Erick Villalobos Ruiz approved the arbitration course and already dreams of managing professional matches

With only 12 years of age, the Costa Rican Erick Villalobos Ruiz approved the course of national soccer referee in his country, becoming the youngest person in his nation to do so.

Leer en español: ¡Tiene 12 años y ya es árbitro profesional!: Entrevista con el niño 'genio' de Costa Rica

He is the son of former referee Jorge Villalobos, from whom he inherited his love for the discipline. With the passage of time, Villalobos was motivated by what he observed.

His father Jorge told LatinAmerican Post that he feels great pride for what Erick has done and the support has been fundamental to achieve his goals.

Now, Erick is whistling in a children's league and hopes to debut in professional football. LatinAmerican Post spoke exclusively with Erick who told us about this magnificent experience.

LatinAmerican Post (LP): Why did you choose football refereeing?

Eric Villalobos (EV): Thanks to my father Jorge Villalobos, since I liked several of his stories when he was referee of professional soccer in Costa Rica. I saw many referees on the field and I was interested in knowing what they were doing and the reasons why they performed this task.

LP: What do you feel about having become the first Costa Rican to graduate as a national soccer referee at this young age?

EV: It is something that fills me with pride for having achieved this goal. I hope God allows me to achieve my dreams as a referee.

LP: How has been your experience as a referee in children's tournaments?

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EV: I have only whistled a small tournament for children in San José. At first, I was nervous because I did not know if I was going to make a mistake. However, with the passage of time, I began to gain confidence, and I felt more confident to whistle the other matches.

LP: What can you tell us about the course of referees you took?

EV: It was important because I started to know things about arbitration that I did not know. I learned rules and different anecdotes from teachers.

LP: What are the main characteristics that a referee should have?

EV: Having control of the game and a good character in the game, as it is handled a lot of pressure by the fans and the players. That is why it is important to have a strong and firm personality to prevent the players from controlling the games.

LP: What is the soccer game you most dream of directing and why?

EV: I would love to be the referee of a match between Saprissa and Heredia, two traditional teams in Costa Rica. It is important to see and manage the environment of the fans of these casts, when faced with a footballing commitment.

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LP: Tell us about each of the dreams you have with arbitration

EV: In the future, I would like to be a referee in a European Champions League and in a World Cup, achieving great things. I would also love to run a UEFA Europa League, always thinking about important world competitions.

LP: How should a referee impose order on the court?

EV: They should have a strong character without scolding the players for everything. You must be smart and know what you are going to say to each of them. It is not the same to talk to one player and to a different one; the judge should be a facilitator of the show. Directing and controlling are parts of your work.

LP: Which referee do you admire and why?

EV: I admire Ricardo Montero a lot, because he has represented Costa Rica on a global level, he was in Russia and he had a very long preparation.

LP: How did you mix your school studies with the arbitration course?

EV: It was a bit difficult to go to the course that was Monday night and the school left in the afternoon. There were difficulties but we managed to go to the classes. I am currently in sixth grade at the school and I am very close to graduating.

LatinAmerican Post | Daniel Cuevas
Translated from “¡Tiene 12 años y ya es árbitro profesional!: Entrevista con el niño genio de Costa Rica”