Luis Medina Cantalejo
Encyclopedia
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. His first experience as an international referee came on 4 September 2004, between Turkey
and Georgia
, in a preliminary qualifier for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
.
and Australia for the final spot in the World Cup on 16 November 2005. His performance in this game drew criticism from the Australian and Uruguayan media and publics alike. Cantalejo blew for over 50 fouls in the match and let rough play and professional fouls occur repeatedly throughout the game without brandishing a red card. (Tony Popović
seemed to elbow Álvaro Recoba
in the face and only received a yellow card, and Pablo García
continually committed professional fouls without going in to the book.) However Catalejo's performance was largely overlooked in the aftermath of the match in the Australian media, who focussed more on Australia's qualification rather than on Catalejo's officiating.
Italy v. Australia.
During the Italy vs Australia game he made several controversial decisions, including showing Italy's Marco Materazzi
a straight red card
for a challenge on Australia's Marco Bresciano, and a disputed penalty kick
awarded after contact between Italy's Fabio Grosso
and Australia's Lucas Neill
in the penalty area, four minutes into stoppage time. The penalty kick, which Francesco Totti
converted to give Italy a 1–0 victory, was the final kick of the match. When asked about the penalty call, Australia coach Guus Hiddink
said "If you saw the replay, I don't think there was any doubt that it was not a penalty," while Italy coach Marcello Lippi
said "There were two fouls on (Grosso). He didn't go down on the first and he continued dribbling, and then he sustained another clear foul. (Neill) didn't throw his body on the field because he thought he'd get the ball." In April 2006, Medina made a similarly controversial call in a game between Real Madrid and F.C. Barcelona, which drew scathing criticism from Real Madrid player David Beckham
Two days after the Australia-Italy game FIFA announced that Medina was one of the twelve referees retained for the remainder of the tournament. He refereed the quarter final between Brazil
and France
on 1 July.
Medina was appointed as fourth official for the FIFA World Cup Final between Italy and France and was involved in another important decision during the final, as none of the three officials on the field saw Zinedine Zidane
headbutting Marco Materazzi
. He informed assistant referee Dario Garcia
, who in turn told referee Elizondo
(Argentina
) what had happened. The French captain was then shown the red card. Medina denied press reports and French allegations that it was only after seeing video evidence of Zidane's infraction that he chose to intervene.
and Russia
. In the first half of this match, which would have guaranteed England
a place in the final competition, England's Wayne Rooney
scored the opening goal from what appeared to be an offside position, but this went unnoticed by the officials. At the beginning of the second half, Rooney brought down Konstantin Zyryanov
on the edge of the penalty box
. Cantalejo ruled that the foul took place inside the penalty box, yet his assistant and the replay showed Rooney had fouled Zyryanov just outside the penalty box. Russian substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko
successfully took the penalty to equalise, before three minutes later scoring another bringing the score to 2–1, the final score. Cantalejo was highly criticised and blamed for the loss by England supporters and England manager Steve McClaren
.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
football referee.
Professionally, Medina Cantalejo is a sports assessor who lives in Tomares
Tomares
Tomares is one of the municipalities in Seville's metro area in Andalusia, Spain. It is located two kilometers west of Seville. The population is approximately 19,000 ....
, west of Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. He was one of the few officials allowed to officiate the domestic clashes between Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and Barcelona. His first experience as an international referee came on 4 September 2004, between Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
and Georgia
Georgia national football team
The Georgia national football team is the national association football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. The Georgian team's first match took place in 1990, while Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The team have attempted to qualify for each major...
, in a preliminary qualifier for 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...
.
Australia v Uruguay 2005 (World Cup Qualifier)
He was selected to officiate the playoff between UruguayUruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
and Australia for the final spot in the World Cup on 16 November 2005. His performance in this game drew criticism from the Australian and Uruguayan media and publics alike. Cantalejo blew for over 50 fouls in the match and let rough play and professional fouls occur repeatedly throughout the game without brandishing a red card. (Tony Popović
Tony Popovic
Anthony Popovic is a Croatian Australian former football player. He last played for Sydney FC. He is currently the First Team Coach of Crystal Palace. Popovic grew up in Fairfield, New South Wales.-Early career:...
seemed to elbow Álvaro Recoba
Álvaro Recoba
Álvaro Alexander Recoba Rivero , nicknamed "El Chino", is a Uruguayan footballer currently playing for Primera División Uruguaya side Club Nacional de Football...
in the face and only received a yellow card, and Pablo García
Pablo Garcia
Pablo García may refer to:* Pablo Gabriel García , Uruguayan footballer* Pablo García , Spanish guitarist and member of the band WarCry* Pablo P...
continually committed professional fouls without going in to the book.) However Catalejo's performance was largely overlooked in the aftermath of the match in the Australian media, who focussed more on Australia's qualification rather than on Catalejo's officiating.
