IT is the opportunity of a lifetime if you are a football referee – the chance to officiate at a World Cup.
And for Mario Escobar, his chance is coming when Wales take on Iran in Qatar.
The Guatemalan is one of eleven South American referees selected to officiate the tournament.
Here is all you need to know about him.
Who is Mario Escobar?
Mario Escobar was born in 1986.
He currently referees in the Guatemalan first division and has been a FIFA-registered referee since 2013.
The 36-year-old was summoned to officiate at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the Under-17 World Cup which took place in the same year.
He also has significant experience of tournament finals, taking charge of the Gold Cup final which saw Mexico beat the United States 1-0.
The following year he was handed the whistle for the CONCACAF Champions League final between UANL and Gareth Bales’s new team, Los Angeles FC.
