The anonymous referee and his victory

Go to the field without a shield to defend nor a result of fighting, its mission is to enforce the rules that sheriff in the Wild West where gunslingers make its own law. The players come each week to the pitch knowing that they will offer their encouragement throats in pursuit of victory, two hobbies split with the same goal victory, but of all he is alone, no one will support his work and the best cases go unnoticed, since it will be their victory.

Twenty-two players will be surrounded whose tool is the ball while his is a whistle that blows when you think something was not right, bringing perhaps the discomfort on one side and the approval of another. He knows that rarely will all conform and for ninety minutes will be viewed minutely each of their decisions. Just a few tenths of a second has to decide what may be the decisive move of the game, that play that we sometimes see two or three times repeated in the Moviola, slow motion without reaching a conclusion illuminating.

There is no place to rest. The goalkeeper and the defenders await the moment to defend its territory while waiting impatiently forward the opportunity to attack the enemy stronghold, but he has to be aware at all times of the evolution of events on task following the ball whatever the place to go. In his pocket waiting for two cards, witnesses of violations that go beyond the rules and deserve warning or punishment according to the severity of the event. There are those who tend to use more or less vehemently, but surely all agree that would like to avoid having to make use of them.

Their decisions will be mostly protested but never revoked except on the advice of his colleagues, because they are not alone in its task: the sides have two linesmen one that looks more unexpected. For ninety minutes have a flag that will signal the offside sometimes clear, sometimes misleading as a matter of millimeters. The forward defense, that great enemy of the linesman.

In football highlights where the gunshots fervently Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi dribbles, goals from Rooney, assists Xavi, Casillas stops or decisions of Mourinho or Guardiola, little space is to recognize the hard work those who, even non-football issues, are also part of the game.

It sounds the final whistle, the match has finished.

Photo | b1mbito