Arnaldo Cézar Coelho
Brazilian football referee (born 1943)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arnaldo David Cézar Coelho (born 15 January 1943) is a former football referee. He was the first Brazilian, indeed the first non-European, to take charge of the FIFA World Cup final when he officiated in the 1982 final between Italy and West Germany.[1]
_(cropped).jpg)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
|
| |||
| Born |
15 January 1943 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Other occupation | Sports commentator in TV; businessman | ||
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1968-1982 | FIFA-listed | Referee | |
Career
Coelho's career began as a beach soccer referee; he became professional in 1965 (at one time, famously, telling reporters that he was the highest paid match official in the world)[citation needed] and was appointed to the international list in 1968. He was selected for both the 1978 and 1982 FIFA World Cups, in Argentina and Spain respectively. In total, he officiated in seven matches during the World Cup finals, three as a referee (including the aforementioned final from the 1982 edition of the tournament, in which Italy defeated West Germany 3–1 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid).[1]
After retirement
After the end of his refereeing career, he became a football TV commentator for Rede Globo until 2018.
Legacy
Personal life
Coelho's brother is Ronaldo Cezar Coelho, a representative and founder of the Social Democratic Party in Brazil (PSDB); his mother is from a Moroccan Jewish family.
Major matches refereed
| Date | Match | Tournament | Venue | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 July 1982 | Italy vs. West Germany | 1982 FIFA World Cup final | Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid | 3–1 | [1] |
