Ramón Barreto

With a past as an amateur boxer, Barreto was one of the greatest Uruguayan football referees ever, the only one to have taken part in three editions of the FIFA World Cup. Qualified to referee in 1956, he débuted 10 years later in the top-flight of his country, and after three years obtained a FIFA international badge. As a professional referee he was hired by the Brazilian Federation to direct some matches of the local league.

Barreto’s first participation in the World Cup came in 1970, officiating one match, Czechoslovakia-Brazil. In 1974 he achieved two big sporting goals. He officiated the final of the Copa Libertadores between Independiente and Sao Paolo, and then he was called up for the second time to the FIFA World Cup, held in West Germany. He refed the highly publicized match between West and East Germany played in Hamburg, and also officiated Poland-Sweden, and was a linesman at the final West Germany-Netherlands at the München Olympiastadion.

In 1975 Barreto oversaw for the second time the final of the Copa Libertadores between Independiente and Unión Española and then he refereed the final of the Copa América between Peru and Colombia. In 1976 he reached the most prestigious peak of his career, as at the Montréal Olympics, he officiated the gold medal match between East Germany and Poland at the Stade Olympique.

In 1978 Barreto had his third consecutive participation in the World Cup. In Argentina he was appointed for Italy-Hungary and West Germany-Netherlands and then, for the second consecutive World Cup, he ran the line for the Italian referee Sergio Gonella in the final game in Buenos Aires. In 1979 he was selected for the second final of his career in the Copa América (Chile-Paraguay) and in 1981 officiated in the Copa Libertadores final (Flamengo-Cobreloa). Barreto ended his officiating career in 1985. In 1989 the Football International Federation awarded him the prestigious FIFA Special Award.