The Intercontinental Cup final had an unexpected fan favourite star. And it was neither Real Madrid nor Pachuca's players, not even Vinícius, named MVP of the match and the tournament after scoring and assisting. No, we are talking about the referee, Jesús Valenzuela Sáez.
This Venezuelan referee, aged 41, has been working on international matches since 2013. That included two of the World Cup 2022 games in Qatar. He is mostly unknown to European fans, as he mostly works in Copa Amética, Libertadores, CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying or even the Saudi Pro League.
Yesterday, it was the first time he was in charge of a Real Madrid game, and he received praised after it. Obviously for Madrid fans, because the two times he went to VAR, he took decisions in favour of the team, approbing Rodrygo's goal and conceding a penalty kick for Madrid.
But in an otherwise very fair match, there was one detail that really captured the viewers attention: after checking VAR -taking a good time to check it-, he took the time to explain briefly, through the speakers, his decision and why he has taken it.
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That took by surprise most viewers, as that (we think) has never been done on the top European leagues and competitions. "Welcome to the fan club of Jesís Valenzuela", said X user Míchel Acosta.
His English pronunciation was mocked by some users, while others applauded his move, as it helps people better understand his reasoning, specially for people in the stadium. For some Venezuelan users in particular, Valenzuela seems almost a national hero.
Despite being a final, most spectators at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar probably didn't care much about who won or lose. In a World Cup semifinal, things would certainly be different, and maybe not all referees will be willing to speak outloud to tens of thousands of angry fans...
It remains to be seen if FIFA will use this tactic -making the referee explain by voice his decisions- in other tournaments they supervise, like the FIFA Club World Cup next summer... which, by the way, will have a rematch from yesterday's game, as Pachuca and Real Madrid are on the same group.