REFEREES from Germany

Top 9

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary German Referees of all time. This list of famous German Referees is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Markus Merk (b. 1962)

With an HPI of 51.48, Markus Merk is the most famous German Referee.  His biography has been translated into 32 different languages on wikipedia.

Markus Merk (born 15 March 1962) is a former top-level German football referee. He is a six-time winner of the German Referee of the Year Award and the record holder in games refereed in the Bundesliga. In 2005, Merk was awarded the German Bundesverdienstkreuz (Federal Cross of Merit) in recognition of his service to football and his charity work in India. He ended his career by refereeing the match between Bayern Munich and Hertha BSC Berlin on the last day of the 2007–08 Bundesliga season on 17 May 2008. He was ranked the best referee by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics in 2004, 2005 and 2008. He is currently a pundit for Sky Deutschland and was the main referee commentator of the Turkish football channel Lig TV (which had the rights of the Turkish Super League) in the 2010–2011 season.

2. Rudi Glöckner (1929 - 1999)

With an HPI of 51.16, Rudi Glöckner is the 2nd most famous German Referee.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Rudolf Glöckner (20 March 1929 – 25 January 1999) was the first German to referee a football World Cup final when he took charge of the 1970 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Italy in Mexico City. Glöckner, from what was then East Germany, had a long international career, officiating at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and also matches in the 1976 European Championship. He refereed the game between Den Haag and West Ham United in the 1975–76 European Cup Winners' Cup. He had to be escorted from the field of play by 16 police officers when Wales and Yugoslavia met at Ninian Park, Cardiff in 1976, after the Welsh reacted violently to some of his decisions. In total he refereed four matches at two Olympic Games and four matches at two World Cups.

3. Felix Brych (b. 1975)

With an HPI of 46.56, Felix Brych is the 3rd most famous German Referee.  His biography has been translated into 35 different languages.

Felix Brych (born 3 August 1975) is a German football referee. He referees for SV Am Hart München of the Bavarian Football Association. He is a former FIFA referee and was ranked as a UEFA elite category referee.

4. Wolfgang Stark (b. 1969)

With an HPI of 44.62, Wolfgang Stark is the 4th most famous German Referee.  His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Wolfgang Stark (born 20 November 1969) is a German former football referee who is based in Ergolding. He refereed for DJK Altdorf of the Bavarian Football Association.

5. Bibiana Steinhaus (b. 1979)

With an HPI of 43.57, Bibiana Steinhaus is the 5th most famous German Referee.  Her biography has been translated into 27 different languages.

Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb (born 24 March 1979) is a German football referee. She referees for MTV Engelbostel-Schulenburg of the Lower Saxony Football Association, but since October 2020 only as video assistant referee. She was a FIFA referee, and was ranked as a UEFA women's elite category referee.

6. Herbert Fandel (b. 1964)

With an HPI of 42.62, Herbert Fandel is the 6th most famous German Referee.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Herbert Fandel (born 9 March 1964 in Kyllburg, Rhineland-Palatinate) is a former German football referee who was in charge of the 2007 UEFA Champions League final. Fandel refereed the UEFA Cup final in 2006 between the English side Middlesbrough and the Spanish side Sevilla. He also refereed the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup on home soil in Germany. He officiated the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. The director of a music school by occupation, he is married with two children. He ended his field career on 8 June 2009, and has served as head of the German Football Association's Referee Commission since 2010.

7. Deniz Aytekin (b. 1978)

With an HPI of 38.95, Deniz Aytekin is the 7th most famous German Referee.  His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Deniz Aytekin (born 21 July 1978) is a German football referee. He referees for TSV Altenberg of the Bavarian Football Association. Aytekin is a former FIFA referee, and was ranked as a UEFA elite category referee.

8. Daniel Siebert (b. 1984)

With an HPI of 35.79, Daniel Siebert is the 8th most famous German Referee.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Daniel Siebert (born 4 May 1984) is a German football referee who is based in Berlin. He referees for FC Nordost Berlin of the Berlin Football Association. He is a FIFA referee, and is ranked as a UEFA elite category referee.

9. Felix Zwayer (b. 1981)

With an HPI of 35.04, Felix Zwayer is the 9th most famous German Referee.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Felix Zwayer (born 19 May 1981) is a German football referee who is based in Berlin. He referees for SC Charlottenburg of the Berlin Football Association. He is a FIFA referee, and is ranked as a UEFA elite category referee.