Howard Webb
Encyclopedia
Howard Melton Webb, MBE
, (born 14 July 1971) is an English
professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League and has been a FIFA
-listed referee since 2005.
Webb is counted amongst the top referees of all time by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), and has refereed a number of notable matches including the FA Cup Final
, the FA Community Shield
and the final of the Football League Cup
, as well as the final of both the UEFA Champions League
and FIFA World Cup
, being the first person to referee both matches in the same year.
Webb has drawn praise for his authoritative and respected approach to refereeing from football bodies, pundits, colleagues, players, and managers.
, South Yorkshire. His father was also a referee for 35 years.
as an assistant referee
, becoming a referee for that league two years later.
In 1996, he was appointed as a Football League
assistant referee, and, in 1998, fulfilled the same function in the Premier League, as well as being promoted to the Football Conference
as a referee. He is a police officer with South Yorkshire Police
but took a five-year sabbatical leave to concentrate on his refereeing.
In 2000, he was included on the National List of Football League referees, stepping up to the Select Group for the Premier League three years later. His first game in the top tier of English football was on 18 October 2003, when he took charge of the 0–0 draw between Fulham
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
. He was appointed as a FIFA official in 2005.
Webb bore a one-week demotion from officiating in the Premier League down to the Football League Championship
in April 2009, a punishment sporadically imposed on referees who make high-profile contentious errors. Webb had been earlier been appointed to referee the year's FA Cup final
, arguably the highest domestic honour for an official, when he awarded Manchester United
a debatable penalty kick
while they trailed 2–0 to Tottenham Hotspur
. The penalty was converted and United went on to win the match 5–2. Webb later admitted he had made "a mistake" but had made the decision "honestly".
Since then, Webb has been appointed to referee some of the world's highest-profile football matches, including an FA Cup Final
, a UEFA Champions League
Final and a FIFA World Cup
Final. Following in this section are some key matches Webb has refereed in his career since being promoted to the Premier League and FIFA list of referees.
at Cardiff
's Millennium Stadium
, a match between the Premier League winners and the FA Cup winners of the previous season. League winners Chelsea
went 2–0 up through two Didier Drogba
goals, but Cesc Fàbregas
netted a goal for FA Cup winners Arsenal
twenty-five minutes before the end. It was a tense finale, but Chelsea held on to secure a 2–1 victory. Webb issued three yellow cards (to Frank Lampard
, Claude Makélélé
and Fàbregas) in a game that saw eleven substitutions.
, Belfast
, on 15 November 2005, when Northern Ireland
hosted Portugal
in a friendly
. The game ended 1–1, with the home side scoring both goals. Northern Ireland went 1–0 down just before half-time through a Stephen Craigan
own goal, but Warren Feeney
salvaged a draw by netting in the second half. Tony Capaldi
, Keith Gillespie
and James Quinn were booked for Northern Ireland.
final at the Boleyn Ground
in London
. Grays Athletic
beat Woking
2–0, through goals from Dennis Oli
and Glenn Poole
, both just before half time. No players found their way into the book.
qualifying rounds began in August 2004, with the finals taking place in Portugal in May and June 2006.
Webb officiated the Group A match between France
and Portugal
, which the former won 1–0, and the Group B game between Italy
and Ukraine
, which saw the Italians win thanks to a Giorgio Chiellini
goal three minutes into second-half stoppage time.
Webb also took charge of one of the two semi-finals, which saw Ukraine beat Serbia and Montenegro 5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 draw. He was also appointed as fourth official for the final in Porto, which saw the Netherlands
beat Ukraine 3–0.
group match on 26 September 2006 between Steaua Bucureşti and Lyon
was Webb's first European appointment. The game at the Ghencea Stadium
in Bucharest finished 3–0 to Lyon, with Webb issuing four yellow cards during the course of the match.
The League Cup
final of 2007 at the Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff was an incident-filled match. Theo Walcott
gave Arsenal
the lead early in the first half – his first goal for the London-based club, but two Didier Drogba
goals gave Chelsea
victory.
The match ended with a brawl, with most of the players on the pitch becoming involved. Managers José Mourinho
and Arsène Wenger
both entered the pitch in an attempt to calm the situation. As a result of the mêlée, Webb sent off Mikel John Obi
of Chelsea and Kolo Touré
and Emmanuel Adebayor
of Arsenal, and showed yellow cards to Frank Lampard
and Cesc Fàbregas
. This was the first time that three red cards had been shown in a League Cup final. Indeed, prior to this game only three red cards had been shown in all of the previous finals. Later in the same year, Webb was selected to be the fourth official for the 2007 FA Cup Final
, with Steve Bennett
selected to referee.
in Canada during June and July, and was referee for the Group D game between Poland and Brazil at Montreal's Olympic Stadium
on 30 June. He then took charge of the Group C game between Mexico and Portugal at the National Soccer Stadium
in Toronto on 5 July. On 8 July he officiated the Group A match between Canada and Congo at the Commonwealth Stadium
in Edmonton.
Webb was retained by FIFA for the knockout stage of the tournament, and refereed a quarter-final on 15 July in Montreal where Chile defeated Nigeria 4–0 with all four goals being scored in extra time
.
