Basic Information |
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| Stage Name: | Victor Gomes |
| Real Name: | Victor Miguel de Freitas Gomes |
| Occupation: | Football Referee |
| Date Of Birth/Age: | 15 December 1982 (41 Years Old) |
| Place of Birth: | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Gender: | Male |
| Nationality: | South African |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Education: | |
Victor Gomes Biography
Victor Miguel de Freitas Gomes is a South African referee, born to a Portuguese father who was born in the football-obsessed town of Madeira and consequently was obsessed with the game.
Young Victor developed a great interest in the game as well from when he was young. However, by his admission, he wasn’t good enough. But then, he also realized he had an even greater obsession with refereeing. So he decided to leap into the world of officiating.
Since becoming a referee, he had not only officiated on the local scene back home but on the international circuit as well, including on the African Cup of Nations. His biggest dream, which he accomplished recently, was officiating at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
On the Premier Soccer League scene, he has been voted PSL Referee of the Season in 2012–13 and 2017–18.
Age
Victor Gomes was born in 1982, which makes him 40 years at the time of writing. He celebrated his birthday on December 15.
Family
Details about Victor Gomes’s family are not out there. He is reportedly not married but has not ruled out relationships.
Salary
The retired referee reportedly used to earn about R50,000 per match. With sources claiming that a FIFA reward referee earns a basic salary of approximately R1.2 million, then that might be what he earns. However, during his time at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he had reportedly earned around R1. 43 million.
Profile
Victor Gomes is a South African referee and one of the most memorable in his days on the pitch. He started as a player but admitted he wasn’t good enough. But since he was obsessed with refereeing, he decided to pursue it with his body and soul.
“I used to play football for a local team in the regional FA as a right back but to be honest, I wasn’t really a good player. I used to love refereeing and at times, I would beg my coach to let me referee and that’s when I realized refereeing was in my blood.”
Gomes loves every second of wielding the whistle. His dramatic style didn’t go unnoticed. Much of the system was shocked and the ref ended up with the nickname “Penaldinho.”
He was the first South African to officiate at a Nations Cup final.
Cars
For some people, a car is seen as a status symbol, and for others, it is nothing more than a means of transport. So long as it can take them from one place to another, they are cool with it. It’s unclear where Victor Gomes stands here. One thing is clear, though. The referee is a lover of fancy plate numbers. One of his cars has the number plate, “Mr. Ref.”
Net Worth
His passion is officiating during football games and not counting cowries. While he wouldn’t engage in conversations about his net worth, the public has been doing the talking. Estimates of his net worth range from $3 million to $5 million.
Retirement
In football and sports generally, no one plays or officiates forever. A time will come when they will have to leave their turf and embrace the universe of retirement. But at 40, a referee is still pretty young, and retiring at that age is bound to provoke interest.
Well, that’s what happened with Victor Gomes, who flew the South African flag at the recently concluded World Cup in Qatar. Before his retirement, there were speculations that he would retire after his return from the World Cup. Incidentally, he did just that.
He has fulfilled a dream. Now, he would want to spend time with his family.
“The dream started when I was only a child. Now that I’ve achieved the World Cup I’m grateful and ready to spend time with my family.”
