The last time a French referee was recognized as the best in the world, François Letexier had not yet celebrated his first candle. Michel Vautrot had indeed been crowned twice in 1988 and 1989 by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS). And there, under his Breton tree, François Letexier received this prestigious trophy on Christmas Day, with a rousing plebiscite to boot.
With 129 points in the ranking, the 35-year-old referee is well ahead of the Slovenian Slavko Vincic (86 points), the Italian Daniele Orsato (74 points), but also his compatriot Clément Turpin (4th with 47 points). François Letexier also succeeds the Polish Szymon Marciniak, double winner in 2022 and 2023 and only 7th this year.
How did Singo escape the red card?
French football should unanimously rejoice at this great first in thirty-five years, like the president of the FFF Philippe Diallo. “I extend my warmest congratulations to François Letexier. This title is a form of international recognition of the quality of François Letexier’s refereeing, and more generally that of the FFF,” he reacted on Thursday.
Yes, but if the general public must remember two strong situations with François Letexier in 2024, it will be his severe direct expulsion of Amine Harit during OM-PSG (0-3) on October 27 (from the 20th minute game), and especially his non-exclusion of Wilfried Singo, author last week of a sole in the face of Gianluigi Donnarumma for the Ligue 1 clash between Monaco and PSG (2-4).
Victim of “facial trauma with multiple wounds”, the Italian goalkeeper with a scarred face, replaced immediately in Monaco then forfeited the Coupe de France match in Lens, must have smiled yellow on Wednesday upon discovering the distinction received by the French referee. Just like his Parisian teammates, who unanimously rebelled against this surprising (even incoherent) decision not to address the least a second yellow card to Wilfried Singo after his extremely dangerous, although involuntary, gesture in the 17th minute of play.
“A particularly successful year 2024 for him”
“We must protect the players,” urged PSG captain Marquinhos. The image is scary, and in a situation like this, not putting red is strong. » Likewise, Gonçalo Ramos insisted after the match: “I don’t know how it’s not a red card. The referees came to us at the start of the season to tell us that they were going to protect us, and tonight, Donnarumma was not protected.”
Asked the following day about this episode on RMC, OM sports advisor Medhi Benatia added: “I was waiting for Mr. Letexier to come and explain himself after the match as he did for OM-PSG. Which he didn’t do unfortunately. When I see that, like him, I’m short of arguments. I have been following all the major European championships for twenty years and I have never seen a player come off a pitch disfigured like “Gigi”.”
Our file on arbitration
This controversial context therefore led to multiple mocking reactions against François Letexier on social networks, as well as against Stéphanie Frappart, elected this Friday as the second best referee in the world (behind the Englishwoman Rebecca Welch), after five consecutive coronations. Philippe Diallo (obviously) sums up his year in a completely different way. “This distinction concludes a particularly successful year 2024 for François Letexier, including refereeing the Euro final, that of the Coupe de France final, participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and a referee ranking number 1 in France,” specifies the manager on the FFF website. So, convinced?