On 12 June 2008, whilst refereeing in his first match of the tournament, a Group B
game between Austria
and Poland
, and with less than one minute left in stoppage time, he awarded Austria a penalty kick after he adjudged Poland's Mariusz Lewandowski
to have pulled the shirt of Sebastian Prödl
. The penalty was converted and the match finished 1–1. Leo Beenhakker
, Poland's head coach, described the decision as "inconsistent with the rest of the tournament". Some commentators praised the decision, describing it as "brave". In the light of UEFA's instructions to referees about conduct at set pieces, the decision to award a penalty in such circumstances was considered a breakthrough in strict implementing the laws of the game by some commentators. UEFA official William Gaillard
said the decision was not controversial and was correct. On 15 June, Webb was reported as saying that the only incorrect decision he made was to allow Poland's goal, which he said was offside. "To me the penalty was clear and I hope that people later will look at it and realise it was the only decision that could be taken," Webb said. In the same interview he also said that neither he nor his family, who remain in England, feel under threat. "I have not received any threats," he said.
On 18 June, Webb refereed his second game of Euro 2008 when he took charge of the Group D
match in which Greece
lost 2–1 to Spain
. UEFA stated on 19 June that Webb had not been selected to referee matches in the knock-out phase.
of the North American SuperLiga
between New England Revolution
and Houston Dynamo
at the Gillette Stadium
near Boston. New England won the match 6–5 on penalties after a 2–2 draw.
of the world's oldest domestic football cup competition, the FA Cup
. The final was played at Wembley Stadium
in London on 30 May 2009 and marked the third time that the final had been staged at the stadium since it was rebuilt. The match was contested by Chelsea
, who had beaten Arsenal
2–1 in their semi-final, and Everton
who had beaten Manchester United
4–2 on penalties after a 0–0 draw in their semi-final.
After Louis Saha
opened the scoring for Everton after just 25 seconds (the fastest ever goal in an FA Cup final), Didier Drogba
equalised in the 21st minute before Frank Lampard
scored the winner with 19 minutes left to play, to give Chelsea their fifth FA Cup success. Webb cautioned Mikel John Obi
and Frank Lampard
of Chelsea and Tony Hibbert
, Phil Neville and Leighton Baines
of Everton.
In June 2009, Webb was one of the referees at the 2009 Confederations Cup
in South Africa where he took charge of two games.
On 15 June, in the match between Brazil
and Egypt with the scoreline at 3–3 and in the final minute, he appeared to signal for a corner after Egypt's Ahmed Elmohamady appeared to handle the ball to prevent a goal. Webb then sent off the defender and awarded a penalty kick, which Brazil converted to eventually win 4–3. Egypt claimed that Webb took advice from the fourth official who may have seen a television replay and awarded the penalty based on this information, but the complaint was later rejected by FIFA.
Webb also refereed the 0–0 draw between Iraq
and New Zealand in Johannesburg.
Throughout the tournament, Webb wrote a regular blog detailing his experiences as a referee whilst at the tournament in South Africa.
Final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
in Madrid. He showed yellow cards to Martin Demichelis
and Mark van Bommel
of Bayern Munich
and cautioned Christian Chivu of Inter Milan
, who won the match 2–0 to secure their first Champions League title for 45 years, thanks to both goals by Inter striker Diego Milito
.
in South Africa. On 5 February 2010, FIFA confirmed that Webb had been selected as a referee for the competition.
Webb took charge of the Group H
match between Spain
and Switzerland
on 16 June, the Group F
match between Italy
and Slovakia
on 24 June, and the round of 16 match between Brazil
and Chile
on 28 June.
between the Netherlands
and Spain
. He was assisted by Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey during the final in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium. He was the first English referee to take charge of a World Cup Final since Jack Taylor
in 1974
– in which the Netherlands
lost to West Germany
.
In the game Webb issued 14 yellow cards, including two to the Netherlands' John Heitinga
who was subsequently sent off, more than doubling the former record of six for a World Cup Final, set in 1986
.
The match was seen as a highly difficult one to referee. After the match Webb was criticised by the Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk
, some Dutch players, and was booed by some Dutch fans as he and his fellow officials collected their medals. However, some portions of the world's press condemned the Dutch for their rough play, and some pundits opined that Webb was generous to the Dutch for not showing any red cards to their players until ten minutes before the end of extra time. Some portions of the Spanish press complained that Webb failed to properly control the game and take enough action against several of the Dutch players, particularly Nigel de Jong
for a high kick on Xabi Alonso
. Webb later conceded that had he had a better viewing angle of de Jong's challenge he would have sent him off, and de Jong later admitted he was "lucky" to only receive a yellow card. Dutch legend Johan Cruyff
criticised both his countrymen's rough tactics, and Webb for not dealing more harshly with them.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter
defended Webb and noted that it was "not easy" to control such a match, saying: "It's not up to me to judge the performances of the officials, I can only say it was a very hard task that the referee trio had on the field of play". Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter
said of Webb's performance: "I thought he had a superb game. I find it very difficult to remember a more testing game than that at any level. I thought the players' behaviour and discipline were abysmal. From a referee's point of view, if the players don't want to be controlled it's virtually impossible to control them. Had it had been a referee without his experience of the European game, they might have lost control within the first 30 minutes." Pundit Alan Hansen
defended Webb and condemned the Dutch, saying that: "Howard Webb tried to make the game flow but on this occasion he was left with no choice."
