Exclusive interview with Michele Conti, one of the world’s top beach soccer referees, sharing insights into his journey, experiences, and the art of refereeing in the beautiful game.
Michele is a renowned beach soccer referee and instructor with a career spanning over three decades. Since his first match in 1997, he has officiated in numerous high-profile tournaments, including the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups, European Cup finals and the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
As a FIFA Beach Soccer Referee Instructor since 2011, Michele has mentored referees at five World Cups (2015-2024) and was part of the FIFA Panel Beach Soccer Expert group alongside esteemed colleagues. His dedication and expertise earned him the 2023 Best Referee Award. With a wealth of experience and a passion for the sport, Michele continues to shape the future of beach soccer refereeing, as he shares his journey and passion with BSmag.
Early Days and Inspiration
BSmag: Hello Michele, you’ve had an impressive career officiating in numerous high-profile tournaments. What inspired you to become a referee?
I became a referee when I was 17, but the referee’s role was fascinating to me even before. I always liked football, even if I was not as skilled as a young player. Maybe it’s for this reason that becoming a referee was a pretty easy choice for me. Then, once I started I immediately got that this would have been my future in football.
Teaching the Next Generation
BSmag: You’ve also been an instructor since 2011. What do you enjoy most about teaching the next generation of referees?
When I have the chance to meet young referees during my FIFA courses as an instructor, my first goal is to pass the real passion for beach Soccer to them. It’s important that referees understand the game and the spirit of this discipline, whose main characteristic is related to the high level of spectacularity with scissor kicks and other incredible tricks by the players. Then, of course, if a referee wants to shine as a talent, the referee needs to love this game. By the way, another point that I usually consider during my courses is related to differences and similarities with football and futsal, considering that the majority of the referees is involved in these sports as well.
World Cup Experience
BSmag: What was it like refereeing at your first World Cup in 2006?
Yes, my first World Cup was in 2006, and the Semifinal in particular, it is one of my best memories as a referee. Being on the pitch in the Copacabana beach, where this discipline was born was a tremendous emotion. The atmosphere was outstanding but as a referee I remember very well that my full focus was on the game, trying to do my very best in every second of the game.
BSmag: Since then, you have been part of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup referee team for more than five editions. Can you share experiences and lessons learnt from those tournaments?
Every edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup allows me to keep beautiful memories and make new friends. Having the chance to exchange points of view with top players and coaches is priceless as well and crucial in order to develop in the future. The best teaching I think I could pass to the referees is to always expect the unexpected. Anything is possible in Beach Soccer, referees must be 100% focused and open-minded. Our goal as instructors is to help them to develop this positive attitude towards the matches.
BSmag: Benchabane, Almansory, and Moraes are well-known referees. How would you describe working with them?
Benachabane was my first role model when I was a young FIFA referee. He is older and experienced, an icon in the Beach Soccer refereeing world. Then, we have been working together for many years as instructors and have the same mindset regarding the approach to this role. It’s surely also for this reason and for the big friendship and mutual respect that we work in such harmony.
I have a great relationship also with Ivo Moraes. I honestly consider him the biggest referee in Beach Soccer’s history of refereeing. Regarding my colleague Al Mansory, I met him for the first time in 2011 during the World Cup that took place in Italy. I was immediately surprised by his technical skills together with his team spirit.
Another good memory for me is having had the chance, together with Benchabane, to appoint both Ivo and Ebrahim as referees for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup final. It’s the biggest goal for a referee and now I am very proud to work with these two colleagues as instructors as well.
Also Read: Interview with Benchabane: A Beach Soccer Referee’s Journey.
FIFA Expert Group
BSmag: How did you become a part of the FIFA Panel beach soccer expert group ? And what can you share about this very respected group
As my personal attitude, I always give my support when requested, both in my country, in Italy, and at international level. I feel really lucky and happy to have the chance to work with great people in FIFA. Thanks to them I have the chance to work hard doing my best to develop beach Soccer refereeing. I’d like to mention the FIFA Referee Department, starting from our Chairman Pierluigi Collina and our Director Massimo Busacca and also Patrick Graf, Head of refereeing and Dominic Chielens, senior manager, always helpful to support me and my colleagues with their huge professional experience. Regarding the technical activity for the benefit of the referees, the introduction of the beach Soccer material in the FIFA RED Platform, the platform dedicated to the referees’ education in all the disciplines under the auspices of FIFA. Right now, we are working in order to implement new opportunities from this point of view in order to assure more chances of technical development for everybody. Finally, I’d like to thank beach Soccer Worldwide that invites me as a referee coordinator in his competitions, allowing me to watch so many games, meeting officials, players and coaches, having a fair and fruitful exchange of point of view. Besides this, what is most important as a referee instructor is to have the chance to support the development of a lot of referees during all these events.
Tactical Innovations and Trends
BSmag: How have you seen beach soccer evolve over the years, and how have you adapted to keep up with the changes?
This sport changed a lot during the past years. It has become more and more professional and it’s crucial that we adapt, as referees and FIFA instructors. The colleagues on the pitch need more and more to know the players’ characteristics on the pitch to give the most appropriate interpretations. The same applies to the tactics. referees need more and more to know the play in order to be ready adapting to the situations occurring during the games. I’d like to underline the appreciable job we started during the last FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup together with some top coaches like Marrucci and Stankovic, who supported the referees’ team in preparing the games from a tactical point of view. Lately, we also started working as a panel together with coaches, players and goalkeepers in order to find new opportunities to make the play even more spectacular.
BSmag: Can you give an example of a specific tactical innovation or trend that you’ve seen emerge in beach soccer, and how you’ve adjusted your refereeing approach to accommodate it?
The Goalkeeper’s play has become more and more crucial in current Beach Soccer. From the referee’s point of view, a correct approach in the 4-second count is almost as important as a scissor kick’s evaluation. The referee must be well-timed running towards the halfway line to keep the line, or even anticipate the goalkeeper. Being credible is a key point for a successful performance.
Memorable Moments & Legacy
BSmag: Looking back on your career, what do you consider your most memorable moment as a referee?
In addition to the semifinal I have some other good memories on the pitch as a referee: I can mention the Final of the African Cup in Durban in 2007, it was so crowded and full of passion. I guess it’s for this reason that I’m particularly happy regarding the upcoming FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Africa. I’m sure the atmosphere will be exceptional.
Then, I would like to mention the award I had the honour to receive during the Beach Soccer Stars ceremony. I would like to thank FIFA which made this possible and Beach Soccer Worldwide which decided to create this award regarding the referees’ world. In the next editions, it will be received by the best referees of the discipline.
BSmag: Thank you for the time Michele. And in closing, I like to always ask … What footprints would you like to leave on the sand? It’s a question that allows you to share what you would like to be remembered by the beach soccer community.
I’m in love with this sport and the beach soccer referee uniform is my second skin. My goal is to have more and more beach soccer talented match officials on the pitch, assuring them the same chances to develop and the same consideration that their colleagues in Football and Futsal have.
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