Capital Balls FIFA football balls

Germany has had outstanding referees and assistant referees for many decades. Two officials who have been hitting the headlines recently are Michael and Robert Kempter The brothers from the southern German village of Sauldorf are breaking record after record – Michael, now 25, started officiating at senior level at the tender age of twelve under a special licence from the German football association (DFB). He made his first appearance in the second tier of German football at 21 and debuted in the top flight two years later – a new record. But now Michael has been outdone by ‘ Robert, his younger brother by five years, who recently took charge of his first match in the second Bundesliga at the age of 20. By comparison, world-class German referee Markus Merk was 23 when he officiated in the second Bundesliga for the first time. Manfred Amerell, former FIFA referee and now a referee mentor in southern
Germany, waxes lyrical when talking about the Kempter brothers: “They both live for refereeing. It’s extraordinary how advanced they are for their age. Their understanding of the game, body language and ability to deal with conflict is top quality. Michael and Robert are incredibly ambitious. They want games, games, games, no matter what league they’re in.”

Standing 1.93m tall and weighing 85kg, Sami Hyypia is an imposing presence. But that is not the only reason he is loved by Liverpool supporters. The Finn is particularly highly regarded for his loyalty to the club. He made his debut as a central defender for the Reds more than nine years ago in July 1999. Since then he has made over 400 domestic and European appearances for Liverpool and collected a number of titles and trophies, including the Champions League (2005), the UEFA Cup (2001), the European Super Cup (2001 and 2005) and the FA Cup (2001 and 2006), as well as being voted Finland’s Footballer of the Year on six occasions. Hyypia, now 34, has played nearly 100 times for his country since making his international debut over 16 years ago. Yet despite enjoying a dream career, the shy and retiring Hyypia is not entirely satisfied, “I’ve never played for Finland at a major tournament, be it the European Championship or the World Cup. That’s something I’d like to change,” he explains. The 2010 FiFA World Cup™ in South Africa is virtually the only opportunity he has left. “It’s an ambitious target,” says Hyypia, “but not an impossible one.”