Slovenian legendary referee announces retirement
Only days after refereeing the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, Slavko Vinčić has officially announced his retirement.
The 46-year-old from Maribor, an international referee since 2010, is stepping away as the first Slovenian ever to achieve this milestone, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.
Vinčić, whose decision was confirmed by the Slovenian Football Federation (NZS), finishes his final season with major recognition. The International Federation of Football History and Statistics has declared him the best referee of the World Cup, while in Italy he has received the prestigious Giulio Campanati Award.
Vinčić's career highlights include officiating many major matches at the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro, as well as the finals of the UEFA Europa League, and matches of the UEFA Champions League.
He made his UEFA Champions League debut in 2016, and after that regularly refereed UEFA Champions League matches, and was included in the elite group of European referees at the end of 2019.
He officiated two group stage matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and also acted as the fourth official in a round of 16 match.
Vinčić tight-lipped about Messi chats
Addressing the press as part of the Slovenian officiating trio at Brdo pri Kranju a few days after his official retirement announcement, Vinčić and his assistants, Andraž Kovačić and Tomaž Klančnik, reflected on their World Cup experience and the realities of modern refereeing.
Discussing the ongoing debate around video assistant referees (VAR), Vinčić spoke highly of the technology, noting that it significantly reduces the burden on officials. "Mistakes can be corrected by reviewing footage, which a referee might otherwise miss given the current speed of football," he explained. "The stakes are so high that I can no longer imagine refereeing without the help of video technology. At least 90% of things have been positive since VAR was introduced."
Even with VAR, Vinčić pointed out that the biggest challenge of the match was managing the pressure and the players' differing mentalities and emotions. He described his initial reaction to being selected for the job by FIFA's refereeing committee and Pierluigi Collina as a mix of shock and pride, which quickly turned into a deep responsibility to justify their trust.
The trio's pre-match preparation, which involved studying player characteristics, set-piece habits, and fouling tendencies, was made easier by their long-standing partnership.
Kovačić noted that knowing how each other thinks and feels provided a solid foundation for their success. Vinčić agreed, adding: "We spend so many days together in hotels, at seminars, preparations, and matches. They are like a second family to me, and without them, what we achieved would not have been possible."
Their approach to the game proved successful, as neither the Spanish nor Argentinian head coaches voiced any major criticisms of their work. "After the final whistle, we weren't a major topic of discussion, which shows we generally did an OK job," Vinčić remarked.
Looking ahead, Vinčić expressed his readiness to share his experience with younger referees. He credited the NZS for developing a recognisable refereeing system, calling the World Cup final a shared success for the entire domestic organization.
The press conference also touched on lighter topics. When asked about being dubbed the "sex symbol" of the tournament by fans and media, Vinčić took it well, noting that while the football pitch is all that matters, he is happy if it helps improve the public image of referees in Slovenia and the world.
As for his conversations on the pitch with Argentine star Lionel Messi, the veteran referee remained politically correct: "I'll leave that conversation on the pitch. But I can say that Messi was sportsmanlike."
Photo Instagram/slavkovincicofficial