After the game Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder
claimed Webb "robbed us" and was a "scandal"; whereas Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo took the polar opposite view in stating that "Holland were able to count on an unexpected ally: referee Howard Webb, who allowed the Dutch to get away with brutal fouls time and time again". As the criticism rolled in so did the praise, as colleagues, commentators and media figures rose to Webb's defence. The British Referees' Association said "it would be almost impossible to disagree with any of the bookings he issued", former FA Cup Final
referee Keith Hackett
noted that "anyone who criticises the officials lacks the knowledge and experience of someone who has refereed" and called on FIFA to punish the Dutch players who castigated Webb to the press. Jeff Winter said that "to listen to Dutch players after the game blaming the referee for the defeat after they conducted themselves abysmally for the whole two hours is unbelievable. I hope when they look back at what they've said they are totally and utterly embarrassed."
v Colchester
) and 27 September 2003 (Sunderland
v Reading
) and 10 April 2004 (Lincoln
v Swansea
) and 18 December 2005 (Middlesbrough
v Tottenham
). Between 17 February and 17 March 2007, Webb showed five red cards, all in the 90th minute of matches.
The first red card he showed in the Premier League was to Michael Svensson
of Southampton
in the 0–0 draw between Bolton Wanderers
and Southampton on 8 November 2003.
Since the 2000–01 season, he has issued two red cards in the same game three times, twice giving one red to either side, once reducing one team (MK Dons) to nine men. He has sent two goalkeepers off; Kelvin Davis
whilst playing for Wimbledon
in 2001, and John Filan of Wigan
in 2004.
and Tottenham Hotspur
in 2009. The incident of note came when Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes challenged United's Michael Carrick
for the ball; Webb judged that Gomes fouled Carrick although replays suggested the keeper played the ball. The official, who was over 30 yards away from the incident, awarded a penalty kick
, which began United's comeback from 2–0 down to eventually win 5–2.
Earlier in that year, Webb was in charge of an FA Cup
tie between Birmingham City
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
. During the first half, Webb declined to award Birmingham a penalty when Richard Stearman
appeared to foul Marcus Bent
. He later admitted this decision was a mistake. In the second half, Webb accidentally blocked a Radhi Jaïdi
pass on the halfway line, gifting possession to Wolverhampton's Michael Kightly
who set up his side's second goal in a 2–0 win. After the match, Webb reflected on the events by saying: "I am disappointed to have an influence on a goal like that, it is difficult because the ball comes at you with pace and you think you are in the best position, but then something like that happens and they break away and sod's law says they go and score from it... I have spoken to Birmingham and they have been outstanding having accepted it and shown no animosity at all. I was almost more disappointed with the penalty incident".
In January 2011 Webb officiated Kenny Dalglish
's first game in charge of his comeback to Liverpool
in their fixture against Manchester United. Dalglish criticised Webb for awarding United a first-minute penalty after deeming Daniel Agger
to have fouled Dimitar Berbatov
. Dalglish claimed that Berbatov dived, saying: "The penalty is a joke, I've seen the replay and unless the rules have changed it is no penalty". Referring to a red card that Webb later issued to Steven Gerrard
for a two-footed lunge, Dalglish said, "I cannot see that as a red card". Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
countered by saying that Webb had got both of those key decisions card correct, claiming that for the penalty there was enough force to make Berbatov lose his balance, and that Gerrard's red card challenge was "two-footed and off the ground". In response, Liverpool's Ryan Babel
posted an image on Twitter
of Webb in a Manchester United shirt after Liverpool's 1–0 defeat in the FA Cup
, and was charged by the F.A. with improper conduct and fined £10,000.
. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours
for services to football. Webb has been commended for his work in football officiating for being the first man to referee the Champions League final and World Cup final in the same year.
In June 2011 Webb was made President of the Baris Nothern Counties East Football League, a league where he had once officiated on. In July 2011 he received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Bedfordshire
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (born 14 July 1971) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League and has been a 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...
-listed referee since 2005.
Webb is counted amongst the top referees of all time by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), and has refereed a number of notable matches including the FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
, the FA Community Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
and the final of the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, as well as the final of both the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, being the first person to referee both matches in the same year.
Webb has drawn praise for his authoritative and respected approach to refereeing from football bodies, pundits, colleagues, players, and managers.
Early life
Webb was born to Sylvia and Billy Webb and grew up in RotherhamRotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, South Yorkshire. His father was also a referee for 35 years.
Refereeing career
Webb first took up refereeing in local Rotherham leagues in 1989. In 1993, he progressed to the Northern Counties East LeagueNorthern Counties East Football League
The Northern Counties East Football League is an English football league that was founded in 1982 by the merger of the former Yorkshire League and Midland League. The league has two divisions at present; The Premier Division and Division One which stand at the ninth and tenth levels of the football...
as an 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...
, becoming a referee for that league two years later.
In 1996, he was appointed as a Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
assistant referee, and, in 1998, fulfilled the same function in the Premier League, as well as being promoted to the Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
as a referee. He is a police officer with South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England.The police force covers an area of approximately 1,554 square kilometres which is made up of the county's three boroughs , along with the City of Sheffield. The resident population is 1.2...
but took a five-year sabbatical leave to concentrate on his refereeing.
In 2000, he was included on the National List of Football League referees, stepping up to the Select Group for the Premier League three years later. His first game in the top tier of English football was on 18 October 2003, when he took charge of the 0–0 draw between Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. He was appointed as a FIFA official in 2005.
Webb bore a one-week demotion from officiating in the Premier League down to the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
in April 2009, a punishment sporadically imposed on referees who make high-profile contentious errors. Webb had been earlier been appointed to referee the year's FA Cup final
2009 FA Cup Final
The 2009 FA Cup Final was the 128th final of the world's oldest domestic football cup competition, the FA Cup. The final was played at Wembley Stadium in London on 30 May 2009 and marked the third time that the final has been staged at the stadium since it was rebuilt...
