Massimo Busacca(born 6 February 1969) is a Swiss formerfootballreferee,who isFIFADirector of Refereeing, overseeing the protection of football’s core values and the continuous improvement of the game through the development of match officials and referee coaches. He lives inMonte Carasso,Ticino,Switzerland,nearBellinzona.
 | |||
| Born |
6 February 1969 Bellinzona,Switzerland | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Other occupation | Head of Refereeing Development withFIFA | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1996–2011 | Swiss Super League | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1999–2011 | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Early life
editBusacca was born inBellinzona,Switzerland, to Italian parents fromSicily.[1]Busacca used to play football in a lower division inTicino.After a successful career as a top referee he became Head of FIFA Refereeing in July 2011.
Career
editBusacca was a Swiss Super League Referee from 1996 to 2011 and a FIFA referee from 1999 to 2011.[2]
In 2006, Busacca refereed the Swiss championship-deciding match atSt. Jakob-Park,betweenFC BaselandFC Zurichthat resulted in the2006 Basel Hooligan Incident.
Busacca took charge of the2007 UEFA Cup FinalatHampden Parkon 16 May, one of the biggest appointments for a UEFA referee. Busacca sent offRCD EspanyolmidfielderMoisés Hurtadofor a second bookable offence during the match.
Busacca was selected to referee at theUEFA Euro 2008tournament in Austria and Switzerland.[3]
At the tournament, Busacca was the referee for the Group C game between Netherlands and Romania, the Group D game between Greece and Sweden and the semi Final match between Germany and Turkey.[4]
Busacca was selected to referee theUEFA Champions League Finalin Rome on 27 May 2009 betweenFC BarcelonaandManchester United.
He was chosen as a referee for the2009 FIFA Confederations Cup,refereeing the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final game between South Africa and Brazil match on 25 June 2009 in Johannesburg and Brazil went on to win 1–0.
On 19 September 2009, Busacca was the referee in aSwiss CupmatchbetweenFC BadenandBSC Young Boys.After crowd trouble disrupted the game after home side Baden took an unlikely lead, Busaccaraised his middle fingerto the crowd.[5]Busacca had initially denied making the obscene gesture but was handed a three-match ban by theSwiss Football Associationand was forced to issue an apology.[6][2]
2006 FIFA World Cup
edit
Busacca was chosen to be a referee at the2006 FIFA World Cupin Germany.
He refereed three games:
- 14 June 2006 (group stage): Spain vs. Ukraine 4–0
- 20 June 2006 (group stage): Sweden vs. England 2–2
- 24 June 2006 (round of 16): Argentina vs. Mexico 2–1. ET.
2010 FIFA World Cup
editHe was selected as a referee for the2010 FIFA World Cupand refereed theSouth Africa vs. Uruguaygame.
He awarded a penalty and showed the red card to the South African goalkeeper,Itumeleng Khune,in the 77th minute, for tripping the Uruguay striker,Luis Suárez.Hosts South Africa went on to lose the game 3–0, and Khune became just the second goalkeeper to be sent off in World Cup history.[7]
2011 Champions League
editOn 8 March 2011, Busacca was the referee in aUEFA Champions League 2010–11Round of 16 match betweenArsenal F.C.andFC Barcelonacontroversially sendingRobin Van Persieoff for kicking the ball after the whistle, with some commentators suggesting that he had cemented his place in the hall of fame of worst refereeing decisions of all time"Every decision referee Massimo Busacca got wrong - and right - in Barcelona vs Arsenal".
Notable achievements
edit- FIFA World CupinGermany 2006andSouth Africa 2010.
- Euro 2008 in Switzerland and Austria.
- UEFA Champions League Final 2009:FC Barcelona–Manchester United.
- UEFA Cup Final 2007:Sevilla–Espanyol Barcelona.
- IFFHS World's Best Referee:2009[8]
- UEFA Super CupFinal2010:Inter Milan–Atlético Madrid.
- 42UEFA Champions Leaguegames, 45UEFA Cupgames.
- 245 games in theSwiss Super League.
Retirement and subsequent ventures
editIt was announced on 14 July 2011 that Busacca had taken up the position of Head of Refereeing Development withFIFA,retiring from active refereeing duties in the process.[9]Busacca has overseen refereeing matters at the2014,2018and2022editions of theFIFA World Cup,as well as at the2015,2019and2023versions of theWomen’s World Cup.He currently serves as FIFA Director Refereeing and as such, he has promoted the development of refereeing on a worldwide basis, including the use of technology and the promotion of female referees who now officiate at the highest level of the game.
Personal life
editBusacca is a devoutCatholicand was crowned Switzerland's non-smoker of the year in 2006.[2]
References
edit- ^"Türkyilmaz difende Busacca:" Lui il siciliano, io il turco "".22 September 2009.
- ^abcworldreferee, WorldReferee -."WorldReferee - referee - Massimo Busacca - dyk".worldreferee.
- ^Referees named for EURO 2008Archived2008-05-14 at theWayback Machine,uefa, 19 December 2007
- ^Referee Rosetti gets Euro 2008 finalArchived2008-06-28 at theWayback Machine,Agence France-Presse, June 24, 2008
- ^Wilson, Steve (22 September 2009)."Swiss referee Massimo Busacca banned for giving fans the 'finger'".The Telegraph.London.Retrieved9 March2011.
- ^"Swiss ref banned over fan insult".BBC News.21 September 2009.Retrieved9 March2011.
- ^"Khune second goalkeeper to be sent off at World Cup finals (Extra)".16 June 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 3 July 2012.Retrieved21 June2024.
- ^"Former Results".IFFHS.de.Retrieved3 December2017.
- ^"Massimo Busacca retires, moves into FIFA position".Archived fromthe originalon 25 April 2012.
