Referee labelled 'one out of 10' by Thomas Tuchel taking charge of 2026 FIFA World Cup clash between England and Croatia - who is he?

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Clement Turpin has been named the referee for England's World Cup opener against Croatia, and he has previously been on the receiving end of criticism from head coach Thomas Tuchel.

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Turpin is a French official who has been listed as an international FIFA referee since 2010, and has been involved in some of the biggest European matches in recent years.

And early in England's game he awarded England a penalty which Harry Kane initially missed before the official signalled for it to be retaken; Kane did not miss a second time.

The 44-year-old took charge of seven UEFA Champions League fixtures during the 2025/26 season, including the quarter-final second leg between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, in which Eric Garcia was shown a straight red card.

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Barca later lodged a complaint with UEFA over the standard of officiating across both legs of the quarter-final, alleging "several refereeing decisions were made that did not comply with the Laws of the Game", as they exited the competition with a 3-2 aggregate defeat.

Turpin also officiated the second leg of the UEFA Champions League last-16 between Manchester City and Real Madrid, which saw Bernardo Silva sent off on 20 minutes for handball.

The referee's other notable match assignments in recent years have included the 2021 Europa League final between Manchester United and Villarreal in Gdansk, which the Spanish side won on penalties.

Twelve months later, Turpin was the referee for the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, which Carlo Ancelotti's side won 1-0 in Paris.

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But why has the official previously angered England boss Tuchel?

Tuchel was Bayern Munich boss took umbrage with a number of decisions when Turpin was the referee for his side's Champions League match against Manchester City in 2023.

Tuchel was sent to the stands after being shown two yellow cards, as he watched his side exit the competition with a 4-1 aggregate defeat in the quarter-finals.

Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano was shown a straight red card when he brought down Erling Haaland and was deemed to have been the last defender. However, when it was later deemed Haaland was offside in the build-up, the red card was rescinded.

Tuchel's reaction - sarcastically applauding Turpin - earned him a first booking, and further protestations over another decision saw the German given his marching orders. He did not hold back when asked about the officiating after the match.

"Two things couldn't keep up with the level - the pitch wasn't in good condition and also the referee, unfortunately, was Grade E," Tuchel said.

"I'd give him a one out of 10. He was absolutely terrible. It's unbelievable at this level.

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"He was whistling for everything and anything. Everything was against us."

Having officiated at the World Cup tournaments in Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022, Wednesday's match between England and Croatia is set to be Turpin's first at this year's event.

Tuchel's side will complete their Group L campaign with fixtures against Ghana on June 23 and Panama on June 27.

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