The 2022 FIFA World Cup has reached the semifinal stage, as four teams are cut down to the final two.
The 2018 finalists Croatia battled through a second successive tournament penalty shootout win against Brazil in the quarterfinal, and they now face Argentina for a spot in the showpiece title decider.
Lionel Messi's drive to win a first-ever World Cup is one of the biggest narratives of Qatar 2022, as the iconic Albiceleste No. 10 aims to banish the memories of losing the 2014 final.
Messi and Argentina will look to continue their knockout-stage momentum, but after official Antonio Mateu Lahoz set a World Cup record for yellow cards in their quarterfinal against the Netherlands, they will be hoping for a quieter night with Italian Daniele Orsato in charge.
Here we take a closer look at the man in the middle for the semifinal clash.
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Who is Argentina vs Croatia referee Daniele Orsato?
Italian official Daniele Orsato has been confirmed as the referee for this World Cup semifinal showdown.
His team is made up of two other Italians, with Ciro Carbone and Alessandro Giallatini as assistant referees, and the UAE represented by Mohammed Abdulla Mohammed as fourth official.
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) December 11, 2022
Orsato has already refereed Argentina once so far in Qatar, in their 2-0 Group C win over Mexico.
He also oversaw the opening game of the 2022 tournament when Ecuador beat hosts Qatar 2-0.
Daniele Orsato World Cup 2022 record
| Date | Stage | Match | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 20 | Group Stage | Qatar 0 Ecuador 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Nov. 26 | Group Stage | Argentina 2 Mexico 0 | 5 | 0 |
Daniele Orsato's refereeing style
The 47-year-old is one of the most experienced officials at the 2022 World Cup, and he is widely tipped to be picked for the final on December 18.
UEFA added him to their match list in 2014, and he has gone on to referee major club games, including the 2020 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, during the COVID-19 lockdown.
He will likely not gather the same amount of controversial attention as Lahoz, and he has developed a reputation for talking to players before flashing cards.
In 2022, he has officiated 27 matches, brandishing just three red cards in that time — all of which were for second bookable offences.
Daniele Orsato career, background
Born in Vicenza, Italy, Orsato trained as an electrician in his early career, before moving into refereeing professionally in 2006.
He is a father of two from Recoaro Terme, a small town of around 6,000 people in Vicenza province in north-eastern Italy
His early off-field job allowed him to combine earning a living with his passion for becoming a referee, and he quickly rose through the ranks within amateur Italian football and on into the country's top flight Serie A.
After gaining his FIFA international badge in 2010, he established himself as one of the best officials in Europe.
As well as refereeing in domestic and European action, he has also officiated internationally in the European Championships and World Cup qualifiers.
He was also in charge as Portugal took on Spain in the UEFA Nations League in September, prior to the World Cup.
