Beirut: World Cup final referee Slavko Vincic has retired, just one week after the tournament concluded in the US. The 46-year-old Slovenian faced widespread criticism for allowing Argentina to adopt an overly physical approach during their 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the final. Vincic sent off Argentina and Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez in stoppage time at the end of regulation time.
According to Anadolu Agency, 'A week after the World Cup final in the US, Slavko Vincic officially concluded his historic refereeing career at the top of the world,' the Slovenian Football Association said in a statement. Despite the criticism surrounding the final, Vincic was named the tournament's best referee by both the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) and the Association of Italian Referees (AIA).
The AIA presents the biennial Giulio Campanati Award to the top referee at each World Cup or European Championship. A member of UEFA's elite group of referees since 2019, Vincic officiated at Euro 2020 and took charge of the 2024 European Championship semifinal between Spain and Italy. He refereed four matches during this summer's World Cup, including Brazil's Group C opener against Morocco and Mexico's 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the round of 16.
During the latter match, he sent off Ecuador and Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie for covering his mouth while speaking to a Mexican player, in accordance with a new rule introduced before the tournament. At the club level, Vincic refereed the 2024 UEFA Champions League final, in which Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to claim a record-extending 15th European title.
He also oversaw the 2022 Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers and served as the fourth official when Villarreal defeated Manchester United on penalties in the 2021 final. In 2025, Vincic became the first foreign referee to officiate a Turkish Super Lig match between Istanbul rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahce after both clubs requested a foreign official.