The Impossible Job (The Unbelievable World of Soccer Referees)

Booed by crowds, sworn at by players, spit on by fans . . . welcome to the world of the referee. William Ralston spent a season with referees at every level—from amateur leagues to the Premier League, Champions League, and World Cup—to get the full, unvarnished truth of this essential but impossible job. With unrivalled access, Ralston uncovers the intense selection process and the physically and psychologically brutal training regimes. He immerses himself in the lives of leading referees on match days and at home, and trains as a referee himself to experience the pressures first-hand. Through era-defining games, he looks at the increasing influence of VAR, the way referees judge fouls, the art of getting a game right and the consequences of getting it wrong. And he begins to understand why anyone would choose a job that seems truly insane. The Impossible Job challenges fans to see referees as what they are: dedicated keepers of soccer’s spirit.