, arguably the highest domestic honour for an official, when he awarded Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
a debatable penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
while they trailed 2–0 to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. The penalty was converted and United went on to win the match 5–2. Webb later admitted he had made "a mistake" but had made the decision "honestly".
Since then, Webb has been appointed to referee some of the world's highest-profile football matches, including an FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
, a UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
Final and a FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
Final. Following in this section are some key matches Webb has refereed in his career since being promoted to the Premier League and FIFA list of referees.
2005 FA Community Shield
In August 2005, Webb officiated the FA Community ShieldFA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
at Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
's Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
, a match between the Premier League winners and the FA Cup winners of the previous season. League winners Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
went 2–0 up through two Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba
Didier Yves Drogba Tébily is an Ivorian footballer who plays in the centre forward position. He currently plays for Chelsea in the Premier League, where he is deputy vice-captain, and is the captain and all-time top scorer of the Côte d'Ivoire national football team...
goals, but Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
netted a goal for FA Cup winners Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
twenty-five minutes before the end. It was a tense finale, but Chelsea held on to secure a 2–1 victory. Webb issued three yellow cards (to Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
, Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélelé Sinda is a retired football player who used to play as a defensive midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. Prior to joining Paris Saint-Germain, Makélélé played for Nantes, Olympique de Marseille, Celta Vigo, Real Madrid and Chelsea...
and Fàbregas) in a game that saw eleven substitutions.
First international match
Webb's first international game was at Windsor ParkWindsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, on 15 November 2005, when Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
hosted 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...
in a friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
. The game ended 1–1, with the home side scoring both goals. Northern Ireland went 1–0 down just before half-time through a Stephen Craigan
Stephen Craigan
Stephen James Craigan is a professional footballer, currently playing for Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League. He plays in central defence, and has enjoyed two spells at Motherwell, where he is currently the club captain...
own goal, but Warren Feeney
Warren Feeney
Warren Feeney is a Northern Irish footballer who plays for Plymouth Argyle as a forward. He is the third generation of his family to have been capped at international level by Northern Ireland, after his father Warren and his grandfather Jim.-Early career:Feeney, who comes from a particularly...
salvaged a draw by netting in the second half. Tony Capaldi
Tony Capaldi
Anthony Charles "Tony" Capaldi is a Norwegian-born Northern Ireland international footballer, who plays as a defender for Oxford United. He is also a long-throw specialist.-Club career:...
, Keith Gillespie
Keith Gillespie
Keith Robert Gillespie is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays in midfield for Longford Town....
and James Quinn were booked for Northern Ireland.
2006 FA Trophy Final
On 14 May 2006, Webb took charge of the 2006 FA TrophyFA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
final at the Boleyn Ground
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Grays Athletic
Grays Athletic F.C.
Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season...
beat Woking
Woking F.C.
Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the...
2–0, through goals from Dennis Oli
Dennis Oli
Dennis Chiedozie Oli is an English footballer of Nigerian and Jamaican descent. He currently plays for Gillingham, but has previously spent time at Queens Park Rangers, Gravesend & Northfleet, Farnborough Town, Swansea City, Cambridge United and Grays Athletic.-Career:Oli came through the youth...
and Glenn Poole
Glenn Poole
Glenn Stephen Poole is an English footballer who plays for Conference South club Thurrock.-Career:Poole, a left winger who can also play in central midfield, started his career as a junior at Tottenham Hotspur. He was not offered a professional deal at White Hart Lane and after being released he...
, both just before half time. No players found their way into the book.
2006 European Under-21 Championship
The 2006 European Under-21 Championship2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
qualifying rounds began in August 2004, with the finals taking place in Portugal in May and June 2006.
Webb officiated the Group A match between France
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
and Portugal
Portugal national under-21 football team
The Portugal national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Portugal and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation . They are nicknamed "Esperanças." Esperança means hope, thus they are Portugal's hopes for the future...
, which the former won 1–0, and the Group B game between Italy
Italy national under-21 football team
The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
and Ukraine
Ukraine national under-21 football team
The Ukraine national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine.After Ukrainian Independence in 1991, the Ukraine senior team played their first match in April 1992...
, which saw the Italians win thanks to a Giorgio Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini is an Italian footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus. He is a centre back, who started his career playing as a left back.-Livorno:...
goal three minutes into second-half stoppage time.
Webb also took charge of one of the two semi-finals, which saw Ukraine beat Serbia and Montenegro 5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 draw. He was also appointed as fourth official for the final in Porto, which saw the Netherlands
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
beat Ukraine 3–0.
First Champions League match
A UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
group match on 26 September 2006 between Steaua Bucureşti and Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
was Webb's first European appointment. The game at the Ghencea Stadium
Ghencea Stadium
Steaua Stadium , informally also known as Ghencea, is a football stadium in Bucharest, Romania, home of Ministry of National Defence of Romania. Also called Ghencea Stadium, it was inaugurated on 9 April 1974 when Steaua played a friendly game against OFK Belgrade, 2–2.Tătaru was the first player...
in Bucharest finished 3–0 to Lyon, with Webb issuing four yellow cards during the course of the match.
