Jude Bellingham is set for an awkward reunion with Felix Zwayer after UEFA picked the German official to referee England’s Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Zwayer was banned by the German football federation for six months for his role in a match-fixing scandal back in 2005.
He admitted to accepting a bribe from fellow official Robert Hoyzer, who was subsequently given a lifetime ban from football.
Zwayer was one of three German referees who stepped forward to bring Hoyzer’s match-fixing ploy to light, which helped reduce his ban.
Jude Bellingham was fined for his comments about Felix Zwayer
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He returned to top-flight football soon after and was selected as a VAR official at the 2018 World Cup.
But the official was back in the spotlight in December 2021 after officiating a game between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
He was heavily criticised for not awarding Dortmund a penalty in their 3-2 defeat to Bayern with Bellingham referring to Zwayer’s ban in a heated post-match interview.
“You can look at a lot of the decisions in the game,” he said at the time.
“You give a referee, that has match-fixed before, the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?”
Bellingham was slapped with a €40,000 (£33,970) for his remarks with Zwayer taking a short break from officiating.
The 43-year-old has now been selected by UEFA to referee England’s game against the Netherlands having already taken charge of four games previously at the tournament.
It will be the first time he’s taken charge of a match involving Bellingham since their controversy two-and-a-half years ago.
Jude Bellingham was unhappy with Felix Zwayer during a match in December 2021
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England star Luke Shaw was asked whether the awkward reunion would make for an ‘uncomfortable situation’ during his press conference on Monday.
“No, not at all,” Shaw replied.
“I think we have to respect UEFA on whoever they decide to pick as the ref.
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Felix Zwayer was banned for six months back in 2005
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“That won’t change anything about us, I think we still just focus on the game in hand, not too much about what refs we’ve been given or this and that. So for us it won’t make any difference.”
Gareth Southgate has a decision to make against the Netherlands on whether to start Luke Shaw or not.
The Manchester United full-back made his Euro 2024 debut off the bench against Switzerland and provided England with more stability on the left side of defence.