FRANCE are one of the favourites for Euro 2020 – and they are sending their top man to officiate.
Clement Turpin was named the best referee in the country by the FFF in 2016 and has taken on some of the biggest jobs in Europe over recent years.
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Who is Clement Turpin?
Turpin, 39, is one of the most experienced whistlers heading to this summer’s tournament.
The Frenchman began in the National league in 2006, taking just two years to reach Ligue 1 and the highest rung in the domestic ladder.
In 2010 he was given Fifa listed status, meaning he could branch out into Europe.
Since then he has reffed in 2014 and 2018 World Cup qualifiers and was in the middle during Euro 2016 in his home country.
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You may recognise Turpin from the Europa League final in Gdansk, where he was ably assisted by Jérôme Brisard and Benjamin Pages.
Those two assistants have worked with the Frenchman for years and will once again be by his side at the Euros.
Turpin takes charge of Switzerland vs Wales, the second game of the tournament after Italy’s win over Turkey in the opener.
Ahead of the match between Man Utd and Villarreal he said: “I feel very proud.
“Not only for myself, but also for my assistants, who have accompanied me for a number of years, and for all referees in France.
“I never said to myself that I would referee a European final one day.
“From the start, I preferred to set myself small targets and challenges along the way.
I’ve never had a particular role model as a referee, but I’ve watched other referees and taken little bits of what they do and incorporated them into my own refereeing.”
