The Same Referee from Four Years Ago Assigned to South Africa Match: Why Caution Is Advised

[Anchor]

The referee who will officiate our match against South Africa, which will determine our fate in the Round of 32, is the very same official who oversaw our match against Portugal at the Qatar tournament four years ago. Known for his strict tendency to frequently issue cards, extra caution is required.

Reporter Ha Sung-ryong has the story.

[Reporter]

Referee Tello from Argentina, who has been an international referee since 2019, became a global sensation during the 2022 Argentine Cup final.

At that time, he sent off a staggering 11 people, including players involved in a mass brawl, the protesting manager, and even a player who mocked his decision, while also issuing 12 yellow cards.

He also served as the referee for our dramatic victory against Portugal in the third match of the group stage at the Qatar World Cup that same year, where he issued yellow cards to two of our players.

He booked Lee Kang-in for a tackle and Hwang Hee-chan for taking off his jersey after scoring a goal.

Known for his strict officiating, averaging 4.7 yellow cards and 24 fouls per match, Referee Tello did not hesitate to blow his whistle and issue 5 yellow cards in the match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at this World Cup, penalizing rough tackles and fouls that stopped counterattacks.

This is more than double the average of 2.33 yellow cards issued per match across the 24 matches played in the first round of this tournament.

Furthermore, Referee Tello drew attention for being the first to enforce the so-called "5-second throw-in rule," a new regulation in this tournament that awards possession to the opponent if a throw-in is not taken within 5 seconds.

Currently, three players on our national team—Lee Kang-in, Paik Seung-ho, and Lee Ki-hyuk—have each received one yellow card. If they receive another card against South Africa, they will be suspended for the Round of 32, making caution essential.

(Video Editing: Ha Sung-won, Design: Seo Seung-hyun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.