Refereeing debut

As a player, there are few things more brilliant than being part of a World Cup squad. Stepping out to compete for your country on football's biggest stage is considered one of the greatest achievements the game offers. Players are not the only ones privy to realizing such dreams though, as Germany's representative referee Felix Brych states.

Brych and his team are heading to Brazil as Germany's sole tournament officials, and will have to contend with even more pressure than they are used to in the Bundesliga. Tens of thousands of fans will dispute decisions with loud whistles and chants, players will scream their unfiltered opinions and the abundant number of stadium cameras will capture every moment of the game. The feeling that "everyone saw it, except the referee" certainly springs to mind.

For Felix Brych, there is one such moment that he will never escape. On October 18, 2013, he awarded Stefan Kießling a goal in Leverkusen's Bundesliga game against Hoffenheim, even though the ball never crossed the line. Instead, it ended up in the back of the net having gone through a hole in the side netting.

The ghost goal dominated headlines and column inches for weeks afterwards, and Brych learned his lesson. "It was a moment of life experience," said the referee a few days before setting off for the World Cup.

"It was a bad experience. A decision like that is right at the end of a chain reaction of mistakes, and not just an error in judgment. As a group, we had to tighten things up after that, in terms of game preparation and mindset. We did that and as a result, the experience wasn't pleasant but it was worthwhile."

'All the pieces are in place'

Germany's new World Cup referee has learned from his mistake. The 38-year-old also gathered more valuable experience in this year's Europa-League final between FC Sevilla and Benfica - a game which he refereed confidently.

Former referee and current member of UEFA's refereeing commission Herbert Fandel believes that staying cool under pressure in tight, hectic games is an extremely important attribute. Fandel holds Wolfgang Stark's successor in high regard when it comes to that matter: "Felix Brych is from one of the world's most professional footballing countries. He referees the most difficult games in our country, and UEFA trust him with the toughest of games. Preparation must be perfect. The necessary confidence is also there, and so all the pieces are in place really."

And Brych agrees that he is well prepared. After two years of extra training, the chosen referees, Brych included, will now be asked to perform on the sport's biggest stage. From 52 teams of referees, 25 qualified after completing a number of medical and fitness tests. Brych, a qualified lawyer, was training six times a week under the instruction of a fitness coach.

"We are all aware of just how great the physical demands will be on us during the World Cup in Brazil. Our fitness has to be at the right level, or we won't be able to do our job." His job as a lawyer at the Bavarian football association is something he can only work on during his free time.

"I'm looking forward to the World Cup, I'm a part of it. And I'm looking forward to working with my referee colleagues from around the world - they're a really good group."

Another debut

For the first time in World Cup history, goal-line technology will be able to be used by the referees in Brazil. The technology, recently used in last year's Confederations Cup, remains a topic of great debate in the Bundesliga, a league where it is not used.

"We've had a good experience with it so far," Brych explains. "It's nothing new for me. I've often said that I think it's a good thing because we've got another tool available to us that can help us do our job."

One thing about the technology that will help Brych above all else is that it removes the possibility of another ghost goal nightmare. And that, if nothing else, should take the pressure off Germany's top referee.