Victor Gomes have been named on the panel of match officials for the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in Brazil in October‚ strengthening his chance of making the prestige panel for the next senior World Cup in Qatar.
Fifa use their age group tournaments to test World Cup-bound referees and the 36-year-old Gomes’s first appointment at a Fifa tournament is a step in the right direction for his ambition to play at the ultimate of footballing event.
The Under-17 World Cup in Brazil is being played from October 26 to November 17.
Gomes’s selection follows on his performances at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt last month.
He has seemingly calmed down after earning early career notoriety for some bizarre performances‚ filled with penalties and red cards.
Gomes joins the following list of South Africans who have officiated at Fifa tournaments:
*Daniel Bennett (U-17 World Cup 2013 UAE‚ Club World Cup UAE 2010)
*Jerome Damon (World Cup 2010‚ U-17 World Cup 2005 Peru‚ U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009‚ Olympic Games 2008‚ Club World Cup Japan 2006)
*Carlos Henriques (U-20 World Cup Nigeria 1999)
*Ian McLeod (World Cup 1998‚ Confederation Cup 1997)
*Enoch Molefe (World Cup 2010‚ U-17 World Cup 2005 Peru‚ U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009‚ Olympic Games 2008‚ Club World Cup Japan 2006)
*Achmat Sallie (World Cup 1998‚ U-20 World Cup Malaysia 1997)
*Zakhele Siwela (World Cup 2018‚ U-20 World Cup 2017 South Korea‚ U-20 World Cup 2015 New Zealand‚ U-17 World Cup 2011 Mexico‚ U-17 World Cup 2013 UAE‚ Club World Cup UAE 2018)
*Ari Soldatos (World Cup 1998‚ U-20 World Cup Qatar 1995).
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