the UEFA Champions League and for bringing the UEFA European Football Championship to his native Sweden.He started as a bandy leader in AIK...
praised Elizondo performance at the match, saying "I also saw this referee in the opening match and I did not notice him much which is a very good thing."
Czech Republic vs. Ghana
His following match, the Czech RepublicCzech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
0-2 Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
group game, was slightly more contentious. In the 66th minute he gave a straight red card
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
to Czech player Tomáš Ujfaluši
Tomáš Ujfaluši
Tomáš Ujfaluši is a Czech footballer who plays for Galatasaray SK in Turkey.He can operate as either a central or right defender, and has played professionally in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Spain.-Early years / Hamburg / Fiorentina:...
for a professional foul
Professional foul
In sports, a professional foul is a deliberate act of foul play, usually to prevent an opponent's scoring.-Association football:The concept gained notoriety in association football after an infamous incident in the 1980 FA Cup Final when Willie Young of Arsenal committed a deliberate foul on Paul...
in the box, awarding a penalty to Ghana. He then gave a yellow card to Asamoah Gyan
Asamoah Gyan
Asamoah Gyan is a Ghanaian professional footballer, who plays as a striker for Emirati club Al Ain in the UAE Pro-League , and the Ghana national team....
when he took the penalty kick prematurely. Gyan missed his second attempt.
Elizondo also booked Czech player Vratislav Lokvenc
Vratislav Lokvenc
Vratislav Lokvenc is a former Czech football striker who last played for FC Ingolstadt 04.- Career :Before joining Salzburg, Lokvenc played for Hradec Králové , Sparta Prague , Kaiserslautern , and VfL Bochum of the German Bundesliga...
and Ghanaian players Otto Addo, Michael Essien
Michael Essien
Michael Kojo Essien is a Ghanaian footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Ghanaian national team. He is a midfielder who has often been touted as a box-to-box midfielder for his ability to exert boundless energy in supporting offensive and defensive play...
, Derek Boateng
Derek Boateng
Derek Owusu Boateng is a Ghanaian professional footballer, who currently plays as a midfielder for Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukrainian Premier League and the Ghana national team....
and Sulley Muntari
Sulley Muntari
Sulleyman Ali "Sulley" Muntari is a Ghanaian international footballer who currently plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Inter Milan in Italy. He has 66 caps for The Black Stars of Ghana.-Early career:...
, for a total of seven cards. He called 12 fouls against the Czech Republic and 20 against Ghana. He further ruled the Czechs offside 6 times and Ghanaians 9 times.
Switzerland vs. South Korea
Elizondo was also the referee in the SwitzerlandSwitzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
2-0 Korea group game. Elizondo handed out nine yellow cards and no red cards during the match. He booked five Swiss players: Philippe Senderos
Philippe Senderos
Philippe Sylvain Senderos - is a Swiss footballer who plays as a defender for Fulham and the Switzerland national football team. Previously he has played for Servette, Arsenal, A.C...
, Hakan Yakın
Hakan Yakin
Hakan Yakin is a Swiss footballer. He currently plays for Swiss Super League club FC Luzern. He was member of the Swiss national team for eleven years.-Personal life:...
, Raphael Wicky
Raphaël Wicky
Raphaël Wicky is a retired Swiss footballer, who last played for Chivas USA in Major League Soccer. He is a defensive midfielder who can also play in defense...
, Christoph Spycher
Christoph Spycher
Christoph Spycher is a Swiss football player, who currently plays for BSC Young Boys.-Career:Since 2005, his club is Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga and plays as a full-back....
and Johan Djourou
Johan Djourou
Johan Danon Djourou-Gbadjere , more commonly known as Johan Djourou, is an Ivorian-born Swiss international footballer who plays for Arsenal. He used to play as a defensive midfielder in his youth for former club Etoile Carouge, but on his arrival at Arsenal was converted to a central defender...
. The four Koreans to pick up cards were: Park Chu-Young
Park Chu-Young
Park Chu-Young is a South Korean footballer who plays for Arsenal in the Premier League and is the current captain for the South Korea national team.-Youth career:...
, Kim Jin-Kyu, Choi Jin-Cheul
Choi Jin-Cheul
Choi Jin-Cheul is a South Korean football player, who played for the K-League team Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.Choi made 65 appearances for the South Korea national football team. He usually played as centre-back and made a very strong team with Hong Myung-Bo and Kim Tae-Young during the World Cup 2002...
and Lee Chun-Soo
Lee Chun-Soo
Lee Chun-Soo is a football player from South Korea, who currently plays for Omiya Ardija. He was a key member of his national team during the 2002 World Cup and the 2004 Summer Olympics...
. Elizondo called 7 fouls against Switzerland and 19 against South Korea. There were a total of six offsides calls, split evenly between the two teams.