2006 World Cup
He was promoted at the last minute to officiate matches at the finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup after assistants of two other referees failed to meet the FIFA standards. He subsequently officiated three matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup: Germany v. Poland, Netherlands v. Argentina, andItaly v. Australia.
During the Italy vs Australia game he made several controversial decisions, including showing Italy's 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...
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...
for a challenge on Australia's Marco Bresciano, and a disputed 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...
awarded after contact between Italy's Fabio Grosso
Fabio Grosso
Fabio Grosso, Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus. Grosso is primarily a left wingback, but can also play as left back. He is also a free kick, penalty kick and corner kick specialist...
and Australia's Lucas Neill
Lucas Neill
Lucas Edward Neill is an Australian Soccer player who currently plays for UAE Pro-League club Al Jazira. He is a full back. Neill had spent almost 15 years of his career playing in England. He represented Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the 2010 World Cup in South...
in the penalty area, four minutes into stoppage time. The penalty kick, which Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian footballer who is the captain of Serie A club Roma. His primary position is that of a trequartista, though he has also been successfully utilized as a lone striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most...
converted to give Italy a 1–0 victory, was the final kick of the match. When asked about the penalty call, Australia coach Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink is a Dutch football manager and former player. He was the most recently manager of the Turkish national football team. He is considered to be one of the best managers of his generation and was the best-paid coach in international football in 2009...
said "If you saw the replay, I don't think there was any doubt that it was not a penalty," while Italy coach Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi, Commendatore OMRI is a former Italian World Cup-winning football manager and former player. He served as Italian national team head coach from 16 July 2004 to 12 July 2006 and led Italy to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was re-appointed as Italian head coach in the summer of 2008...
said "There were two fouls on (Grosso). He didn't go down on the first and he continued dribbling, and then he sustained another clear foul. (Neill) didn't throw his body on the field because he thought he'd get the ball." In April 2006, Medina made a similarly controversial call in a game between Real Madrid and F.C. Barcelona, which drew scathing criticism from Real Madrid player 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...
Two days after the Australia-Italy game FIFA announced that Medina was one of the twelve referees retained for the remainder of the tournament. He refereed the quarter final 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 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...
on 1 July.
Medina was appointed as fourth official for the FIFA World Cup Final between Italy and France and was involved in another important decision during the final, as none of the three officials on the field saw 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...
headbutting 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...
. He informed assistant referee Dario Garcia
Dario García
Darío Osvaldo Gastón García Aguilar is a retired male judoka from Argentina. He claimed the gold medal in the Men's Light-Middleweight division at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar de Plata. García represented his native country in four consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988.-References:*...
, who in turn told referee Elizondo
Horacio Elizondo
Horacio Marcelo Elizondo is a former Argentine international football referee best known for his officiation throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
(Argentina
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...
) what had happened. The French captain was then shown the red card. Medina denied press reports and French allegations that it was only after seeing video evidence of Zidane's infraction that he chose to intervene.
Russia v England 2007 (Euro Qualifier)
Cantalejo was chosen to officiate the 2008 UEFA European Championship qualifying match between EnglandEngland
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...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In the first half of this match, which would have guaranteed England
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...
a place in the final competition, 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...
scored the opening goal from what appeared to be an offside position, but this went unnoticed by the officials. At the beginning of the second half, Rooney brought down Konstantin Zyryanov
Konstantin Zyryanov
Konstantin Georgiyevich Zyryanov is an association footballer who currently plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg and the Russian national team....
on the edge of the penalty box
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...
. Cantalejo ruled that the foul took place inside the penalty box, yet his assistant and the replay showed Rooney had fouled Zyryanov just outside the penalty box. Russian substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko
Roman Pavlyuchenko
Roman Anatolyevich Pavlyuchenko is an footballer who currently plays as a centre forward for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and for the Russian national team.-Spartak Moscow:...
successfully took the penalty to equalise, before three minutes later scoring another bringing the score to 2–1, the final score. Cantalejo was highly criticised and blamed for the loss by England supporters and England manager Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
.