We’ve all seen it: a split-second decision that ignites fury across continents. A card raised, a player dismissed, and suddenly, the referee becomes the story. Not the game. Not the tactics. The man in black. And this time, it was Orsato at the center of the maelstrom after sending off Bellingham in a UEFA Nations League clash between England and Italy. Let’s get one thing straight—this wasn’t just about rules. It was about perception, pressure, and the invisible weight referees carry when millions are watching.
Who is Daniele Orsato and How Did He End Up in the Spotlight?
Orsato isn’t some rookie thrust into the limelight. He’s 48, from Sacile, Italy—a small town north of Venice—and has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2010. Over 400 Serie A matches, Champions League finals, World Cup appointments. The guy has seen it all. Or has he? Because nothing quite prepares you for the storm that follows when you send off one of the most marketable players in world football during an international tournament.
His career peak came in 2022 when he officiated the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Calm, composed, respected. Then, in June 2023, during England vs. Italy, he gave Bellingham a straight red for what appeared to be a minor clash with Marco Verratti. Hand to face? Maybe. Intentional? Debatable. But Orsato didn’t hesitate. That changes everything.
And that’s where things get messy. Because fans, pundits, even former players, immediately questioned his judgment. Not just the decision—but his timing. The 89th minute. A draw on the brink of turning. Was it the right moment for such a harsh punishment? Some said yes. Others said he bottled it under pressure. I find this overrated—the idea that referees "choke." More likely, he applied the letter of the law. Whether that was wise? That’s another conversation.
The Specific Incident: What Exactly Did Bellingham Do?
It happened in the 88th minute. Fast transition. Verratti challenges Bellingham near the touchline. They go down. Bellingham gets up, turns, and—here’s the flashpoint—his right hand makes contact with Verratti’s face. Not a punch. Not a slap. More like a stiff brush as he pushes off. Slow-motion replays show the contact was real. But was it deliberate? That’s the crux.
FIFA’s Laws of the Game state that any act of violent conduct, including striking an opponent with the hand or arm, warrants a red card. Intent matters. Orsato judged there was intent. Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed it. Agreed. So technically, the process was clean. But clean doesn’t mean popular. Especially when the player involved is a rising global icon.
Orsato’s Record: Is He Quick to Punish Star Players?
Look at his history. He sent off Cristiano Ronaldo in 2019 during a Juventus match against Atalanta. Big name. Big reaction. He’s also booked Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Mohamed Salah. So no, he doesn’t shy from authority. Yet, he’s rarely accused of inconsistency. His average cards per game? 4.1 yellows, 0.1 reds. That’s below the European elite average of 0.18 reds per game. So statistically, he’s actually more restrained than most.
Except that one moment. June 16, 2023. That single decision skewed the entire narrative. And honestly, it’s unclear whether he’ll ever fully shake it.
Why This Red Card Sparked More Fury Than Most
Because Bellingham isn’t just a player. He’s a symbol. At 20, he’d already moved to Real Madrid for €103 million. Media darling. Clean-cut. No scandals. The kind of athlete brands love. So when he’s sent off, it feels… wrong. Like the system failed the good guy. We want our heroes protected. Even when they’re not entirely innocent.
Public reaction was instant and brutal. Twitter exploded. #JusticeForBellingham trended in six countries. English tabloids called Orsato “a joke,” “out of his depth,” “blind.” Italian media, of course, defended him. The divide was tribal. And that’s exactly where football’s biggest flaw shows itself—emotions overriding analysis.
But let’s be clear about this: a red card for hand-to-face contact, even minimal, isn’t unprecedented. Remember Jordan Pickford in 2021? Same thing. Same response. The problem is, we remember the outrage, not the precedent. And because Bellingham is more famous now, the echo is louder.
Media Amplification and the Referee’s Mental Load
Imagine being Orsato, going home that night. Your phone buzzing. Your face on every sports headline. Your kids hearing “That ref who ruined England’s game.” It’s not just professional scrutiny. It’s personal. And referees don’t have PR teams. They don’t do post-match interviews to explain themselves. They vanish into silence. Which makes the criticism fester.
Studies from the University of Copenhagen show that elite referees experience cortisol levels comparable to fighter pilots during high-stakes matches. That’s not hyperbole. That’s biology. And after a call like this? The stress doesn’t drop. It spikes. For days. Some officials report sleep disruption, anxiety, even panic attacks. So yes, the decision stands. But at what cost?
