Clement Turpin Appointed To Referee England Vs Croatia World Cup Opener After Tuchel Criticism

Clement Turpin has been appointed by FIFA to referee England's opening World Cup game against Croatia on Wednesday, with the match set for Dallas on Wednesday, June 17.

“Clement Turpin has been appointed referee for England's opening World Cup game against Croatia on Wednesday - and was once labelled a "Grade E" official by head coach Thomas Tuchel”

BBC

The appointment revives Thomas Tuchel’s past run-in with Turpin, after the Frenchman showed Tuchel two yellow cards in the German club’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City in April 2023 and sent him to the stands.

BBC

Turpin produced five yellow cards in the first half at Allianz Arena and a straight red for Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano for a last-man challenge on Erling Haaland, but an offside call from VAR reversed the decision.

Tuchel’s post-match criticism included the line: "I'd give him a one out of 10. He was absolutely terrible."

The BBC also notes that Turpin took charge of England’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia at Euro 2024, placing him in the middle of England matches before the Croatia opener.

Jude Bellingham has also seen Turpin’s no-nonsense approach first-hand, with the midfielder pushed away from the penalty spot by Turpin while trying to put Bayern's Harry Kane off taking a penalty.

In the Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, Kane scored the penalty and later said: "I’m sure he [Bellingham] was saying something to try and put me off but, thankfully, it was OK."

DIEZ.HN

Kane added: "I don't know what he was saying. I saw him there mumbling something.", as Turpin’s physical intervention around the spot became part of the post-match discussion.

The Mirror frames the same episode as Turpin physically moving Bellingham away as he attempted to distract Harry Kane before a penalty in a Champions League tie.

With Turpin now set to oversee England’s Group L opener against Croatia, the BBC’s account places both Tuchel and Bellingham among those with direct experience of how Turpin handles confrontations.

The Telegraph reports that Tuchel will come face to face with a referee he graded "1/10" and labelled "terrible" in England’s World Cup opener against Croatia.

“England open their 2026 World Cup campaign with a clash against Croatia at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday, but Thomas Tuchel won't be happy to see who the referee is for the 2018 semi-final repeat”

GiveMeSport

It adds that Turpin sent Tuchel to the stands after showing him two yellow cards in Bayern’s Champions League quarter-final defeat by Manchester City, and that VAR intervened after Turpin showed a straight red to Dayot Upamecano.

The Telegraph also links Turpin to another England incident, saying he prevented Jude Bellingham from distracting his countryman Harry Kane before a penalty in a Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Bayern in April 2024.

In parallel, Le Parisien says FIFA selected Turpin for the Three Lions and that the French referee is likely to be scrutinized by at least two senior members of the Three Lions: Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham.

With England’s World Cup opener now assigned to Turpin, the sources portray the match as one where prior confrontations—Tuchel’s dismissal in 2023 and Bellingham’s penalty-spot clash—set the tone for how the game may be managed.