2007 League Cup Final
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final of 2007 at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff was an incident-filled match. Theo Walcott
Theo Walcott
Theo James Walcott is an English footballer of Jamaican descent who plays for Arsenal and the England national team. Walcott is a product of the Southampton F.C. Academy. He is a striker who is usually deployed on the right wing as a wide forward to exploit his speed...
gave Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
the lead early in the first half – his first goal for the London-based club, but two Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba
Didier Yves Drogba Tébily is an Ivorian footballer who plays in the centre forward position. He currently plays for Chelsea in the Premier League, where he is deputy vice-captain, and is the captain and all-time top scorer of the Côte d'Ivoire national football team...
goals gave Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
victory.
The match ended with a brawl, with most of the players on the pitch becoming involved. Managers José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
and Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
both entered the pitch in an attempt to calm the situation. As a result of the mêlée, Webb sent off Mikel John Obi
Mikel John Obi
John Michael Nchekwube Obinna , commonly known as Mikel John Obi, John Obi Mikel or John Mikel Obi, is a Nigerian footballer, who plays as a midfielder for English club Chelsea and the Nigeria national team.-Club career:...
of Chelsea and Kolo Touré
Kolo Touré
Kolo Habib Touré is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Manchester City and Ivory Coast. Touré is a central defender. He is the elder brother of Manchester City team-mate Yaya Touré and Makasa's Ibrahim Touré.-Arsenal:...
and Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor
Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor is a Togolese footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur as a striker on loan from Manchester City. He plays in the same position for the Togo national team. Adebayor previously played for Metz, Monaco and Arsenal and was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2008...
of Arsenal, and showed yellow cards to Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
and Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
. This was the first time that three red cards had been shown in a League Cup final. Indeed, prior to this game only three red cards had been shown in all of the previous finals. Later in the same year, Webb was selected to be the fourth official for the 2007 FA Cup Final
2007 FA Cup Final
The 2007 FA Cup Final was played on Saturday, 19 May 2007 between Chelsea and Manchester United, who had come up against Premier League opposition in every round. It was the 126th FA Cup Final and the first to be played at the new Wembley Stadium...
, with Steve Bennett
Steve Bennett (referee)
Stephen Graham Bennett is a former English football referee who operated in the Premier League, and previously for FIFA as an assistant referee and then referee.-Career:...
selected to referee.
2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup
Webb was selected to officiate in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
in Canada during June and July, and was referee for the Group D game between Poland and Brazil at Montreal's Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
on 30 June. He then took charge of the Group C game between Mexico and Portugal at the National Soccer Stadium
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
in Toronto on 5 July. On 8 July he officiated the Group A match between Canada and Congo at the Commonwealth Stadium
Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton)
Commonwealth Stadium is a sports stadium located in the Norwood Area of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, primarily used by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. The stadium is owned and operated by the City of Edmonton.- History :...
in Edmonton.
Webb was retained by FIFA for the knockout stage of the tournament, and refereed a quarter-final on 15 July in Montreal where Chile defeated Nigeria 4–0 with all four goals being scored in extra time
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
.
UEFA Euro 2008
In December 2007, Webb was selected as England's representative to referee in UEFA Euro 2008, with Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey as his assistants.On 12 June 2008, whilst refereeing in his first match of the tournament, a Group B
UEFA Euro 2008 Group B
Group B of the 2008 UEFA European Championships was one of four groups of competing nations at UEFA Euro 2008. The first of the three rounds of matches were played on 8 June, and the final round was completed on 16 June. All six of the group's matches were played at venues in Austria, in Vienna and...
game between Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
and Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
, and with less than one minute left in stoppage time, he awarded Austria a penalty kick after he adjudged Poland's Mariusz Lewandowski
Mariusz Lewandowski
Mariusz Lewandowski is a Polish footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for PFC Sevastopol and the Polish national football team. He also plays in defensive midfield where his stamina, strength and aerial ability come to good use.- Career :...
to have pulled the shirt of Sebastian Prödl
Sebastian Prödl
Sebastian Prödl is an Austrian footballer who plays for Werder Bremen and the Austrian national team.-Club career:Aged 19, he began his professional career playing for Sturm Graz in the Austrian Bundesliga in 2006. In July 2008 he moved to Germany to play for Werder Bremen.-International career:In...
. The penalty was converted and the match finished 1–1. Leo Beenhakker
Leo Beenhakker
Leo Beenhakker is an international Dutch football coach, who is the current Sports Director of Újpest FC.- Coaching career :...
, Poland's head coach, described the decision as "inconsistent with the rest of the tournament". Some commentators praised the decision, describing it as "brave". In the light of UEFA's instructions to referees about conduct at set pieces, the decision to award a penalty in such circumstances was considered a breakthrough in strict implementing the laws of the game by some commentators. UEFA official William Gaillard
William Gaillard
William Gaillard is the director of communications and Public Affairs for Union of European Football Associations . He is also the Senior Advisor to the President of UEFA Michel Platini....
said the decision was not controversial and was correct. On 15 June, Webb was reported as saying that the only incorrect decision he made was to allow Poland's goal, which he said was offside. "To me the penalty was clear and I hope that people later will look at it and realise it was the only decision that could be taken," Webb said. In the same interview he also said that neither he nor his family, who remain in England, feel under threat. "I have not received any threats," he said.
On 18 June, Webb refereed his second game of Euro 2008 when he took charge of the Group D
UEFA Euro 2008 Group D
Group D of the 2008 UEFA European Championships is one of four groups of competing nations at UEFA Euro 2008. The first round of matches were played on 10 June, with the final round scheduled for 18 June. All six group matches were played at venues in Austria, in Innsbruck and Salzburg...
match in which Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
lost 2–1 to Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
. UEFA stated on 19 June that Webb had not been selected to referee matches in the knock-out phase.