Elizondo accidentally physically touched the ball as it was in play, and thereby interrupting a Korean player's pass. Additionally,
he disallowed two Swiss handballs in the penalty box, and awarded the Swiss a controversial goal overruling the assistant referee
Assistant referee (association football)
In association football, an assistant referee is one of several officials who assist the referee in controlling a match. Two officials, traditionally known as linesmen , stand on the touchlines, while a fourth official assists administrative or other match related tasks as directed by the referee...
Rodolfo Otero's raised offside
Offside (football)
Offside is a law in football which states that if a player is in an offside position when the ball is touched or played by a teammate, he may not become actively involved in the play...
flag. Several players, including two defenders, Kim Jin-Kyu and Choi Jin-Cheul
Choi Jin-Cheul
Choi Jin-Cheul is a South Korean football player, who played for the K-League team Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.Choi made 65 appearances for the South Korea national football team. He usually played as centre-back and made a very strong team with Hong Myung-Bo and Kim Tae-Young during the World Cup 2002...
, who were following Alexander Frei stopped playing when they saw the flag, expecting it to be accompanied by the referee's whistle.
However no whistle was blown that would have signaled a halt in the game. The ball was put into the path of Alexander Frei after being hit by Lee Ho
Lee Ho
Lee Ho is a South Korean footballer who currently plays for Ulsan Hyundai. He married Yang Eun-Ji, a member of Baby Vox Re.V and sister of actress Yang Mi-Ra.- Career :...
's foot. According to some commentators and media, Lee Ho's action was not a mere deflection but an intentional move, what would make the offside void, supporting Elizondo's decision. Korean players and staff protested against the decisions by the referee, and Korea's coach Dick Advocaat
Dick Advocaat
Dirk Nicolaas "Dick" Advocaat is a Dutch football manager and former player currently the manager of the Russia national football team.He has been moderately successful as a football player and as a coach, which included two stints with the Dutch national football team...
was livid to the point that he had to be cautioned twice by the referee. A few days later, though, Advocaat relented and agreed that the decision to allow Switzerland's second goal was correct.
Elizondo's decisions have caused anger among Koreans, many of whom sent e-mails of protest to the official FIFA website. FIFA decided to take the strong step of blocking Korean Internet access to its website due to receiving too many protest e-mails from Korea. FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola said "FIFA's new media department detected this organized attack coming from Korea and, basically, had to block the messages from Korea to fifa.com to protect the Web site". In addition, many Koreans have left negative comments on the website of the Swiss embassy in Korea, and one man has been arrested for threatening to bomb the Swiss embassy in Seoul.
England vs. Portugal
Elizondo was the referee in the EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
0-0 Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
quarter-final, which Portugal won 3-1 on penalties. Elizondo gave yellow cards to Ricardo Carvalho
Ricardo Carvalho
Ricardo Alberto Silveira de Carvalho OIH , is a footballer who plays as a centre back for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid.Carvalho was born in Amarante where he played for the local team, Amarante Futebol Clube. By his great performance as a youngster, he was spotted by the Portuguese powerhouse,...
and Petit
Petit (Portuguese footballer)
Armando Gonçalves Teixeira , commonly known as Petit, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for 1. FC Köln in the German first division, as a defensive midfielder....
of Portugal and to Owen Hargreaves
Owen Hargreaves
Owen Lee Hargreaves is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester City and the English national football team....
and John Terry
John Terry
John George Terry is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League...
of England, as well as a straight red card to England's Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
, for a total of 5 cards. He was criticised for his performances from neutrals and England fans. Elizondo called 18 fouls on England and 10 on Portugal, found Portugal offsides 3 times and England none.
In the 62nd minute, Elizondo sent off Rooney after he stood on Ricardo Carvalho
Ricardo Carvalho
Ricardo Alberto Silveira de Carvalho OIH , is a footballer who plays as a centre back for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid.Carvalho was born in Amarante where he played for the local team, Amarante Futebol Clube. By his great performance as a youngster, he was spotted by the Portuguese powerhouse,...
's groin and then lightly pushed Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
after the whistle had been blown. Portugal players, including Rooney's Manchester United team mate Ronaldo then urged Elizondo to take action. Elizondo later confirmed that it was the kick on Carvalho that led to the red card. Outside England, Elizondo and Rooney's red card has not been an issue, however Wayne Rooney said he was upset by the decision and believes that the red card was unjustified, claiming that he was off balance and had been trying to keep his balance so was not aware of Carvalho. The Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
has supported Rooney, while England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
deferred to Elizondo's decision, saying "I went to the referee to speak and he was 100 percent sure it was a red card. He told me he hit the other player and where he was hit so I can't complain about that."
FIFA requested an explanation from Rooney regarding his conduct during the game; this is standard practice when the referee reports violent conduct. Rooney received a two match ban and was fined 5,000 Swiss francs for the incident. FIFA could have banned him for up to five games.
World Cup Final
Elizondo was the referee for the Final of the tournament in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on July 9, between France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
. He awarded France a penalty after Florent Malouda
Florent Malouda
Florent Johan Malouda is a French footballer who plays as a left winger for Chelsea and the French national team.-Châteauroux:A street footballer in his teen years, Malouda gradually developed into an interesting, new football talent, able to penetrate defenses with his technical skills and...
went down in the box under limited contact from Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi , is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender, and is currently a free agent.At the beginning of his career, Materazzi played with various Italian teams in Serie B and Serie C, and with Premier League side Everton. He spent two periods with Perugia and signed for...
