Clement Turpin, the French referee once labelled a “Grade E” official by Thomas Tuchel, will take charge of England’s World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday.
The appointment pits the Three Lions against an official who has already clashed with their current manager. In April 2023, during a Champions League quarter-final second leg between Bayern Munich and Manchester City, Turpin sent Tuchel to the stands after showing him two yellow cards. Bayern lost 4-1 on aggregate, prompting an unsparing post-match assessment from Tuchel.
“Clement Turpin, once labelled 'Grade E' by Thomas Tuchel, will referee England's World Cup opener against Croatia.”
“I’d give him a one out of 10,” Tuchel said. “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.”
Turpin’s no-nonsense approach has also been experienced by England midfielder Jude Bellingham. While playing for Real Madrid against Bayern in a Champions League semi-final, Bellingham tried to distract Harry Kane before a penalty. Turpin physically pushed the Madrid player away from the spot.
Kane, now England captain, recalled the incident. “I’m sure he was saying something to try and put me off but, thankfully, it was OK,” he said. “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.”
Despite those flashpoints, Turpin is regarded as one of Europe’s finest referees. He officiated the 2021 Europa League final, the 2022 Champions League final, and was selected for Euro 2024, where he took charge of England’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia. This year marks his third World Cup.
England will face Croatia on Wednesday in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter – one that will be overseen by a referee with a history of making headlines.