Turkish referee tipped for World Cup final

As with all World Cups, the referees have grabbed too many headlines. Already one of the most talked-about World Cups in recent memory, the man in the middle still garners too much attention.

One man who can be credited for his inconspicuousness is Turkish referee Cüneyt Çakır. The most recent man in black to face the ire of the competition's supporters was Portuguese ref Pedro Proença. Mexican couch Miguel Herrera, who were knocked by the Netherland thanks to a controversial penalty, said after the match: "now we are going back home. I hope we can also see that man goes home like we do." One the other side of the scale, the Turkish referee Çakır is in the top three of the referee rankings.

According to the World Referee that rates referees regarding their performance in the World Cup, Cüneyt Çakır is one of the best referees in the tournament so far.

Rated in third among 25 referees, it is said that the Turkish referee has a chance to officiate the final match. The biggest obstacle for Çakır is the Dutchman Bjorn Kuipers, who is rated number one, hence the favorite of the final. If Kuiper falls down the rankings and misses out on the final match, Çakır will be one of the most viable candidates for the job. If the Netherland makes it to the final, Bjorn Kuipers will not be able to conduct his country's match and automatically eliminated. Thus increasing Çakır's chances. The performance of Dutchmen Wesley Sneijder from Galatasaray and Dirk Kuyt of Fenerbahçe will not only determine the fate of their country but also the fate of the Turkish referee.