The game between Palmeiras and Porto was full of faults, very fierce and with many complaints regarding the arbitration of Said Martínez. Decisions of the judge were well contested and even Abel Ferreira received a yellow card by complaint. During the game, there were two yellows for Palmeiras: Gómez and Felipe Anderson.
With that, the Sporting News It shows who Said Martínez is and how FIFA chooses the referees for the Super World.
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Who is Saíd Martínez?
SAID MARTÍNEZwhose full name is Héctor Saíd Martínez Sortohe is an international referee of international prominence in football. Born on August 7, 1991 in Tocoa, Honduras, he began his career in the local National League at the age of 18 and has since stood out in the global scenario.
In 2017, Said joined FIFA’s referee staff, which paved the way for his participation in major international competitions, mainly organized by Concacaf and FIFA. He was present at events such as the Gold Cup, the 2019 U-20 World Cup and the Concacaf League.
One of the most prominent moments of his career came in 2021, when he was chosen to whistle the Gold Cup final between the United States and Mexico – one of the most important matches on the Concacaf calendar.
Already in 2022, Said entered history as the first Honduran central referee to participate in a FIFA World Cup. At the Qatar World Cup, he acted in nine matches, especially as a fourth referee, reinforcing his presence and international recognition.
In 2023, his performance continued to rise. He was the referee of the Concacaf League final between the United States and Canada, and also had the responsibility to whistle Lionel Messi’s first game for Inter Miami at Leagues Cup.
Interestingly, he is made up of math, which contributes to his game reading ability, quick decision making and strategic positioning. Within Honduras, it is considered as a reference for new referees and has already received honors for its trajectory, as in its hometown.
Said Martinez numbers
| Function | Departure | Yellow cards | Red Cards | 2nd Yellow Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main referee | 25 | 93 | 3 | 4 |
| Room Referee | 22 | 60 | 2 | 1 |
Participations in Concacaf Tournament finals and semifinals
| Tournament | Yet | Phase | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concacaf Champions Cup | 2022 | FINAL (2nd Hand) | Seattle Sounders 3–0 Pumas |
| Concacaf Champions Cup | 2020–21 | Semifinal | Philadelphia Union 0–2 América |
| Concacaf Champions Cup | 2022–23 | Semifinal | León 3–1 Tigers |
| Gold Cup | 2023 | Final | Mexico 1–0 Panama |
How does FIFA choose the referees for the World Cup?
The selection of the referees for the World Cup also begins with continental confederations, which refer to FIFA the names of the highest rated professionals in each region, taking into account their experience in international tournaments and performance in high level matches.
From this pre-rista, FIFA submits candidates for rigorous physical tests and technical assessments, including rules examination, bid simulations with VAR and even psychological assessments to measure decision-making under pressure.
Those who do well in these tests are invited to participate in seminars and preparatory courses organized by FIFA itself, in which recent controversial cases, improves the use of video tools and aligns their referee style with tournament guidelines.
Then, the fixed arbitration teams, usually composed of the main referee and their two assistants, often from the same country or confederation, in addition to the groups specialized in VAR. The final list, released a few weeks before the World Cup, brings together about 30 to 36 central referees, 60 to 70 assistants and 15 to 20 video officers.
