10 red cards! Argentine referee for France-Morocco game once became players' nightmare

Argentina's Facundo Tello will referee the FIFA World Cup quarter-final between France and Morocco, drawing attention because of his strict style of officiating and a controversial match in 2022 where he showed 10 red cards. FIFA's decision has also sparked debate as the entire officiating team for the match is from Argentina.Tello became famous after an Argentine Super Cup clash between Boca Juniors and Racing Club, where he issued 10 red cards following multiple fights and heated confrontations. The match had to be abandoned after Boca were left with fewer than seven players, which is against the rules.Since becoming a referee in 2012, Tello has handed out more than 2,000 yellow cards and over 75 red cards. At this World Cup, he has already overseen two group-stage games, showing five yellow cards in Canada's draw with Bosnia and two in South Africa's win over South Korea. France's Michael Olise will also need to avoid a booking, as another yellow card would rule him out of a potential semi-final.FIFA confirmed that Tello, along with assistants Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, will officiate the quarter-final, making it the first match at the 2026 World Cup to feature an all-Argentine refereeing team. The decision has raised eyebrows because Argentina are still part of the tournament.However, France's players have insisted they are not worried about the appointment. Defender Dayot Upamecano said, "I’m not going to focus on who the referee will be. We’ve never done that before, we’re going to focus on Morocco."Goalkeeper Robin Risser also backed the officials, saying, "There’s been a certain bitterness for a few years now since the last final, but that’s part of the game. If these referees are there, it’s because they’re up to the level of the competition."Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.