Former Referee Criticizes Current State of Spanish Football Officiating

Eduardo Iturralde, who officiated in Spain’s top division from 1995 to 2012 and now works as a commentator, has spoken out about the current controversial state of refereeing in Spanish football. In a recent radio interview, Iturralde described the present situation as “the weakest period for the refereeing collective” in Spanish football history.

Iturralde believes that while protesting and speaking out would be the clear solution to the current problems, the economic realities make this unfeasible for today’s referees. He noted, “They’re enduring it because of their stable and prosperous financial situation. It’s sad to say, but if I were earning what they do now, I’d do the same. I used to make 30,000 euros, now they make 300,000. Would you risk losing 300,000 euros to make a stand or go on strike?”

Despite considering himself a staunch defender of referees, Iturralde was highly critical of what he sees as an increasingly fragmented group: “I’ve said it more than once – I’m the biggest defender of referees and always will be because it’s my family. But now they’re in a situation where they won’t take strong action because of their economic position. It’s as simple as that.”

Iturralde also compared the current refereeing climate to his own era, stating that in his day, officials would have taken action over far less serious issues. He added, “Today’s referees are individuals who live very comfortably from officiating, but few truly love refereeing itself. There’s a difference between enjoying the act of refereeing and loving the profession. The amount of criticism the refereeing collective is enduring from all clubs, not just Real Madrid, is more than any group should have to bear.”