Legendary referee adopted: a farewell full of emotions!

Legendary referee adopted: a farewell full of emotions!

On June 22, 2025, a remarkable farewell will be celebrated in the football world in Munich. Felix Brych, a referee who set both national and international standards in his 28-year career, resigned his pipe on the last Bundesliga matchday of the 2024/25 season. Brych is officially adopted at an honorary evening in the "Almhütte", organized by association referee chairman Sven Laumer and BFV Vice President Robert Schraudner. The event is a tribute to its outstanding achievements, which include numerous records and unforgettable highlights.

The referee landscape experienced further farewells that evening. After 23 years at the same time, Markus Pflaum (SV Dörfleins, SRG Bamberg) and Jürgen Steckermeier (TSV Altfraunhofen, SRG Landshut) end at the same time. Tobias Wittman, who was active for eleven years (SV Wendelskirchen, SRG Isar-Rott), joins her ranks. Long -standing referee observers such as Robert Fischer, Eckhard Lengmüller and Josef Sigl are also recognized in a solemn setting.

The referee training: a cornerstone of the game

But it is not just the departures that enrich football. The referee training plays a crucial role in German football. In order to become a successful referee, it is crucial not only to understand the rules of the game, but also to develop the ability to make decisions and authority. This is promoted, among other things, through various training sessions and steady further training. The training includes theoretical and practical training, and prospective referees must take both written and physical exams. Referee training often takes place in sports schools, such as in the Edenkoben sports school, and is distributed over numerous lessons that also include the introduction to digital tools such as DFBNET to facilitate everyday referee.

The requirements for the youngsters are clearly defined: an understanding of the football rules, commitment and fairness characterizes potential referees. In many associations, the minimum age for training is 14 years, some of them allow entry from the age of 12. If you are interested, you also have to be a member of a football club in order to be able to take part in the training. The first missions in the lower leagues or in the youth area are mostly celebrated by experienced referees who act as mentors.

The way to the highest category

The climb to higher leagues is not without challenges. In order to arrive in the Bundesliga, the highest level of referee career, not only a high level of competence, but also continuous performance tests and the willingness to continue regularly. Referee observer plays a key role in analyzing the services of the referees and giving feedback to promote their development. The goal remains clear: to ensure integrity and respect in football, boundary conditions that are always required by the sport itself.

While the big ones of the game are saying goodbye, the new talents are available at the other corners of the football world to lead the game and ensure that the sports community is fair. The loss of your veteran will be painful, but the training and promotion of young referees is the key to ensuring a fair and respectful sport that inspires everyone across generations.