Superliga 2008
Webb was invited to referee the 2008 final2008 North American SuperLiga
The 2008 North American SuperLiga, is the second edition of the SuperLiga competition. The top four Major League Soccer teams by point totals at the end of the 2007 season earn qualification....
of the North American SuperLiga
North American SuperLiga
The SuperLiga was an official North American association football competition between teams from the Primera División of Mexico and Major League Soccer of the United States and Canada, the top divisions in each country. The competition was sanctioned by CONCACAF, U.S...
between New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
and Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
at the Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
near Boston. New England won the match 6–5 on penalties after a 2–2 draw.
2009 FA Cup Final
Webb took charge of the 128th finalFA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
of the world's oldest domestic football cup competition, the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. The final was played at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in London on 30 May 2009 and marked the third time that the final had been staged at the stadium since it was rebuilt. The match was contested by Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, who had beaten Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
2–1 in their semi-final, and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
who had beaten Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
4–2 on penalties after a 0–0 draw in their semi-final.
After Louis Saha
Louis Saha
Louis Laurent Saha is a French footballer of Guadelupian origin who currently plays as a forward for Everton FC in the Premier League and the France national team. A former scholar at the Clairefontaine football academy, he started his career at Metz before playing on loan at Newcastle United...
opened the scoring for Everton after just 25 seconds (the fastest ever goal in an FA Cup final), Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba
Didier Yves Drogba Tébily is an Ivorian footballer who plays in the centre forward position. He currently plays for Chelsea in the Premier League, where he is deputy vice-captain, and is the captain and all-time top scorer of the Côte d'Ivoire national football team...
equalised in the 21st minute before Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
scored the winner with 19 minutes left to play, to give Chelsea their fifth FA Cup success. Webb cautioned Mikel John Obi
Mikel John Obi
John Michael Nchekwube Obinna , commonly known as Mikel John Obi, John Obi Mikel or John Mikel Obi, is a Nigerian footballer, who plays as a midfielder for English club Chelsea and the Nigeria national team.-Club career:...
and Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
of Chelsea and Tony Hibbert
Tony Hibbert
Anthony James "Tony" Hibbert is an English footballer, who currently plays for Everton. Originally a midfielder, Hibbert now plays at right back.-Club career:...
, Phil Neville and Leighton Baines
Leighton Baines
Leighton John Baines is an English footballer who plays for Everton and the England national football team.He started his career with Wigan Athletic, with whom he won the Second Division in the 2002–03 season and was a runner-up in the 2004–05 Championship and the 2006 Football League Cup Final....
of Everton.
2009 Confederations Cup
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
in South Africa where he took charge of two games.
On 15 June, in the match between Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
and Egypt with the scoreline at 3–3 and in the final minute, he appeared to signal for a corner after Egypt's Ahmed Elmohamady appeared to handle the ball to prevent a goal. Webb then sent off the defender and awarded a penalty kick, which Brazil converted to eventually win 4–3. Egypt claimed that Webb took advice from the fourth official who may have seen a television replay and awarded the penalty based on this information, but the complaint was later rejected by FIFA.
Webb also refereed the 0–0 draw between Iraq
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...
and New Zealand in Johannesburg.
Throughout the tournament, Webb wrote a regular blog detailing his experiences as a referee whilst at the tournament in South Africa.
2010 UEFA Champions League Final
On 20 May 2010, Webb was announced as the referee for the year's Champions LeagueUEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
Final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
in Madrid. He showed yellow cards to Martin Demichelis
Martin Demichelis
Martín Gastón Demichelis is an Argentine footballer who plays for Málaga CF in Spain, mainly as a central defender - he can operate as a defensive midfielder on occasion....
and Mark van Bommel
Mark van Bommel
Mark Peter Gertruda Andreas van Bommel is a Dutch footballer who currently plays for Milan and captains the Netherlands national team as a midfielder....
of Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
and cautioned Christian Chivu of Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, who won the match 2–0 to secure their first Champions League title for 45 years, thanks to both goals by Inter striker Diego Milito
Diego Milito
Diego Alberto Milito is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for the Italian Serie A team Internazionale. He also plays for the Argentine national team. A prolific and consistent center-forward, Milito has statistically averaged just over a goal every two appearances, over the course of...
.
2010 FIFA World Cup
On 24 October 2008, FIFA announced that Webb would be on the provisional list of referees for the 2010 World Cup2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
in South Africa. On 5 February 2010, FIFA confirmed that Webb had been selected as a referee for the competition.
Webb took charge of the Group H
2010 FIFA World Cup Group H
Group H of the 2010 FIFA World Cup began on 16 June and ended on 25 June 2010. The group consisted of reigning European champions Spain, Switzerland, Honduras and Chile....
match between Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
and Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
on 16 June, the Group F
2010 FIFA World Cup Group F
Group F of the 2010 FIFA World Cup began on 14 June 2010 and ended on 24 June 2010. The group consisted of reigning World Cup holders Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. Italy previously met Paraguay in 1950, in which Italy defeated Paraguay 2–0; neither qualified for the next round.Paraguay...
match 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 Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
on 24 June, and the round of 16 match between Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
and Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
on 28 June.
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
On 8 July 2010, FIFA announced that Webb would referee the final2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
between the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
and Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
. He was assisted by Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey during the final in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium. He was the first English referee to take charge of a World Cup Final since Jack Taylor
Jack Taylor (referee)
John Keith "Jack" Taylor is an English former football referee, famous for officiating in the 1974 FIFA World Cup Final where he awarded two penalties during the first 30 minutes.-Refereeing career:...
in 1974
1974 FIFA World Cup Final
-References:...
