England, the runner-up of the last edition of the European Championships, will look to start the 2024 edition on a high when it takes on Serbia at the Arena Auf Schalke on June 16th. The Three Lions come into the tournament after a shocking 0-1 loss to Iceland in the friendlies – an opponent it was knocked out against, in the Euros, eight years ago – and will be cautious of considering Serbia as a pushover.
Daniele Orsato from Italy will be the referee for the EURO 2024 match between England and Serbia. Orsato brings a wealth of experience to the game, having previously officiated in the UEFA Champions League final in 2019-20 when Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0. His career as a referee began in 2010, and he has since officiated in qualifying games for Euro 2012 and the FIFA World Cup 2014. Orsato has been a regular fixture in the Champions League, taking charge in multiple round-of-16 clashes. His latest match in the UCL was the semifinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Dortmund, where he was commended for his decision to award a free-kick instead of a penalty to PSG. While in real-time, it appeared that Mats Hummels had fouled Ousmane Dembele inside the box, replays confirmed Orsato’s correct assessment.
The Italian referee was also entrusted with the responsibility of officiating the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2022, between host Qatar and Ecuador. However, Orsato faced criticism for his performance in the World Cup semifinal between Croatia and Argentina, with Croatian captain Luka Modric labeling the refereeing ‘a disaster’.
England will be hoping for a strong start to their Euro 2024 campaign, and Daniele Orsato’s presence as the referee adds another layer of intrigue to this already highly anticipated match.
