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Néstor Pitana
	Pitana at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Full name	Néstor Fabián Pitana
Born	17 June 1975 (age 49); Corpus, Argentina
Domestic
Years	League
	Argentine Primera División
International
Years	League
2010–2022	FIFA listed

Néstor Fabián Pitana (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈnestoɾ piˈtana]; born 17 June 1975) is an Argentine former football referee who refereed at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, 2015 Copa América and 2018 FIFA World Cup.^[1] He oversaw the opening match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup between Russia and Saudi Arabia.^[2] Pitana was appointed to take charge of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Moscow on 15 July 2018. He became the second referee to take charge of the opening game and the Final in the same tournament (after fellow Argentinian Horacio Elizondo, who did the same in 2006).^[3]

Controversies

2018 World Cup final

Pitana's performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final has seen some controversy, mostly related to the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.^[4]^[5] France's first goal was scored from a free kick that was seen by many as a dive from Antoine Griezmann (the rules at the time related to VAR forbade intervention in the case, however).^[4]^[6] France's second goal was scored from a penalty given after Pitana was informed by VAR that he may wish to review the recording of Ivan Perišić's handball.^[7]^[8] After a lengthy deliberation, Pitana awarded the penalty to France, which many pundits called an incorrect interpretation of the rules.^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]

2021 Copa America

"And not for the first time in his career," Pitana's decisions during the 24 June 2021 Copa America game between Brazil and Colombia were also a source of intense controversy. At the 78th minute, Pitana continued the game on a ball that had hit his legs, which according to International Football Association Board rules, should have led to a stop of play. As the Colombian players stood still expecting play to be paused, Brazil scored, tying the match and eventually contributing to Brazil's 2-1 victory.^[13]^[14]

Record

2014 FIFA World Cup – Brazil
Date	Match	Venue	Round
17 June 2014	Russia – South Korea	Cuiabá	Group stage
22 June 2014	United States – Portugal	Manaus	Group stage
25 June 2014	Honduras – Switzerland	Manaus	Group stage
4 July 2014	France – Germany	Rio de Janeiro	Quarter-final
2018 FIFA World Cup – Russia
Date	Match	Venue	Round
14 June 2018	Russia – Saudi Arabia	Moscow	Group stage
27 June 2018	Mexico – Sweden	Ekaterinburg	Group stage
1 July 2018	Croatia – Denmark	Nizhny Novgorod	Round of 16
6 July 2018	Uruguay – France	Nizhny Novgorod	Quarter-final
15 July 2018	France – Croatia	Moscow	Final

Statistics

Tournaments	Constester	Years	Matches		Average		Average
Primera División de Argentina	AFA–SAF	2007–	269	1275	4.74	89	0.33
Primera B Nacional	AFA	2006–2017	61	278	4.55	14	0.23
Copa Argentina	AFA	2011–	4	19	4.75	1	0.25
Supercopa Argentina	AFA	2014	1	4	4.00	0	0.00
Relegation	AFA	2009–2012	4	27	6.75	0	0.00
Copa América	Conmebol	2015	2	8	4.00	1	0.50
Copa Conmebol Libertadores	Conmebol	2010–	34	158	4.64	7	0.21
Copa Conmebol Sudamericana	Conmebol	2010–	16	79	4.94	7	0.44
Recopa Conmebol Sudamericana	Conmebol	2012; 2015	2	11	5.50	2	1.00
South American Under-17 Football Championship	Conmebol	2011	3	11	3.67	0	0.00
FIFA World Cup	FIFA	2014; 2018	9	23	2.56	0	0.00
FIFA Confederations Cup	FIFA	2017	2	5	2.50	0	0.00
FIFA World Cup qualification CONMEBOL	FIFA	2011–	10	52	5.20	3	0.33
FIFA World Cup Intercontinental play-offs	FIFA	2017	1	7	7.00	0	0.00
Friendlies	FIFA	2011–2012	2	11	5.50	0	0.00
2016 Río de Janeiro	IOC–FIFA	2016	2	5	2.50	0	0.00
Totals		2006–	422	1973	4.67	124	0.29
Matches as referee are correct as of 13 August 2018