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I chose myself, says first trans woman to officiate UEFA match

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Israeli referee Sapir Berman beamed as she recalled the moment her “dream came true” earlier this year, when she became the first transgender woman to officiate an international football match.

“I always wanted to be a woman, and I always wanted to be a football referee — and then those two came together and fused into one dream that just exploded with joy,” the 31-year-old told AFP.

“It’s an uplifting, powerful feeling — the feeling that I’m doing the right thing, that I’m choosing myself, that I’m showing the world it’s possible.

“Since I was five, I remember wanting to be a woman, wanting to be a girl. And when I started playing football, I realised that the dream of being a woman and playing football didn’t go together,” she said.

“So I decided to hide who I was and just keep playing football. I hid myself for almost 26 years.”

Berman grew up in a football-loving family, playing as a defender for around 10 years from around the age of five.

When she realised her professional ambitions were not working out, she joined the referees association and worked her way up to preside over men’s matches in the Israeli Premier League.

But all the while, Berman felt she was hiding her innermost secret and was even frustrated during the initial stage of her hormone therapy.

It was when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and Berman was plunged into lockdown that she began reflecting on the future.

“I asked myself: ‘Is this what life will look like? Is this where it’s going?’” she said.

“I decided to reveal myself.”

Berman initially feared her career in football was over, but said her brother suggested she try to make it work.

– ‘A lot of questions’ –

England’s Lucy Clark became the first transgender woman in the world to referee a match in 2018, in the third tier of English women’s football, but has never officiated internationally.

When Berman officiated the Women’s Under-17 Euro qualifier between Northern Ireland and Montenegro in Belfast in March, it was a first for European football, according to UEFA.

Berman said the journey was not always easy, despite great support and professionalism from Israel’s referees association.

“There were a lot of questions, and a lot of moments where they said: ‘We don’t know what to do.’ And I also didn’t know what to do, what it involved, what to expect, or how the process would go,” she said.

Berman said that when she began hormone therapy as part of her transition, she initially felt resentful towards her body.

“Outside the field, I felt amazing. On the field, I felt that I destroyed my career,” she said.

She failed two fitness tests and was moved down a league, but with the help of a sports psychologist and “a lot of trial and error”, she made her comeback.

Berman received her international badge earlier this year and dreams of refereeing a match in the Champions League, the European Championship or the World Cup.

– ‘Different layers’ –

Transgender participation has become a hot-button issue as different sports try to balance inclusivity with ensuring fair competition.

Earlier this year, England’s Football Association announced that transgender women would no longer be allowed to play in women’s football.

Berman said she trusted those in decision-making bodies and expected them to “find the way to integrate, to unite, to diversify”.

“Human beings are made up of so many different layers, and you come and reject us for just one reason,” she said, explaining how an athlete’s performance could also be affected by mental, financial, geographical or familial factors.

On the pitch, Berman said she has received positive reactions from both players and supporters.

“The fans continued to curse me — only now, they did it in the feminine form,” she said, adding it “was a kind of stamp of approval — that they see me exactly as I am”.

And on the street, young people have told her that her story has given them hope.

“That fills me up. It gives me so much strength to keep going and doing what I do — because at the end of the day, I chose myself.”

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Man City documentary reveals Guardiola’s ‘I want to quit’ moment

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Pep Guardiola’s final years at Manchester City, including his fallout with captain Kyle Walker and the impact of his divorce, have been revealed in a new Amazon Prime documentary charting the manager’s final years at the club.

The documentary shows Guardiola fighting back tears, questioning whether his time at City was over and confronting his players during a difficult period that ultimately preceded his departure after a decade in charge.

One of the most striking moments, according to GB News on Tuesday, centred on Walker’s decision to leave City for AC Milan on loan in January 2025 after telling Guardiola he wanted a fresh challenge.

Ahead of a home match against Chelsea, Guardiola expressed his disappointment over the defender’s departure and questioned Walker’s conduct as captain.

He said, “So sad, what happened with Kyle.

“It was so easy for him to come to me [and say] ‘I’m tired’. But you cannot behave as a captain the way he has done it. You cannot, in the toughest moments in our lives.

“What did you do my friends? What did you do with your captain? Tell me, what did you do?”

The documentary also captures a tense exchange between the pair after City’s defeat by Liverpool in December 2024.

Walker had lost possession to Luis Diaz before the Liverpool forward subsequently won a penalty, prompting Guardiola to criticise the defender inside the dressing room.

“Kyle has to know that if you lose the ball it’s a goal,” Guardiola furiously said.

An irritated Walker responded: “Every meeting, it’s my name.”

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Guardiola replied: “Maybe because you’re a captain.”

Walker then said: “OK. You didn’t want me to be your captain.”

