Croatia’s Ivana Martinčić Referees 2018 Women’s U19 EURO Final
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Ivana Martinčić (HNS)
A big day in the short refereeing career of Ivana Martinčić on Monday as she was selected to officiate the 2018 Women’s U19 EURO Final in Switzerland.
Martinčić (33) was given the task to referee the final between Germany and Spain at Biel Arena on Monday. Spain ran out the victors, winning 1-0.
#WU19EURO final🏆 … 30 minutes gone @DFB_Frauen🇩🇪 0-0 🇪🇸@SeFutbolFem
Follow live https://t.co/CZoJA8ceHd pic.twitter.com/4AFaVrhHYJ
— UEFA Women’s EURO (@UEFAWomensEURO) July 30, 2018
The former Croatian first division football player already had experience at big tournaments, refereeing a semi-final at the 2015 Women’s U17 EURO in Iceland.
“It means a lot. For me personally, it’s that UEFA gives me such a big opportunity to be part of this competition, and it’s the biggest thing in my life that I have the final here in Switzerland. It’s very nice to be part of the final,” she told UEFA.com.
Ivana refereeing in Croatia (Photo: D. Mirković/Pozega.eu)
Ivana first got into refereeing at the age of 22 and obtained her FIFA badge when she was 28. Her decision was helped by her father, a regional referee observer in Croatia. Ivana referees both women’s and men’s football matches, including men’s second division matches in Croatia.
Ivana referees men’s and women’s football in Croatia (Photo: NK Osijek)
“Maybe I will referee top division in the future in Croatia and in UEFA, and I hope I will get to be a top [women’s] referee. I am in the Category One [behind only Elite], but you need luck to not have injuries,” she concluded.
