Referee Who Issued 10 Red Cards in One Match... Main Referee for Portugal Game

Assignment of Argentine referee Facundo Tello
Match canceled due to 10 red cards making continuation impossible
Switzerland-Cameroon match sees 2 Swiss and 1 Cameroon player cautioned

Referee Facundo Tello, who officiated the group stage match between Switzerland and Cameroon on the 24th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Gyehwa] The Argentine referee, who gained attention for sending off 10 players, has been assigned as the main referee for the final group stage match between South Korea and Portugal, which will determine South Korea's fate in the round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

According to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) on the 1st, Facundo Tello (40) will serve as the main referee for the final third match of Group H between South Korea and Portugal, held at 0:00 on the 3rd at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

Referee Tello has been active in Argentina's top division, Primera Divisi?n, since 2013. He has served as an international referee since 2019. He also participated in the FIFA Arab Cup held in Qatar last year as a 'test event' in preparation for this World Cup.

Referee Tello became famous for sending off 10 players in the final of his country's cup competition, the 'Trofeo de Campeones,' on November 7. At that time, Carlos Alcaraz of Racing scored an additional goal in the 13th minute of extra time with the score tied 1-1 and performed a celebration that seemed to mock the opposing Boca Juniors fans.

Angered by this, Boca Juniors players surrounded him and engaged in a scuffle. Referee Tello saw this and sent off 5 Boca Juniors players. Three players from Racing, including Alcaraz, were also ordered off. Since Boca Juniors already had 2 players sent off earlier, a total of 7 players were sent off, making it impossible to continue the match. According to Argentine league regulations, a match cannot proceed if a team has fewer than 7 players.

Referee Tello also officiated the Group G first match between Switzerland and Cameroon on the 24th. In this match, 2 Swiss players and 1 Cameroonian player received yellow cards.

In the match between South Korea and Portugal, referee Tello will work alongside Argentine assistant referees Ezequiel Brailovsky and Gabriel Chade. The fourth official is Senegal's Maguette Ndiaye, and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is Colombia's Nicol?s Gallo.