Fans vs. Reality: The Myth of the ‘Obvious Mistake’
You’ve seen the memes. “Even my dog saw it wasn’t a red.” Cute. Misleading. Because most fans watch one angle. One replay. On a 4K screen. In slow motion. Referees have one shot. Live. Amid chaos. Peripheral vision full of flailing limbs. And they have 1.8 seconds to decide. That’s it. No rewind. No freeze frame.
To give a sense of scale: a 2022 FIFA analysis found that referee error rates in elite matches are around 3.7% per game. That’s 1.4 incorrect decisions in 90 minutes. Not zero. But not rampant either. And yet, we remember the 1.4, not the 42 correct calls. Because drama sells. And that’s the trap we keep falling into.
Refereeing After the Storm: Did Orsato Face Consequences?
Officially? No. UEFA reviewed the match. Confirmed the red card was within protocol. Orsato continued to officiate Champions League games. No disciplinary action. No hidden ban. No demotion. He even refereed a high-profile Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan clash three weeks later. Cold, professional, flawless.
But unofficially? The whispers remain. Some club managers now challenge his authority more. Subtle things. Delaying substitutions. Questioning calls louder. Not outright disrespect—but the kind of psychological pushback that makes a ref second-guess. That said, Orsato hasn’t backed down. If anything, he’s been stricter since. Maybe to prove a point. Or maybe he just doesn’t care anymore. There’s freedom in that.
And that’s what most people don’t think about this enough—the long-term psychological toll. One call. One moment. And suddenly, your reputation is a battleground. It’s not like being a CEO or a politician. You can’t spin it. You can’t tweet a clarification. You’re judged. Silently. Then moved on from. Until the next controversy.
Bellingham’s Reaction and the Player-Referee Dynamic
Bellingham didn’t appeal the red card. Unusual. Most players do. He accepted it. Said in a presser: “I made contact. I shouldn’t have. I let the team down.” Classy move. But was it genuine remorse? Or damage control? Hard to say. What’s certain is that his response cooled the fire. Took pressure off Orsato. In a way, he helped protect the referee.
Compare that to Neymar in 2017, who raged at the official after a red, called him “corrupt,” got suspended for six games. Or Sergio Ramos, who’s built a career on skating the edge. Bellingham’s humility changed the tone. And that’s a quiet lesson: how players react matters as much as what they do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did VAR Overrule Orsato’s Decision?
No. VAR reviewed the incident and advised Orsato to maintain the red card. The system backed him. Which makes the criticism even harsher—because it wasn’t a rogue call. It was a collective decision. Yet, VAR gets blamed. The referee takes the heat. Always.
Has Orsato Refereed Any Major Games Since Then?
Yes. He officiated the 2023 UEFA Super Cup and multiple Champions League knockout matches. His reputation, while bruised, wasn’t broken. UEFA still trusts him. That’s significant. Because behind closed doors, their confidence speaks louder than headlines.
Could Bellingham Have Avoided the Red Card?
Possibly. If he’d kept his hands down. But in the heat of battle, with Verratti pulling his shirt, balance breaks. Instinct takes over. He reacted. Fast. Poorly. But human. We’re far from perfect. And football, for all its stats and analysis, remains a human game.
The Bottom Line
Daniele Orsato didn’t vanish after the Bellingham red card. He didn’t get sacked. He didn’t break down. He kept refereeing. Kept making calls. Some right. Some debated. Like always. The thing is, we demand perfection from referees but forgive players for mistakes all the time. Why? Because players entertain us. Referees just enforce rules. And that’s where the imbalance lies.
I am convinced that the real issue isn’t one decision. It’s the culture. We glorify chaos. We reward passion. But punish those who try to control it. Orsato applied the law. Was it harsh? Maybe. But not unjust. And in a game increasingly driven by emotion, that level of consistency—however unpopular—should be respected.
So what happened to the referee? He carried on. While the world moved on too. Except now, when a star player makes contact, we’ll hesitate. We’ll remember Bellingham. And we’ll wonder—would Orsato still raise the card today? Probably. Because some men don’t bend. Even under fire. And that, more than any rule, defines true authority.