According to Diario Sport, Slavko Voncic reviewed the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, saying he was proud of his officiating performance.
After retiring at the age of 46, the Slovenian referee reviewed the most important match of his refereeing career and how he handled the game on the field. He first admitted that the final went on for 120 minutes because neither side could score.
“When your refereeing career is condensed into just one match, the responsibility is immense. I know that most of the work is about controlling the game: when to stop the game and when to let it continue. I don’t think we had too many problems,” the Slovenian said. He also understood that Argentina’s goal was to slow down the game and prevent Spain from having long periods of possession.
“This is the World Cup final. The players’ mentality and reactions are different, and considering the importance of the match, we have to understand all of that. No one is talking about us after the game, which shows that overall we did a good job. I think our officiating strategy was correct,” he emphasized. His biggest challenge in the game was “to handle everything well.”
Another hotly debated topic was his conversation with Argentina captain Leo Messi. Vincic didn't reveal many details, but commented on the attitude of the Scaloni star. "What I talked about with Messi? Let's leave that conversation on the pitch, but I can say that his behavior was very much in line with sportsmanship."
A dark past
Even he himself didn't expect to be appointed to officiate the World Cup final. "At first I was surprised. Later I was proud of our team, who were going to represent Slovenia on the most important sporting stage in the world. Of course, I am also proud of the Slovenian Football Federation and the refereeing organization."
Finally, the Slovenian didn't shy away from his past. He had been arrested in connection with an investigation involving prostitution, arms smuggling, and drug trafficking. "That had nothing to do with me. I accepted a lunch invitation, and that turned out to be my biggest mistake. I regret it," he stated. He had previously been found in a small hut in Bosnia and Herzegovina with 25 other people.
