With the World Cup draw taking place on Friday, players will be hoping Brazillian referee Anderson Daronco isn’t going to the tournament in Qatar.
Dubbed ‘The World’s Strongest Referee’, even the likes of Portugal defender Pepe may be slightly apprehensive to complain about a decision if the 41-year-old was in charge.
The Brazilian officiates in his home country’s top-flight and is nicknamed ‘Juiz Fortao’ – or the ‘Strong Judge’ in English.
Pictures circulated online last season of the official bulging out of his refereeing kit, and even scaring fellow strongman Hulk.
However, Daronco insists that he doesn’t aim to intimidate players despite his muscles – and wants respect for his refereeing performances, not his physique.
“I don’t like this business of measuring myself,” he told El Globo in 2017.
“Respect comes from the way I treat players and everyone involved.”
Despite that, if this guy gives you a red card, you’re saying ‘thank you’ and leaving the pitch immediately!
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Meet Brazilian referee Anderson Daronco… No one’s risking a red card when this guy’s in charge
pic.twitter.com/13045aVftu
— 433 (@433) March 28, 2022
And, if you couldn’t love this guy anymore, he became the first referee in Brazil to halt a match because of homophobic chanting when officiating a game between Vasco de Gama and Sao Paulo in August 2020.
Get him in the Premier League!
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