The World Cup final is undoubtedly one of the biggest games in football.
As we all know, referees are prone to mistakes - even with the invention of VAR - and nobody wants to see one made when it really matters. As such, the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will be hoping Szymon Marciniak - the referee for the World Cup final - will take Sunday's game at the Lusail Stadium very seriously.
The Polish official has been accused of not doing so in the past. During a Champions League tie between Chelsea and Real Madrid last season, then Blues manager Thomas Tuchel was furious with Marciniak for appearing to share a joke with Carlo Ancelotti.
Tuchel clashed with Marciniak during the second leg of that tie at the Bernabeu, as defending champions Chelsea battled to keep their hopes alive. They suffered a 3-1 defeat to Real in the first leg at Stamford Bridge but responded well to that defeat.
Goals from Mason Mount and Antonio Rudiger levelled the tie at 3-3. Chelsea then thought they had taken the lead when Marcos Alonso found the net, but Marciniak disallowed the goal on a VAR review for the cruellest of handballs. It was not deliberate.
Tuchel raged at Marciniak for denying his side and was booked for his overzealous protests. Chelsea did eventually take the lead through Timo Werner's strike, but late a Rodrygo goal sent the game into extra-mate. Karim Benzema then scored the winner.
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Chelsea were understandably devastated by the defeat and were in no mood for jokes. Therefore, Tuchel wasn't happy to see Marciniak laughing with Real manager Ancelotti at full-time. "I think this is very, very bad timing - and I told him that," moaned Tuchel.
The German added: "When you play against Real Madrid, maybe you don't expect everyone has the courage. I felt the little decisions in the first leg and today as well.
"I didn't see the goal but I am super disappointed he didn't come out and check it on its own. You [Marciniak] should stay the boss and not give the decisions to someone in a chair [the VAR official] and who is isolated."
Despite his row with Tuchel, Marciniak will be looking forward to the biggest game of his career. The 41-year-old has officiated several major games before - such as the European Super Cup and the U21 Euros final - but nothing compares to a World Cup final.
Marciniak is the first Polish referee to officiate a World Cup final, men's or women's. He will be joined by two Polish assistants - Pawel Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz.
Just two Englishmen have refereed the World Cup final. The first was Jack Taylor, who took charge of the 1974 final between the Netherlands and West Germany in Munich. The second was Howard Webb, who booked 12 players and sent Johnny Heitinga off during the fiery 2010 final between the Netherlands and Spain in Johannesburg.
