Both FIFA and sources close to World Cup referee Mark Geiger have denied accusations from Morocco’s Nordin Amrabat that the American official asked for a Portugal player’s shirt during the game he worked on Wednesday.
FIFA statement related to media reports about FIFA Referee Mark Geiger @FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/SZ6QHMfyPq
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 21, 2018
Sources close to Geiger also denied to ESPN FC that he made such a request.
“It’s laughable, these allegations,” said one source, who asked to remain anonymous because he is not authorised to comment on refereeing issues at the World Cup. “We saw it on Twitter last night and laughed at the ridiculousness of it.”
Dem Say Dem Say!
Morocco's #MAR Nordin Amrabat claims Cristiano Ronaldo's #POR teammate, Pepe, told him that American Referee Mark Geiger, asked for Ronaldo's shirt' at half time during the side's #WorldCup match on Wednesday.
? @GettyImages pic.twitter.com/PWppq7yICW
— Adeniyi Adebanjo (@deniyiclement) June 21, 2018
Geiger is a longtime Major League Soccer referee who worked three games at the 2014 World Cup, at which he became the first American to officiate a game in the tournament’s knockout rounds when he oversaw the round-of-16 match between France and Nigeria. I can’t blame the guy for asking for Ronaldo’s jersey if true. That would be a pretty valuable souvenir.