– in which the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
lost to West 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....
.
In the game Webb issued 14 yellow cards, including two to the Netherlands' John Heitinga
John Heitinga
John Gijsbert Alan "Johnny" Heitinga is a Dutch footballer who plays as a defender for English Premier League club Everton and the Dutch national team. A product of Jong Ajax, he previously played for AFC Ajax and Atlético Madrid, before signing for Everton in 2009. Heitinga previously represented...
who was subsequently sent off, more than doubling the former record of six for a World Cup Final, set in 1986
1986 FIFA World Cup Final
- External links :**...
.
The match was seen as a highly difficult one to referee. After the match Webb was criticised by the Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk
Bert van Marwijk OON is the coach of the Netherlands national football team. He also played for Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV, Fortuna Sittard, and other clubs, as well as for the Dutch national team. In 1982, he began his transition into coaching, retiring as a player in 1988 and becoming a full time...
, some Dutch players, and was booed by some Dutch fans as he and his fellow officials collected their medals. However, some portions of the world's press condemned the Dutch for their rough play, and some pundits opined that Webb was generous to the Dutch for not showing any red cards to their players until ten minutes before the end of extra time. Some portions of the Spanish press complained that Webb failed to properly control the game and take enough action against several of the Dutch players, particularly Nigel de Jong
Nigel de Jong
Nigel de Jong is a Dutch footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Netherlands national team....
for a high kick on Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a midfielder.Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home region Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar he returned to Sociedad where then manager John Toshack appointed...
. Webb later conceded that had he had a better viewing angle of de Jong's challenge he would have sent him off, and de Jong later admitted he was "lucky" to only receive a yellow card. Dutch legend Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OON , known as Johan Cruyff, is a retired Dutch footballer and is currently the manager of the Catalan national team as well as a member of the AFC Ajax board of directors. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with...
criticised both his countrymen's rough tactics, and Webb for not dealing more harshly with them.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter
Sepp Blatter
Joseph S. Blatter , commonly known as Sepp Blatter, is a Swiss football administrator, who serves as the 8th and current President of FIFA . He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007, and 2011...
defended Webb and noted that it was "not easy" to control such a match, saying: "It's not up to me to judge the performances of the officials, I can only say it was a very hard task that the referee trio had on the field of play". Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter
Jeff Winter
Jeff Winter is a former FA Premier League referee from Middlesbrough in the north-east of England.-Refereeing career:Winter took charge of the 2004 FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Millwall, his final game as a professional referee before retirement...
said of Webb's performance: "I thought he had a superb game. I find it very difficult to remember a more testing game than that at any level. I thought the players' behaviour and discipline were abysmal. From a referee's point of view, if the players don't want to be controlled it's virtually impossible to control them. Had it had been a referee without his experience of the European game, they might have lost control within the first 30 minutes." Pundit Alan Hansen
Alan Hansen
Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former football player and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland...
defended Webb and condemned the Dutch, saying that: "Howard Webb tried to make the game flow but on this occasion he was left with no choice."
After the game Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder
Wesley Sneijder
Wesley Sneijder is a Dutch footballer playing as an attacking midfielder for Internazionale. He was named UEFA midfielder of the season as well as one of the three best midfielders in the world for 2010 by FIFA....
claimed Webb "robbed us" and was a "scandal"; whereas Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo took the polar opposite view in stating that "Holland were able to count on an unexpected ally: referee Howard Webb, who allowed the Dutch to get away with brutal fouls time and time again". As the criticism rolled in so did the praise, as colleagues, commentators and media figures rose to Webb's defence. The British Referees' Association said "it would be almost impossible to disagree with any of the bookings he issued", former FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
referee Keith Hackett
Keith Hackett
Keith Stuart Hackett is an English former football referee, who began refereeing in local leagues in the Sheffield, Yorkshire, area in 1960...
noted that "anyone who criticises the officials lacks the knowledge and experience of someone who has refereed" and called on FIFA to punish the Dutch players who castigated Webb to the press. Jeff Winter said that "to listen to Dutch players after the game blaming the referee for the defeat after they conducted themselves abysmally for the whole two hours is unbelievable. I hope when they look back at what they've said they are totally and utterly embarrassed."
Cards per season
| Year | Games | Total | per game | Total | per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 26 | 58 | 2.23 | 1 | 0.04 |
| 2001–02 | 32 | 69 | 2.16 | 5 | 0.16 |
| 2002–03 | 39 | 145 | 3.72 | 4 | 0.10 |
| 2003–04 | 34 | 92 | 2.94 | 9 | 0.26 |
| 2004–05 | 34 | 100 | 2.94 | 2 | 0.06 |
| 2005–06 | 47 | 117 | 2.49 | 7 | 0.15 |
| 2006–07 | 43 | 151 | 3.51 | 9 | 0.21 |
| 2007–08 | 38 | 128 | 3.37 | 2 | 0.05 |
| 2008–09 | 40 | 132 | 3.30 | 6 | 0.15 |
| 2009–10 | 35 | 124 | 3.54 | 4 | 0.11 |
| Overall | 368 | 1116 | 3.03 | 49 | 0.13 |
Cautions and dismissals
Webb issued at least one card in every game he refereed in both the 2002–03 and 2004–05 seasons. As a result, it meant that he had shown at least one card in every game he took charge of between 2 March 2002 (OldhamOldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
v Colchester
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
) and 27 September 2003 (Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
v Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
) and 10 April 2004 (Lincoln
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
v Swansea
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
) and 18 December 2005 (Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
v Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
). Between 17 February and 17 March 2007, Webb showed five red cards, all in the 90th minute of matches.
