Nicolae Rainea

Who is Nicolae Rainea?

Nicolae Rainea, nicknamed The Locomotive of the Carpathians, is a retired Romanian football referee. He refereed at three FIFA World Cups, the UEFA Euro 1980 Final, the 1983 European Cup Final, the second leg of the 1978 European Super Cup and also the second leg of the 1978 UEFA Cup Final.

Rainea is chiefly remembered for his officiating of the Italy v Argentina game at the 1982 World Cup, when he allowed Italy's Claudio Gentile to commit numerous bad fouls on Argentina's Diego Maradona, yet showed Gentile only one yellow card. In a later match between France and Northern Ireland at the same tournament, serving as a linesman, he disallowed a legitimate goal by Northern Ireland's Martin O'Neill when the score was still 0-0. France went on to win 4-1.

Rainea has been decorated by two presidents of Romania, Ion Iliescu and Traian Băsescu. He has been made Honorary Citizen of Galați where he resides and is currently serving his fourth Local Council term.

In 2011, he celebrated celebrated 50 years of marriage. He has two children, a boy and a daughter, both established in Sweden.

Nicolae Rainea Stadium in Galați is named after him.