. In the 53rd minute, France had a strong claim for another penalty turned down after Malouda once again went down in the box, this time after a challenge from Gianluca Zambrotta
Gianluca Zambrotta
Gianluca Zambrotta is a world cup winning Italian footballer who currently plays as a full back for Serie A club Milan.Zambrotta was decorated as Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2000 and he was made an Officer of the same order in 2006.-Como:Zambrotta began his...
.
Elizondo gave Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
a red card
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
after he headbutted Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi , is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender, and is currently a free agent.At the beginning of his career, Materazzi played with various Italian teams in Serie B and Serie C, and with Premier League side Everton. He spent two periods with Perugia and signed for...
in the chest in the 110th minute after a verbal dispute between the two players. France coach Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech is a retired French footballer and the former manager of the France national team.-2006 World Cup:On 12 July 2004, Domenech was a surprise choice to succeed Jacques Santini after the country's disappointing exit from UEFA Euro 2004 by losing in the quarter-final match to the...
said the fourth official, Luis Medina Cantalejo
Luis Medina Cantalejo
Luis Medina Cantalejo is a retired Spanish football referee.Professionally, Medina Cantalejo is a sports assessor who lives in Tomares, west of Seville. He was one of the few officials allowed to officiate the domestic clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, broke the rules and looked at video replays when making the decision. If correct, this would have been the first use of a video replay by an official during a World Cup match. However, FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
officials said that Elizondo and his assistants acted properly in the matter.
Other competitions
Among the several internationalInternational
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
competitions in which he participated are the Copa América
Copa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
of 1997
Copa América 1997
Bolivia hosted the Copa América for the second time in its 38th edition. It was held from June 11 to June 29, 1997. It was organised by CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body.There is no qualifying for the final tournament...
and 1999
Copa América 1999
The 1999 Copa América was a football tournament held in Paraguay, from June 29 to July 18, 1999. It was organised by CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body.There is no qualifying for the final tournament...
), the U-17 World Cup of 1997 and 2005, the U-20 World Youth Championships of 2003
2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in United Arab Emirates between November 27 and December 19, 2003. The 2003 championship was the 14th contested...
and 2005
2005 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in The Netherlands between 10 June and 2 July 2005. The 2005 championship was the 15th contested.- Venues :- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship...
, the Olympic Games
Football at the Summer Olympics
Association football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:...
of 2004
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics started on 11 August, , and ended on 28 August.The men's tournament is played by U-23 national teams, with up to three over age players allowed per squad...
, and the FIFA Club World Championship of 2000. In the latter, he showed a red card to David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
in the tie between Manchester United and Necaxa
Necaxa
Necaxa is a Mexican football club and is based in the city of Aguascalientes. it plays in the Estadio Victoria. Necaxa is ranked seventh overall and 1st in ranking in Mexican football within the IFFHS Central and North America's Clubs of the Century in the CONCACAF behind CD Saprissa San Juan de...
.
He also refereed in the final matches of the 2002 and 2005 Copa Libertadores de América
Copa Libertadores de América
The Copa Santander Libertadores de América , known simply as the Copa Libertadores and originally known as the Copa Campeones de América , is an annual international club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960...
. In the 2005 tournament
Copa Libertadores 2005
The 2005 Copa Libertadores was the 46th edition of the Copa Libertadores. The champion also qualified for the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship....
the two Brazilian finalist teams São Paulo FC and Atlético Paranaense lobbied Conmebol
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
to have Elizondo as the main referee.
On August 16, 2006 Elizondo refereed the second final of the 2006 Copa Libertadores
Copa Libertadores 2006
The 2006 Copa Toyota Libertadores was the 47th edition of the Latin American Copa Libertadores football club tournament. 38 teams from 11 football associations have taken part, starting with the first qualifying round played on 24 January 2006...
.
Elizondo broke the Argentine First Division
Primera División Argentina
The Primera División is a professional football league in Argentina. It is the country's premier football division and is at the top of the Argentine football league system. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Primera B Nacional. The season runs...
record showing 12 yellow cards on August 19 in the match between Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
and Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente is an Argentine athletic, sports and social club, which has its headquarters and stadium in the city of Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. The club is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División....
. The media, though, supported most of his decisions.
In the annual world referee ranking of the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), Elizondo was positioned 5th in 2001, 12th in 2005 and 1st in 2006.
Statistics
| Event | Games |  |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Copa Libertadores | 6 | 31 | 2 | 2 |
| 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for South America. 10 teams took part, all in a single group. The rules were very simple: the teams would play against each other in a home-and-away basis, with the four teams with most points qualifying to... |
9 | 28 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 FIFA World Cup 2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six... |
5 | 26 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 20 | 85 | 2 | 6 |