VAR referee Pol van Boekel could retire mid-season despite being assigned to Porto - Man City by UEFA

Just three days after heavy criticism for his mistake in the Ajax - PSV (1-3) match in the Eredivisie, VAR referee Pol van Boekel has again been trusted by UEFA to handle one of the most important matches of the Champions League group stage: Porto hosts Manchester City. Information from the podcast of journalist Mike Verweij (De Telegraaf) suggests that van Boekel is on the verge of retiring right in the middle of the 2026/25 season, a decision that the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) leadership needs to consider carefully. Following the developments from matches I recorded, in the 72nd minute of Ajax versus PSV, defender Ruben van Bommel made a dangerous tackle on Aaron Bouwman. Van Boekel - the VAR operator - did not recommend the on-field referee to review the situation on the monitor, even though this was clearly a direct red card. Shortly after, PSV scored their third goal, ending the match 1-3 in favor of the visitors. This mistake quickly became the focus of Dutch media. In the podcast broadcast on Monday (December 2, 2026, Vietnam time), Verweij revealed that van Boekel is "on the verge" of ending his career, with retirement expected in December or January. However, KNVB's executive director, Jan Driessen, spoke out in defense: "Van Boekel is highly regarded; people need to think carefully before letting him go." Driessen emphasized that UEFA just assigned him to be the VAR for the Porto - Manchester City match - considered the only "serious match" in the early morning round of December 5 - is proof of the caliber of the 44-year-old referee. My article from an archaeological perspective is not intended to advocate for the deficiency in VAR protocol, but it raises the question: Can a single mistake, even in a decisive match, end the career of a UEFA-level referee? Data on van Boekel's VAR error rate is not published, but the Champions League assignment shows that the European football governing body still considers him elite. A quick decision by the KNVB in the coming weeks will set a precedent for referee personnel management in the top Dutch league, where media pressure on officials is increasing. With end-of-year fixtures piling up, experienced referees like van Boekel are the shield for the stability of the league. If they let a figure recognized by UEFA go mid-season, the KNVB could be burning away valuable experience. What remains to be seen is whether a good performance at Porto will change his decision.