How was the work of Stephanie Frappart, the referee who made the history of the World Cup

Stephanie Frappart He entered World Cup history with a smile. If she was nervous, she didn’t show. Her eyes were shining, she was realizing a dream. Little did they know that the match would also go down in history for Germany’s second consecutive group stage elimination. In this, she had nothing to do.

It took him 13 seconds to blow the whistle for the second time (the first was to start Germany-Costa Rica). The 38-year-old Frenchwoman stopped the match for a clash of heads between Celso Borges and Thomas Müller. He has given a vengeance to the Central Americans. On the edge of two minutes he took his first corner, for the Germans, and made his debut in the game with one of his characteristics: admonishing the players so they don’t resist. Another, to give fluidity to the game. Cut little, use the law of advantage. And so it was.

When the clock struck 9 minutes 34 seconds, another historic moment occurred: the first goal in the World Cup legalized by a female referee. Signed by Serge Gnabry.

“I will have to control my emotions to focus on the pitch. I will feel a lot of emotion when I enter a World Cup stadium which will surely be full and where there will be a lot of expectations,” commented Frappart in the preview.

“But we will have to focus on the match right away because we will have to make good decisions. You perform well when you focus on the essential target, the terrain.”He explained.

In a strange match, marked by goals and the urgency of Germany, Frappart had fair refereeing, helped by the players who didn’t protest too much. She picked up just one yellow card and the only time she looked overwhelmed was when Havertz struggled inside goal with Costa Rican defenders after Germany’s third goal. Although she was 64 meters tall, Stéphanie started to separate and she didn’t go any further.

The controversy was at the VAR, with the questionable offsides not cashed in Costa Rica’s second goal and Germany’s fourth. Who made a mistake was the Mexican assistant Karen Díaz Medina, when she did not see in the first half that the ball had been given to Keylor Navas for a corner. The shortlist was all female.

It’s not the first time Stephanie Frappart has broken barriers

​She was the first woman to referee in the French second division (2014) and then in the first category -Ligue 1- (2019). She was also first in the European Super Cup (August 2019), in the Champions League (December 2020) and in the French Cup final (May 7). He will be 39 on December 14th.

She is the second of four siblings, two of whom have served as referees. “I was stubborn as a mule. I had a calling to be a referee from an early age and I’ve always lived in a world of boys,” she said some time ago.

In Qatar 2022 she had already been the fourth referee of Mexico-Poland and Portugal-Ghana, but she wanted more. “When I found out the emotion was enormous, I didn’t expect it, I’m very proud to represent France at the World Cup”she said when she was named one of 36 referees for the World Cup.

“It’s also a powerful gesture from FIFA and the bodies to have women referees in that country,” he said in September. “I’m not a feminist spokesperson, but if that can move things forward…,” she clarified.

Highly respected by her male colleagues, Stephanie Frappart made history and marked a path, the same day that the cover of all media will be a new collapse of Germany.

Doha, Qatar. Special delivery.