The first red card he showed in the Premier League was to Michael Svensson
Michael Svensson
Michael Lennart Svensson is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Halmstads BK in Superettan. He is best known at club level for his playing career with Southampton...
of Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in the 0–0 draw between Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and Southampton on 8 November 2003.
Since the 2000–01 season, he has issued two red cards in the same game three times, twice giving one red to either side, once reducing one team (MK Dons) to nine men. He has sent two goalkeepers off; Kelvin Davis
Kelvin Davis
Kelvin Geoffrey Davis is an English footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for newly-promoted Championship club Southampton. Born in Bedford, Davis began his career with Luton Town as a youth player in 1991 and remained there until 1999. Davis later played for Wimbledon, Ipswich Town and...
whilst playing for Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
in 2001, and John Filan of Wigan
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
in 2004.
Criticisms
Webb conceded to having made a mistake during a Premier League match between Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in 2009. The incident of note came when Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes challenged United's Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Manchester United and the England national team. He has made more than 300 Premier League appearances and played in 50 UEFA Champions League games as of April 2011...
for the ball; Webb judged that Gomes fouled Carrick although replays suggested the keeper played the ball. The official, who was over 30 yards away from the incident, awarded a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
, which began United's comeback from 2–0 down to eventually win 5–2.
Earlier in that year, Webb was in charge of an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie between Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. During the first half, Webb declined to award Birmingham a penalty when Richard Stearman
Richard Stearman
Richard James Michael Stearman is an English footballer of Irish descent who plays as a defender for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers...
appeared to foul Marcus Bent
Marcus Bent
Marcus Nathan Bent is an English football striker who plays for Indonesian club Mitra Kukar. A former England under-21 international, the journeyman striker has played for fourteen different clubs, playing over 570 games and scoring 110 goals in the process.A England under-21 international, he...
. He later admitted this decision was a mistake. In the second half, Webb accidentally blocked a Radhi Jaïdi
Radhi Jaïdi
Radhi Ben Abdelmajid Jaïdi is a Tunisian footballer who joined Npower Championship club Southampton in September 2009. He plays as a centre back.-Club career:...
pass on the halfway line, gifting possession to Wolverhampton's Michael Kightly
Michael Kightly
Michael John Kightly is an English footballer who plays as a winger. He is on loan at Championship side Watford from Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
who set up his side's second goal in a 2–0 win. After the match, Webb reflected on the events by saying: "I am disappointed to have an influence on a goal like that, it is difficult because the ball comes at you with pace and you think you are in the best position, but then something like that happens and they break away and sod's law says they go and score from it... I have spoken to Birmingham and they have been outstanding having accepted it and shown no animosity at all. I was almost more disappointed with the penalty incident".
In January 2011 Webb officiated Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
's first game in charge of his comeback to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in their fixture against Manchester United. Dalglish criticised Webb for awarding United a first-minute penalty after deeming Daniel Agger
Daniel Agger
Daniel Munthe Agger is a Danish footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Denmark national football team. He started his senior career at Danish club Brøndby IF in July 2004, with whom he won the 2005 Danish Superliga championship. The Liverpool fans have created a song for him to the tune of...
to have fouled Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a forward for Manchester United. He captained the Bulgarian national team from 2006 to 2010, and is its all-time leading goalscorer and has also won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year a record seven times, surpassing the number of...
. Dalglish claimed that Berbatov dived, saying: "The penalty is a joke, I've seen the replay and unless the rules have changed it is no penalty". Referring to a red card that Webb later issued to Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
for a two-footed lunge, Dalglish said, "I cannot see that as a red card". Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
countered by saying that Webb had got both of those key decisions card correct, claiming that for the penalty there was enough force to make Berbatov lose his balance, and that Gerrard's red card challenge was "two-footed and off the ground". In response, Liverpool's Ryan Babel
Ryan Babel
Ryan Guno Babel is a Dutch football player who currently plays for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. He can play as a left winger and as a striker. Babel began his career at AFC Ajax in 1998, working his way up through the youth team and into the senior squad...
posted an image on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
of Webb in a Manchester United shirt after Liverpool's 1–0 defeat in the FA Cup
2010–11 FA Cup
The 2010–11 FA Cup was the 130th season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short...
, and was charged by the F.A. with improper conduct and fined £10,000.
Personal life
Webb is married to Kay, they have three children Holly, Jack and Lucy. Webb is a sergeant in the South Yorkshire PoliceSouth Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England.The police force covers an area of approximately 1,554 square kilometres which is made up of the county's three boroughs , along with the City of Sheffield. The resident population is 1.2...
. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours
2011 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 2011, principally for the United Kingdom but also the Commonwealth Realms, were announced on 31 December 2010 to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2011....
for services to football. Webb has been commended for his work in football officiating for being the first man to referee the Champions League final and World Cup final in the same year.
In June 2011 Webb was made President of the Baris Nothern Counties East Football League, a league where he had once officiated on. In July 2011 he received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Bedfordshire
University of Bedfordshire
The University of Bedfordshire is based in Luton and Bedford, the two largest towns in the English county of Bedfordshire. The university was created by the merger of the University of Luton and the Bedford campus of De Montfort University on 1 August 2006 following approval by the Privy Council...
.
External links
- Howard Webb Profile at Refworld.com
- Howard Webb Referee Statistics at soccerbase.com