Everything you need to know about the controversial referee Felix Zwayer who is set to take charge of England vs Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final.
England will have a chance to reach back-to-back Euro finals on Wednesday as they face the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
Gareth Southgate’s side managed to overcome Switzerland on penalties in the quarter-finals in another unconvincing display.
With every minor detail now being fine-tuned in order to get the right result, one major factor in the Euro 2024 tie could be the officials.
In this article, TBR Football will give you a rundown of England’s referee for the match and a lookback at his controversial past.
Who is the referee for England vs Netherlands?
For the semi-final, Zwayer will be the main official. He will be supported by assistants Stefan Lupp and Marco Achmüller with Daniel Siebert as the fourth official. On VAR is Bastian Dankert who is supported by Christian Dingert and Marco Fritz.
Was Felix Zwayer banned for match-fixing?
Back in 2005, Zwayer was involved in a match-fixing scandal in Germany. The referee had admitted to taking a €300 bribe from fellow official Robert Hoyzer. As a result of the scandal, Zwayer was subsequently banned for six months.
What Jude Bellingham said about referee for Netherlands v England at Euro 2024
In December 2021, Jude Bellingham received a fine of €40,000 (£33,970) from the German FA for his post-match comments on Zwayer after Borussia Dortmund’s 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich with referred to his controversial past.
After the game, Bellingham told ViaPlay via Sky Sports: “You give a referee that has match-fixed before the biggest game in Germany – what do you expect?
“For me, it wasn’t [a penalty]. He [Hummels] is not even looking at the ball and he’s fighting to get it and it hits him. You can look at a lot of the decisions in the game.”
Subsequently, Zwayer took a two-month break from refereeing.
What is Felix Zwayer’s age and nationality?
Zwayer was born in Berlin, Germany on May 19, 1981. At the time of writing, this makes him 43 years old.
What league does Felix Zwayer officiate in?
Zwayer has officiated in the German Bundesliga since 2009. During this time, he has refereed in high-profile matches in the Champions League, World Cup, Nations League and Euros.
What major games has Felix Zwayer refereed?
The biggest game Zwayer has taken charge of so far in his career was the 2023 Nations League final between Croatia and Spain.
In the 2024 Euros, he oversaw the group games between Italy and Albania as well as Portugal and Turkey. He was also in charge of the Netherlands’ three-goal victory over Romania in the round of 16.
Is Felix Zwayer strict?
During the 2023/24 campaign, Zwayer took charge of 32 matches across five competitions, including Euro 2024.
According to WhoScored, across these matches, he has given 22.47 fouls per game. This has resulted in an average of 4.59 and 0.13 yellow and red cards per 90 minutes.
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