Felix Brych has decided to step down as international referee a few days after the European Championship. The 45-year-old German will therefore not be admired at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Brych late in an interview with kicker know that he can’t bring himself to focus again for weeks on a big final round. He will, however, continue to whistle duels in the Bundesliga.
“During the European Championship I focused for weeks, which is also necessary to be successful at such a tournament,” Brych said on Thursday. “But I can’t do that again. So I’ve decided not to whistle major tournaments after this year. Success at a big tournament was still missing on my wish list. It now feels like my career is completely finished,” he said. the referee from Germany, who set a record at the last European Championship.
Brych was in charge of no less than five games in the final round won by Italy, a feat never before delivered by a referee. The German top referee started the European Championship with the game between the Netherlands and Ukraine (3-2), after which the match between Finland and Belgium (0-2) followed in the group stage. In the eighth final, UEFA sent him to Belgium-Portugal (1-0) and in the quarterfinals to Ukraine-England (0-4). Brych closed the European Championship with the meeting between Italy and Spain (Italy win on penalties) in the semi-finals.
The age limit in the Bundesliga is 47 years, which means that Brych can whistle for a maximum of two years in his own country. He refereed the Europa League final between Sevilla and Benfica in 2014 and the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus in 2017. Björn Kuipers announced this week that he would continue as an international referee. “I’m not that far yet,” said the referee who whistled the European Championship final on Sunday.
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