Sándor Puhl

Sándor Puhl, born on July fourteenth, nineteen fifty-five, was a distinguished Hungarian football referee whose career left an indelible mark on the sport. He gained international recognition for officiating four matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the United States, including the highly anticipated final between Brazil and Italy. His expertise extended to the UEFA Champions League, where he refereed the memorable 1997 final that saw Borussia Dortmund triumph over Juventus with a score of three to one.

One of Puhl's most notable matches was the last World Cup qualifier for France '98, where he officiated the dramatic encounter between Iran and Australia. In a thrilling comeback, Iran leveled the match at two goals each, securing their place in the World Cup due to the away goal rule, a moment that etched Puhl's name in football history.

Throughout his illustrious career, Puhl was honored as the IFFHS' World's Best Referee of the Year for four consecutive years from nineteen ninety-four to nineteen ninety-seven. After hanging up his whistle, he served as the deputy chairman of the Hungarian Football Association from two thousand to two thousand six and contributed as a co-commentator for a Hungarian sports television channel.

Fluent in Hungarian, German, Italian, and English, Puhl's linguistic skills complemented his officiating prowess, allowing him to navigate the diverse world of international football. Sadly, he passed away on May twentieth, twenty twenty-one, at the age of sixty-five, due to post-COVID-19 complications during the pandemic in Hungary.