Olegário Benquerença

Who is Olegário Benquerença?

Olegário Benquerença is a Portuguese football referee. As of 11 March 2009, he has refereed 11 matches in the Champions League and 11 matches in the UEFA Cup. He also refereed in qualifiers for 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, and 2010 FIFA World Cup. On 25 January 2004, he was the referee who issued Miklós Fehér a yellow card shortly before he collapsed on the pitch and later died.

He was preselected as a referee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was the head referee in the quarterfinal between Uruguay and Ghana. In this game he gave Luis Suárez a red card for blatantly blocking a shot with his hands to save what would have been the extra time winner.

Benquerenca is also known for his touchline dismissal of Auxerre defender Jean-Pascal Mignot, during an AFC Ajax v AJ Auxerre UEFA Champions League group stage match in October 2010. Mignot was warming up during the final moments of the game, having not yet taken to the field, and was 'sent-off' for continually remonstrating against a decision that went against his team.

He currently lives in the Portuguese city of Leiria.