From the World Cup Final to the Final Whistle... Slovenian Referee Damir Skomina Retires from Officiating

Hardly had the echoes of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final whistle faded when Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić announced the end of his refereeing career, just days after officiating the Spain-Argentina clash that concluded the tournament.

Vinčić, 46, faced widespread criticism for what was perceived as excessive leniency toward the physical play of Argentine players during the match, which ended in a 1-0 victory for Spain after extra time, securing them the World Cup title.

The encounter saw him issue a red card to Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández during stoppage time in the second half.

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The Slovenian Football Association confirmed in an official statement that Vinčić decided to retire a week after the final, which was hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Despite the criticism surrounding his performance in the final, the Slovenian referee was awarded the Best Referee of the World Cup by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS). He also received the "Giulio Campanati" award, given by the Italian Referees Association to the best referee of the World Cup or the European Championship.

Vinčić joined the elite group of UEFA referees in 2019 and officiated several high-profile matches, including games at UEFA Euro 2020 and the Spain-Italy semi-final at UEFA Euro 2024.