World Cup and Champions League final referee Felix Brych explains how he interpreted Neymar’s simulations on the field
Recently retired from soccer, former referee Felix Brych considered Neymar a “legendary player” when it came to simulating fouls. In the German’s view, the Brazilian star’s exaggerated expressions of pain signaled the absence of fouls in the play. “Neymar was practically legendary, but I was already used to him. The more he contorted his face in pain, the more I let the game continue. A player in severe pain immediately stays on the ground, they don’t roll around endlessly on the pitch,” Felix Brych declared in an interview with German magazine Focus.
“I often interpreted the reactions of the players around me to determine whether or not it was a foul. If they looked at me first, it couldn’t have been that serious. If the concern for their teammate or the reaction to the opponent had been greater, things would have been different,” explained the 49-year-old former referee. “Over time, players have perfected the art of simulation. But with the advent of VAR, it has become more difficult for them,” he concluded.
Felix Brych’s Refereeing Career
A lawyer by training, Felix Brych began his refereeing career in German amateur leagues in 1999. In 2004, Brych began officiating in the Bundesliga. Three years later, he joined FIFA’s international squad. His resume includes the London Olympic Games (2012), the Confederations Cup (2013), and two World Cups (2014 and 2018).
He also officiated at two European Championships (2016 and 2020). The 2016/2017 Champions League final (Real Madrid’s victory over Juventus) and the Europa League final (Sevilla’s victory over Benfica) are among the German’s most notable matches. Interestingly, despite 26 years of refereeing, Felix Brych has never officiated a match for Bayern Munich, Germany’s biggest club. Because he was born in Munich, he was prevented from being selected for matches by teams from the city.
