French referee Clement Turpin will take charge of England's World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday. The official, who is highly regarded and regularly handles Champions League fixtures, will be officiating his third World Cup. However, Turpin has previously been involved in controversy involving England stars and manager Thomas Tuchel.
Turpin's Controversial History
Turpin officiated England's Euro 2024 match against Slovenia and made headlines that season when he physically moved Jude Bellingham away as he attempted to distract Harry Kane before a penalty in a Champions League tie. The incident occurred during the semi-final between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, when the Germans were awarded a spot kick.
As Kane prepared to take the penalty, his England teammate Bellingham appeared to try to unsettle him verbally. Turpin intervened physically, pushing the Madrid player aside, which sparked significant post-match discussion. When asked about the moment afterwards, Kane said: "I'm sure he was saying something to try and put me off but, thankfully, it was OK. I don't know what he was saying. I saw him there mumbling something. I'll have to ask him what he actually said. Once I'm in my zone I'm trying to block everything out."
Tuchel's Dismissal
Turpin also dismissed Tuchel in April 2023 when the German was managing Bayern Munich, following a disputed penalty awarded to Manchester City. The match official ordered the current England manager from the technical area after showing two yellow cards during the encounter. Tuchel was far from complimentary about Turpin after the quarter-final defeat, stating: "I'd give him a 1/10. He was absolutely terrible. It's unbelievable at this level. He was whistling for everything and anything. Everything was against us. In the end, we were never in a position to turn things around with three men against us. That's a fact."
Other Officiating News
English referee Anthony Taylor has been assigned to officiate Uzbekistan's opening match against Colombia on Wednesday.
