Said Belqola Explained

Said Belqola
Fullname:Said Belqola
Birth Date:30 August 1956
Birth Place:Tiflet, Morocco
Death Place:Rabat, Morocco
Otheroccupation:Customs officer
Years1:1979–1986
Years2:1987–1989
Years3:1990–1992
League1:League
League2:Inter-league
League3:Federal
Role1:Referee
Role2:Referee
Role3:Referee
Internationalyears1:1993–2002
Confederation1:FIFA listed
Internationalrole1:Referee

Said Belqola (ar|سعيد بلقولة; August 30, 1956 – June 15, 2002) was a Moroccan Association football referee, best known for officiating the 1998 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and France, being the first African referee to officiate a World Cup final.

Belqola's international career began when he was appointed to the international list in 1993, going on to referee the match between France and England at the Tournoi de France in 1997. He was also among the referees at the final tournaments of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 and 1998, officiating two matches at each tournaments.[1] At the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, he also officiated two group matches (Germany vs. USA and Argentina vs. Croatia).[2]

Belqola was born in Tiflet, Morocco and worked in Fez as a civil servant as a customs officer.

Belqola died on June 15, 2002, after a long battle against cancer.[3] He was buried in Tiflet.

References


Said Belqola

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Said Belqola. weltfussball.de. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120612013214/http://www.weltfussball.de/schiedsrichter_profil/said-belqola/. 2012-06-12.
  2. Web site: Said Belqola - Einsätze . https://archive.today/20130212133511/http://www.weltfussball.de/schiedsrichter_profil.php?id=17635&saison_id=319&sr_typ=1&modus=3 . 12 February 2013 . dead.
  3. Web site: World Cup ref Belqola dies. BBC Sport. June 15, 2002.