Paul Tamberino
Encyclopedia
Paul Tamberino is a retired American football (soccer)
midfielder
and referee who officiated on the collegiate, professional and international levels. He was the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 Major League Soccer
Referee of the Year and is currently working for Major League Soccer
.
and graduated from Archbishop Curley High School
in 1972. He played collegiate soccer at Essex Community College before transferring to the University of Maryland
for the 1976 season. In 1977, he had an unsuccessful trial with the Dallas Tornado
of the North American Soccer League
. That year, he began his career as a referee.
games until 2002, including the 1993 NCAA Men's Division III Soccer Championship
and the 1994 and 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship.
referees. That season, he officiated during the 1996 Major League Soccer season playoffs. He also officiated the MLS All-Star 2000, MLS Cup 2001
and the 2001 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
final. He was the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 MLS Referee of the Year.
. He also officiated 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
games.
Tamberino retired from refereeing in 2001, but is currently the US Soccer Federation Director of Referee Development. He is a member of the Maryland Soccer Hall of Fame and the NISOA Hall of Fame.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and referee who officiated on the collegiate, professional and international levels. He was the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
Referee of the Year and is currently working for Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Player
Tamberino grew up in Monkton, MarylandMonkton, Maryland
Monkton is an unincorporated community in northern Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It has a population of about 4,856 people. It is in area, with approximately...
and graduated from Archbishop Curley High School
Archbishop Curley High School
Archbishop Curley High School, is a Roman Catholic men's high school located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore in the USA. It is affiliated with the Franciscan religious order and is named in honor of Archbishop Michael J. Curley , who served as the tenth Archbishop of Baltimore from...
in 1972. He played collegiate soccer at Essex Community College before transferring to the University of Maryland
University of Maryland
When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
for the 1976 season. In 1977, he had an unsuccessful trial with the Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. That year, he began his career as a referee.
NCAA
In 1990, he became a National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association member. He would officiate National Collegiate Athletic AssociationNational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
games until 2002, including the 1993 NCAA Men's Division III Soccer Championship
NCAA Men's Division III Soccer Championship
The NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship is played since 1974.It is the largest of the three NCAA divisions' championships, with the most complicated selection process. The tournament is a 57-team, single-elimination tournament. Teams are divided into three pools. Pool A consists of the 36...
and the 1994 and 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship.
Professional
Tamberino officiated a 1992 American Professional Soccer League semifinal. He later went on to referee in the USISL and National Professional Soccer League. In 1996, he became one of the first eighteen Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
referees. That season, he officiated during the 1996 Major League Soccer season playoffs. He also officiated the MLS All-Star 2000, MLS Cup 2001
MLS Cup 2001
The 2001 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2001 Major League Soccer season. The game was played on October 21, 2001, at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The San Jose Earthquakes won their first title, defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 in overtime...
and the 2001 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
2001 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:Four PDL and four USASA teams start.-----Second round:...
final. He was the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 MLS Referee of the Year.
International
Tamberino was a long time international referee. He officiated at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship 1992. He was the line referee for three Group D matches at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
The FIFA U-17 World Championship 1999 was held in the cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, and Dunedin in New Zealand between 10 November and 27 November 1999...
. He also officiated 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
The 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification, CONCACAF zone ran from March 1996 to November 1997 in order to determine the three CONCACAF representatives at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. For an overview of the qualification rounds, see 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification....
games.
Tamberino retired from refereeing in 2001, but is currently the US Soccer Federation Director of Referee Development. He is a member of the Maryland Soccer Hall of Fame and the NISOA Hall of Fame.