COPA AMERICA
Who is Raphael Claus, referee for Argentina - Colombia Copa América final?
The Brazilian match official has been selected by CONMEBOL to oversee proceedings at Sunday’s Copa América final in Miami.
Colombia and Argentina go head-to-head next Sunday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami as Néstor Lorenzo’s side look to secure only their second title against the fancied World Cup and current Copa América champions.
The CONMEBOL Referees Commission have confirmed that the refereeing team for the decisive match will be made up of five Brazilian officials and two Paraguayans.
Brazilian Raphael Claus will be the referee of the match and will be assisted by the linesmen Bruno Pires and Rodrigo Correa. The fourth referee will be Juan Benítez, while the fifth referee will be Eduardo Cardozo, both from Paraguay. Rodolpho Toski will be in charge of the VAR.
Referees Argentina vs Colombia
- Referee: Raphael Claus (BRA)
- Assistant referee N°1: Bruno Pires (BRA)
- Assistant referee No. 2: Rodrigo Correa (BRA)
- Fourth referee: Juan Benitez (PAR)
- Fifth referee: Eduardo Cardozo (PAR)
- VAR: Rodolpho Toski (BRA)
- AVAR: Danilo Manis (BRA)
This will be the sixth game that Raphael Claus oversees at the Copa América and his second match in charge in 2024 after refereeing Venezuela’s 1-0 victory against Mexico in the group stage. Claus is one of the continent’s most decorated referee’s and has overseen games in the South American Qualifiers, the Qatar World Cup, the U-20 World Cup, U-17 and U-20 South American Championships, as well as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana.
Claus’ games with Colombia and Argentina
Raphael Claus has overseen three games involving the Colombian national team with one of them involving Argentina. The outcome was one victory, one draw and one defeat and in the three contests, the 44-yearñold match official administered nine yellow cards to Colombian players.
The national team’s first match with the Brazilian in charge was in the 2021 Copa América in which he oversaw the 3-2 victory against Peru in the third place match. That same year he was in charge of the 1-1 draw between Paraguay and Colombia in the Qualifiers, while in 2022 he was in charge of Argentina’s 1-0 victory against Colombia at the Mario Alberto Kempes.
Claus has overseen the Albiceleste in four games. In addition to the aforementioned game against Colombia, he was in charge for the draws at home against Paraguay and away against Ecuador as well as the 1-0 victory against Paraguay, all in the South American Qualifiers. 8 yellow cards and 0 red cards are the balance of Scaloni’s team with the Brazilian referee in charge.