England Reach The World Cup Final!

England makes the World Cup final after all! Howard Webb and his team have been selected by FIFA to officiate Sunday’s big match.

It’s hard to make the case that Webb doesn’t deserve the coveted assignment.  In a tournament that will be remembered for its botched decisions and missed calls, Webb has stood out for his level-headed officiating and his consistent playing of advantage when one team gets fouled but still retains the ball.

Webb has refereed three matches this summer – Spain v Switzerland, Italy v Slovakia and Brazil v Chile. In at least two of those matches, his assistants Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey made critical and correct calls. In total, Webb averaged fewer fouls per card shown than any other referee who has done three games in the tournament.

However, Webb’s appointment might be perceived as bad news for Spain. Webb was in charge during Spain’s only loss of the tournament – to Switzerland in the first round. But Holland’s superstitious lot has reason to worry as well. The last Englishman to take charge of a World Cup final was Jack Taylor, who refereed Holland’s defeat to West Germany in 1974.

Come Sunday, Webb, a former policeman from South Yorkshire, will make football history by becoming he first person to officiate the Champions League final and the World Cup final in the same year.

Best of all, Webb’s performance at the World Cup could help erase the embarrassing memory of Graham Poll – England’s representative in 2006, who booked the same player three times in one match. Erasing the embarrassing memory of Fabio Capello’s debacle, however, will be a whole lot harder…

Webb of truth awaits Spain and Holland