France and England meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday, July 18, with both teams looking to finish their tournament on a high after semifinal defeats.
FIFA has appointed Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela Sáez to oversee the match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The 42-year-old will take charge of his fourth match of the tournament after previously officiating Australia vs. Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar, and Côte d'Ivoire vs. Norway.
Who Is Jesús Valenzuela? Referee for France vs. England
Born in Venezuela, Jesús Noel Valenzuela Sáez has been a FIFA-listed international referee since 2013 and is regarded as one of South America's top officials.
Over the past decade, Valenzuela has built an impressive résumé at both the club and international levels.
- He was named CONMEBOL's Best Referee of 2021 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS)
- Has officiated two Copa Sudamericana finalsthe 2020 final between Defensa y Justicia and Lanús and the 2023 final between LDU Quito and Fortaleza.
- Has taken charge of nearly 50 Copa Libertadores matches
- Regularly officiating in the Copa América and the Olympic Games.
Jesús Valenzuela's Refereeing Style
Valenzuela is known for his strict and authoritative approach on the field, keeping close control of matches from the opening whistle.
He averages 4.93 yellow cards and 0.10 red cards per match in domestic and continental competitions.
Jesús Valenzuela's Career Controversies
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Like many referees who regularly oversee high-profile matches, Valenzuela has faced criticism during his career.
Some of his most debated performances came during Copa América tournaments and CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers.
- 2019 Copa América, Lionel Messi's outburst: Serving as a VAR official during the Brazil vs. Argentina match, Valenzuela was heavily criticized alongside head referee Roddy Zambrano. Lionel Messi publicly blasted the officiating crew for failing to review two clear penalty scenarios
- 2024 Copa América Opening Match: faced immense fan blowback for failing to penalize Canadian defender Moïse Bombito after an aggressive challenge on Lionel Messi.
Full Referee Team for France vs. England
- Referee: Jesús Valenzuela Sáez (Venezuela)
- Assistant Referee 1: Jorge Urrego (Venezuela)
- Assistant Referee 2: Tulio Moreno (Venezuela)
- Fourth Official: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)
- Reserve Assistant Referee: Zakaria Brinsi (Morocco)
