There were rumors that he will resign before the international football exhibition after his trip to Qatar. At the age of 40, he finally officially announced his retirement. Gomes served as a referee for the World Cup in Qatar, which served as his final competition.
Gomes, who was born to Portuguese parents in South Africa, was a passionate football fan, just like every other aspiring young man growing up. While his father, who is from the Portuguese island of Madeira, where football is king, adored the beautiful game, his brothers were playing football. “I used to play football for a local team in the regional FA as a right back but to be honest, I wasn’t really a good player. I used to love refereeing and at times, I would beg my coach to let me referee and that’s when I realized refereeing was in my blood,” Gomes narrates. The 1998 FIFA World Cup in France emerged as the catalyst for the passion. Gomes was looking somewhere else while everyone else was focused on seeing the players display their incredible talent; he was particularly intrigued by the players running the lines and in the middle of the field. “I was really excited by that and I contacted the local FA to ask how I could get involved and that’s how I started. I did level one and two as a start then I was given some games as an assistant referee. As I progressed, I did more games and courses and progressed over the years,” Gomes says.
Gomes made his Premier Soccer League debut in 2008, and in 2011 he was added to the Fifa panel.“The dream started when I was only a child. Now that I’ve achieved the World Cup I’m grateful and ready to spend time with my family,” said Gomes on Marawa Sports Worldwide as per iDiski Times.
“The eight-hour flight was enough for me to make the decision to retire. We discussed this with my wife. I believe I’ve been better than those who have come before me and I want others to come and also do better than me.Football is in my blood, I will leave the field but I will still contribute towards lifting South Africa’s flag high.”
The World Cup that recently ended was the pinnacle of Gomes’ brilliant career. He presided over two World Cup matches, officiating France’s 4-1 victory over Australia and Japan’s 2-1 triumph against Spain. He also officiated the quarterfinal penalty shootout victory of eventual champions Argentina over the Netherlands. Gomes distinguished himself as one of the top officials not only in South Africa but also in the entire continent. He assumed control of Egypt vs. Senegal Africa Cup of Nations final in 2021.
There is no word yet on Gomes’ upcoming move. Although he has pledged to keep hoisting the South African flag, it is not yet certain what role he will play in football. It is hardly a coincidence that he is the kind of person who would sprint around the field grinning. Refereeing is not a profession for South African Victor Gomes; rather, it is a passion and a pastime that he has loved since he was 14 years old. “For me, this is not a job but it’s a passion and I am very passionate about it. I love refereeing and it makes it very easy for me. It is a lifetime commitment,” Gomes says, speaking to CAFOnline.
Gomes is well-known to Egyptian soccer fans because he presided over the 2022 CAF Champions League final, which saw Wydad Casablanca overcome Cairo’s Al Ahly by a score of 2-0. He presided over the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final earlier this year, which saw Senegal defeat Egypt on penalties. He managed five games in all, winning the first four for the Pharaohs, who ultimately prevailed.
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