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US referee Ismail Elfath will oversee England vs Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday night as one of football’s biggest rivalries ignites once more.
Thomas Tuchel’s side take on Lionel Scaloni’s men with a place in the World Cup final up for grabs.
A match between the two nations transcends football, combining geopolitics and history to create a famously bitter rivalry.
Their meetings produce iconic moments etched deep into fans’ memories, such as the ‘Hand of God’ which was swiftly followed by Diego Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’.
The heavyweight clash has not been contested at a major tournament since the 2002 World Cup, when David Beckham completed his redemption arc by scoring the winner, four years after his infamous red card.
During the 24 years since their last competitive meeting at the World Cup, Argentina icon Lionel Messi has emerged, yet the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer has never faced the Three Lions in his career.
The American referee was originally born in Morocco and moved to the United States at 18 years old.
He won a diversity visa lottery, and eventually graduated from the University of Texas in 2006 with a degree in mechanical engineering.
After his mother died at a young age, Elfath wanted to move stateside for a better future and arrived with only $200 to his name.
He made his refereeing debut in Major League Soccer in 2012 before becoming a FIFA-accredited official in 2016.
The 44-year-old was called up for the tournament in Qatar four years ago, which included taking charge of the round of 16 clash between Japan and Croatia.
During the current competition, the referee has already overseen three matches, making Wednesday’s game his fourth.
He was previously involved in officiating Norway’s win over Brazil in the round of 16, as well as sending off Uruguay’s Agustin Cannobio against Spain.
The player was fortunate not to be punished sooner, with the American choosing to keep the game flowing initially, much to Spain’s anger.
Eventually, Elfath was forced to issue a red card to the Fluminense winger after his dangerous challenge on Pau Cubarsi.
Match Officials for England vs Argentina
Referee: Ismail Elfath (USA) Assistant Referee 1: Corey Parker (USA) Assistant Referee 2: Kyle Atkins (USA) Fourth Official: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