The confrontation came during a difficult period for Guardiola, who had seen City lose four consecutive matches for the first time in his managerial career.

Although Guardiola had signed a contract extension in November 2024, the documentary reveals that he came close to leaving the club.

Guardiola recalls telling City “maybe it’s over”, while chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak described the situation as a genuine concern.

“You know the boy that cried wolf? He is the boy that cried wolf.

“I always convince him, but last year, I knew, this time he actually saw the wolf,” Al Mubarak said

Guardiola was also dealing with the breakdown of his marriage during City’s difficult 2024-25 campaign.

His long-time colleague Manel Estiarte said players became concerned about the manager’s emotional state.

“They were worried because Pep was anxious,” Estiarte said.

“He was sad. He was different. And only I knew the reason.

“And I said to the team, ‘please, you have to understand, you’re not playing with a coach who can be a bit impulsive, who can be a bit intense, who can be sometimes up and down. You’re seeing a human being. He’s getting a divorce’,” he added.

The pressure also featured in Guardiola’s dressing-room talks.

After a defeat by Bayer Leverkusen in November 2025, he told his players: “I work for you and I leave my life, my divorce and my family is away and everything for all of you. And what do you give back?

“The performance you have done, all of you. It’s a disgrace guys.

See also  From Guardiola to Motta: Top football managers available this summer

“When I see that, I am exhausted, I’m drained, I want to quit. When you play like this, I feel alone.”

The documentary also covers other departures during City’s rebuilding process, including Kevin De Bruyne’s exit after a decade at the club. Guardiola admitted the decision “kills me”.

PUNCH Online reports that Guardiola eventually stepped down after 10 years at City, having won 20 trophies during his spell, with the FA Cup and League Cup providing the final honours of his tenure.

Source: punchng.com

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FIFA sacks top official after Infantino criticism

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FIFA has parted ways with its Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour, less than three weeks after he publicly criticised President Gianni Infantino over an abandoned plan to sell a stake in a company that would manage the commercial and ticketing rights of FIFA competitions.

FIFA confirmed on Monday that its working relationship with Lamour had ended, according to BBC Sport, which reported that the decision came after his criticism of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.

A FIFA spokesperson said, “The working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026,” adding that the governing body thanked him for his two years of service.

Lamour had described the FFE proposal as “the project of one person” and claimed FIFA’s administration had been “deceived” about the initiative.

He also criticised Infantino’s leadership, saying, “A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite.”

The proposed FFE company was abandoned after plans to sell 21 per cent of it to private investment firms attracted opposition from several football bodies.

UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation opposed the proposal, while UEFA reportedly threatened to boycott the World Cup if the plan went ahead.

The controversy has also affected Infantino’s bid for a fourth term as FIFA president, with UEFA and Concacaf withdrawing their support for his re-election.

The Scottish Football Association also withdrew its backing for Infantino on Monday, joining England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

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However, the confederations representing Africa, South America and Oceania have continued to support Infantino.

Source: punchng.com

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‘That goal changed my life,’ Okocha recalls iconic solo strike against Oliver Kahn

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Former Super Eagles captain, Augustine Okocha, has recalled how a famous solo goal against ex-Bayern Munich goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, transformed his career while he was still at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Okocha said the goal, which saw him dribble past Kahn before finding the net, was the moment he first gained recognition outside Germany.

Speaking on the Obi-Wan podcast on Monday, Okocha, fondly called JJ, said Kahn was in one of his best seasons at the time, shortly before his move to Bayern Munich.

He said the viral moment, which predated social media, still got wide television coverage across Europe and remains one of the defining highlights of his career.

“It was Oliver Kahn, and he was having his best season,” Okocha said.

He added, “That goal changed my life. That was when I gained recognition outside Germany.”

The goal was replayed across European television at the time, despite predating the social media era.

Okocha explained that he held onto the ball longer than he intended before shooting, insisting he was not trying to embarrass Kahn but was searching for the right opening to score.

He said his then Frankfurt manager later joked that his starting place at the club depended on that goal going in.

“I didn’t mean to hold onto it that long. Whenever I want to shoot, I see somebody in front, so I was just trying to find the right moment to shoot.

“The saving grace was it did go in, because even the manager told me, had he been there, I didn’t score that goal, as long as he remains manager of this team, you will never play again,” he said.

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Okocha said he has since met Kahn but has never discussed the goal with him, joking that the German’s stern demeanour makes it a difficult conversation to start.

“I’ve met him, but you don’t want to discuss that. He’s a big lad, and he never smiles,” Okocha said

Okocha made his name at Eintracht Frankfurt after starting his European career at a lower-tier German club, before further stints at Fenerbahçe, PSG and Bolton Wanderers cemented his reputation as one of Africa’s most gifted attacking midfielders.

Source: punchng.com

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