Bekim Zogaj stood on the touchline at the European Championship, at Camp Nou, at the Joggeli - now his active career as an assistant referee has come to an end at the age of 45. But he is not frustrated despite the age guillotine.
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- Bekim Zogaj was an assistant referee at the highest level for 15 years. In the summer, he even worked alongside Sandro Schärer at the European Championships in Germany.
- He ended his career on September 21 at the classic match between Basel and Zurich. He would have been allowed to blow the whistle until the end of the year, but no longer.
- This is because the rules in Switzerland are strict: a referee at the highest level must be 45 - not a year older. However, he would not be too old for the Champions League.
- In future, Zogaj will act as deputy to referee boss Daniel Wermelinger and become head of the Swiss assistant referees - in addition to a 100% job at the Winterthur civil engineering office.
It was September 21 at the classic match between Basel and Zurich in front of 36,000 fans. Stoppage time had just begun when Bekim Zogaj let go for the first time. "I said to myself, now enjoy the last few minutes."
It was a week before his 45th birthday, and he knew he was about to experience his last minutes in top-flight football. After 15 years as an assistant referee at the highest level, it would soon be over. After appearances in the Super and Champions Leagues or, most recently, at the European Championships in Germany, when he stood by Sandro Schärer - "and I was just as happy about every game, no matter where, no matter when, no matter who was playing".
The final whistle at St. Jakob-Park marked the end of his active career. A little earlier than necessary, because Zogaj could have been active until the end of the calendar year. And Zogaj, who was born in Winterthur, is also at peace with himself. Both clubs gave him a kit, FCB and FCZ. Zogaj: "That's not a matter of course."
Strict rules in Switzerland
Nevertheless, it was a farewell that was not entirely voluntary. For Zogaj, too, the age guillotine would have decided the end of his career at the end of the year. Germany's Felix Brych is still whistling at 49, while Italy's Daniele Orsato was still refereeing European Championship matches at 48. In Switzerland, however, the rules are strict: a referee at the highest level may be 45 - not a year older.
Zogaj would have liked to continue - he loves his job as an impartial referee too much. But he is by no means frustrated. On the one hand, he knows the national rules, and on the other, he has interesting tasks ahead of him: In the future, he will act as deputy to referee boss Daniel Wermelinger and become head of the Swiss assistant referees - in addition to a 100% job at the Winterthur civil engineering office.
Not everyone understands that referees retire at an age when they have more authority and experience than ever due to their age and mature personality? Zogaj understands that too. But he keeps the good memories.
"I sleep better thanks to VAR"
He thinks back fondly. The first Champions League match, for example, Barcelona against Ferencvaros in 2020. But also negative examples. One in particular: the time he assisted Sascha Amhof when he whistled as part of a referee exchange in the Austrian Bundesliga - and overlooked the fact that Altach's winning goal against Grödig in stoppage time was scored from an offside position. Zogaj: "He was offside by a shoe's width. But Amhof's picture was dragged through the media for a week. "I had a very bad conscience," says Zogaj.
That's another reason why he appreciates the VAR. "To be honest: I sleep better. And even if mistakes still happen from time to time - the bottom line is that VAR makes football fairer." Nevertheless, Zogaj has set himself the goal of training the assistants, for whom he will be responsible in future, to become courageous, self-confident referees. "They should decide as if there were no VAR." He also wants to hone their empathy. "You need that as a referee and as an assistant. You also need humanity. That's why I had a good time with almost everyone, whether with players or coaches."
"The insults got worse with social media"
He has learned to live with the criticism that every referee receives - including death threats from time to time. "When I started out, social media wasn't an issue. Today, it's omnipresent and leads to a lowering of inhibitions and an increasingly questionable choice of words," says Zogaj. "But for the most part, we referees are respected."
As a 17-year-old, he himself played in the 2nd division at FC Wiesendangen, Manuel Akanji's home club, and refereed 1st division matches as the main referee - until he concentrated on his career as an assistant referee and discovered the international stage, particularly under Schärer. And lived out his passion there. Now he passes it on as an association official (coach/instructor) and supervisor in the video operations room in Volketswil.
