THERE will be a familiar face in the middle during the World Cup.
Clement Turpin is in charge for Brazil’s last-16 game against South Korea.
The French whistler is a hugely experienced referee and was in charge for the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid last season.
Who is Clement Turpin?
Turpin is one of the most experienced whistlers heading to this summer’s tournament.
The Frenchman began in the National league in 2006, taking just two years to reach Ligue 1 and the highest rung in the domestic ladder.
In 2010 he was given Fifa listed status, meaning he could branch out into Europe.
Since then he has reffed in 2014 and 2018 World Cup qualifiers and was in the middle during Euro 2016 in his home country.
You may recognise Turpin from the Europa League final in Gdansk last year, where he was ably assisted by Jérôme Brisard and Benjamin Pages.
Those two assistants have worked with the Frenchman for years.
Ahead of the 2021 match between Manchester United and Villarreal he said: “I feel very proud.
“Not only for myself, but also for my assistants, who have accompanied me for a number of years, and for all referees in France.
“I never said to myself that I would referee a European final one day.
“From the start, I preferred to set myself small targets and challenges along the way.
“I’ve never had a particular role model as a referee, but I’ve watched other referees and taken little bits of what they do and incorporated them into my own refereeing.”
