Football Referee Statistics: 10 Disciplined Referees in Europe

A referee is the person responsible for enforcing the Laws of the Game during the course of a match. He or she is the final decision making authority on all facts connected with play, and is the only official on the pitch with the authority to start and stop play and impose disciplinary action against players during a match.
Referees have a lot of history as Richard Mulcaster was the first person to suggest the idea of introducing refereeing into football in 1581. 
In the olden days, a referee waves a white handkerchief for infringements and referees were using the white handkerchief as an officiating tool. In the 1970’s, the first referees whistle was made by Joseph Hudson. The first football whistle was used in 1878 in a game between Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Norfolk.

The introduction of cards in football was initiated by British referee Ken Aston after the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Cards was introduced with the aim of universally communicating a referees decision to the players and supporters.

In this article, SportsGoogly will discuss the top disciplined European referees. The article will be based on the number of yellow cards. The article will deal with 10 most disciplined referees in Europe. Here is the list of the top disciplined referees;

10. Michael Oliver (England): 57 Yellow Cards.
Michael Oliver is a 31 year old English referee born on 20 February 1985. Michael Oliver was selected to be a premier league in 2010 and two years later, he was listed by FIFA as an international referee. Last season, Michael Oliver officiated 36 matches and showed 131 yellow cards which is 4 cards per game. 
This season Michael Oliver have officiated 17 English Premier League games. Michael Oliver have shown 57 yellow cards in the 17 games. Michael Oliver have shown an average of 3 yellow cards per game this season in the EPL.

9. Iglesias Villanueva (Spain): 58 Yellow Cards.
Iglesias Villanueva,41, is a Spanish referee born on 1 June, 1975 in Galicia, Spain. Villanueva was listed to officiate La liga games on 2010. 
This season Iglesias Villanueva have officiated 10 La liga games and shown 58 yellow cards. Villanueva have an average 6 yellow per game this season in the la liga.

8. Martin Atkinson (England): 59 Yellow Cards.
Martin Atkinson is an experience professional English referee born on 31 March, 1971 in Bradford, England. In 2000 to 2003, Atkinson was an assistant referee in the English premier league. From 2003 to 2003 to 2005 Martin Atkinson was a referee in the football league championship. In 2005, Martin Atkinson was promoted to officiate premier league matches and have still maintained that position till date. Martin Atkinson was listed by FIFA in 2006 as an international referee just one year after he turned professional. Atkinson have been a FIFA referee for 11 years.
These are some notable finals officiated by Martin Atkinson:
13 August 2006. Community Shield.
Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool.

10 May 2008. FA Trophy Final.
Ebbsfleet united 1-0 Torquay united

14 May 2011. FA Cup Final.
Manchester City 1-0 Stoke City

2 March 2014. League Cup Final
Manchester City 3-1 Sunderland.

This season, Martin Atkinson have officiated 14 premier league games and showed 59 yellow cards. Martin Atkinson have an average of 4 yellow cards this season in the EPL.

7. Mark Clattenburg (England): 62 Yellow Cards. 

Mark Clattenburg is one of the beat referees in the world. Clattenburg was born on 13 March 1975 in Durham, England. Clattenburg was an assistant referee in the English premier league in 1999 to 2000. In 2000 to 2004, Mark Clattenburg was a referee in the football league championship. Mark Clattenburg was promoted to be a premier league referee in 2004 and have remained a premier league till then. Mark Clattenburg was listed by FIFA as an international referee in 2006. Clattenburg have been a FIFA referee for 11 years. Clattenburg is the face of English refereeing and have officiated a lot final games around the world.
Here are some notable finals;
• Football League Cup Final, 2012.
• Olympics Men Finals, 2012.
• FA Community Shield, 2013.
• UEFA Super Cup, 2014.
• FA Cup Final, 2016.
• Champions League Final, 2016.
• UEFA Euro 2016 Final.

Last season, Mark Clattenburg officiated 46 games and showed 162 yellow cards which was 4 cards per game.

This season, Clattenburg have officiated 15 premier league matches and showed 62 yellow cards. Averagely, Clattenburg is scheduled to show 4 yellow each game for this season.

5. Estrada Fernandez (Spain): 64 Yellow Cards.
Estrada Fernandez is a professional Spanish referee born on 27 January 1976 in Ileida, Spain. Estrada Fernandez started officiating La liga games in 2009. Estrada Fernandez was listed by FIFA in 2013 as an international referee to officiate international games. 
This season, Estrada Fernandez have officiated 9 la liga games and showed 64 yellow cards in the process. Estrada Fernandez have a high average of 7 yellow cards per game.

5. Craig Pawson (England): 64 Yellow Cards.
Craig Pawson is a 38 year old professional English referee born in South Yorkshire, England. From 2008 to 2013, Pawson was a referee in the football league championship. Craig Pawson was promoted to be a premier league referee on 2013/14 season. Craig Pawson was listed by FIFA as an international referee in 2015.

This season, Craig Pawson have officiated 17 premier league games and have shown 64 yellow cards. On the average Craig Pawson shows 4 yellow cards per game.

4. Anthony Taylor (England): 69 Yellow Cards.
Anthony Taylor, 38, is a professional English referee born on 20 October, 1978 in Manchester, England. Anthony Taylor was a referee in the football league championship from 2006 to 2010. Anthony Taylor was elevated to a premier league referee in 2010 and have maintained his status till date. Anthony Taylor have been a FIFA referee for 4 years, he was listed by FIFA in 2013. 
In the 2010-11 season, Craig Pawson showed the highest yellow cards. He officiated 32 games and showed 118 yellow cards with an average of 4 cards per game.

This season, Anthony Taylor have officiated 17 English premier league games and showed 69 yellow cards. On the average, Taylor shows 4 cards per game.

3. Mike Dean (England): 70 Yellow Cards.
Mike Dean is an experienced English referee born on 2 June, 1968 in Wirral, England. From 1997 to 2000 Mike Dean was a referee in the football league championship. Mike Dean started officiating in the English premier league as far as in 2000. Mike Dean was listed by FIFA in 2006 as an international referee but he only had the FIFA badge for one year.

In the 2006/07 season, Mike Dean showed the highest number of yellow cards in his career. 173 yellow cards in 43 games with an average of 4 cards per game.

This season, referee Mike Dean have officiated 15 English premier league games and showed 70 yellow cards. Mike Dean shows 4 yellow cards per game on the average.

2. Robert Madley (England): 73 Yellow Cards.
Robert Madley, 32, is a very young English referee with promising future and he is the future of English. Robert Madley was born on 6 October, 1985 in West Yorkshire, England.
In 2010, Robert Madley started officiating games in the football league championship and still officiates games in that league. Madley’s earned him an early promotion in the premier league. In 2013, Robert Madley started officiating games in the premier league. Robert Madley was listed by FIFA as an international referee as early as 2016. Robert Madley is young with love, passion and ambition for his refereeing job.

This season, Robert Madley have handled 17 premier league games and showed 73 yellow cards. Madley have a reasonable average of 4 yellow cards per game.

1. Juan Munera (Spain): 82 Yellow Cards.
Juan Munera is another young Spanish referee who is among the young crop of referees in Europe. The 34 year old Spanish, Munera who was born on 13 July 1982. Juan Munera is part of the new dynamic who will be trusted with games to build their capacities.

Juan Munera started officiating in the la liga in 2015. He was awarded a FIFA badge shortly after his first La Liga appointment.

This season, Juan Munera have officiated 16 la liga games and have shown 82 yellow cards. Munera have shown an average of 5 yellow cards per game.