As the crow flies, it’s not all that far from Qatar to Bethlehem, where the three wise men appeared. And it’s going to take wisdom (and courage) of Biblical proportions on the part of each trio who must do the on-field officiating at Qatar.

Who would want to be a referee or linesman in any football match, let alone a pressure cooker World Cup fixture? Being selected for the panel could be either a huge honour or a potential curse.

No matter one’s decision, it will be commended by one partisan side and condemned by the other. Get it wrong and you will forever be a villain in the eyes of jaundiced supporters; best you ask someone else to open your mail!

While the refs now enjoy much help from a video assistant referee and other technical support, perhaps a lightweight suit of armour might be apt.

Ideally, the three whistle and flag persons (yes, females are included for the first time!) should be unobtrusive, inconspicuous and almost invisible. After all, nobody pays good money to watch the ref or his/her assistants.

A total of 36 referees, 69 assistants, and 24 video match officials have been selected for Qatar, with every footballing confederation being represented.

We in South Africa get to see plenty of British, Italian, Spanish and German league football, plus the Euro competitions, and have some idea of refereeing standards, but we don’t see them all, and judging the ‘top three’ is arbitrary.

Therefore, I will select my ‘favourite’ three:

1. Anthony Taylor (England)

The 44-year-old has been officiating at the highest level for ages, among others two FA Cup finals and the 2021 UEFA Nations League Final between Spain and France. Calm and composed, he seldom makes hasty decisions and is a favourite among players because he allows a certain amount of physicality in what is, after all, a contact sport.

He’s not likely to fall for fake dives and feigned fouls and is also not afraid to brandish cards to show that he is the boss.

2. Stéphanie Frappart (France)

One of three female referees in the competition, Stéphanie made history when she became the first woman to officiate a men’s Champions League match. She was pleasantly surprised at being chosen, but there is no doubt that this is not ‘window dressing’. She has officiated in the French domestic league and did a great job when she blew the 2019 UEFA Super Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as the 2022 French Cup final.

3. Victor Gomes (RSA)

His wonderful record of refereeing in South Africa and on the continent certainly attracted the attention of those who choose the officiating panel, and Victor’s selection was welcomed with pride by Safa and the PSL. He handled this year’s CAF Champions League final and Africa Cup of Nations final with aplomb. However, arguably his greatest call happened off the field when he refused and reported a bribe offered if he would fix a CAF Confederation Cup match. Word is that the World Cup will be his swan song as he is rumoured to be hanging up his whistle after Qatar, shortly before his 40^th birthday on December 15.

#TacklingQatar2022: Manned by soccer fundi Dave Savides, the Corner Shop is the place to be for Soccer World Cup news. Savides, the long-time editor of the Zululand Observer, is tackling the coverage of the world’s greatest footie extravaganza for Caxton Local Media.