Considering that referees run an average of 11.5km per match, it’s crucial that they’re in good shape. After a season of officiating in Ligue 1, François Letexier will conclude the summer with two major international competitions under his belt: 2024 is a jam-packed year for the Breton native. It's a good job he’s in fine form, spurred on by a host of awards and recognition.

His consistency at the highest level has rightfully earned him the accolade of best referee in Ligue 1 for the second year on the trot at the recent Trophées UNFP (National Union of Professional Footballers) award ceremony. Regarded as one of the best referees in Europe, Letexier was called up to be part of the refereeing team at UEFA EURO 2024, and oversaw the final between Spain and England. And the icing on the cake is that he will be part of the Olympic Football Tournaments Paris 2024, on his home turf in France.

“I felt immensely proud when I found out that I was one of the referees called up to officiate at Paris 2024 this summer. It has always been a dream of mine to experience this event first-hand, which happens to be taking place in my home country this year,” he revealed to Inside FIFA. “I see the Olympics as a global event where differences are set aside in the name of sport and its universal, peaceful values. It’s an event where the challenge of pushing yourself to the limit creates unique moments that help shape our childhood dreams.”

Whether we like it or not, in this calibre of competition, athletes’ performances are more deeply ingrained in our memory than the referees’ calls. And Letexier will not be competing for a gold medal – the highest honour for any competitor. This doesn’t seem to faze the Frenchman, who considers refereeing a sport in its own right, “where there is competition; healthy competition, above all against yourself,” he adds.

“In refereeing terms, officiating in the final would be an Olympic gold medal because it’s the competition’s last match,” he continues. “It’s only natural to set yourself objectives when embarking on an adventure like the Olympic Games. These objectives are set on a match-by-match basis.”

A lawyer by trade, this is how he has gradually forged a career at the whistle. It was at the age of 14 that he first experienced the joys of refereeing, in which moment he had an epiphany: “Refereeing is an amazing way to learn about life, and I urge all young football fans to give it a go, just to see if they like it,” he summarises.

“When I first started refereeing, the elite level seemed so distant, so unattainable, that I didn't even dream about it,” he admits. “I set my sights on the heights of refereeing when some key people in my life, who were always there for me, helped me understand that I could be ambitious and dream. And I hope to never stop dreaming!”

Letexier became the youngest referee to officiate in Ligue 1 in 2016 and has gradually risen through the ranks – the sky is the limit for him. After gaining recognition in France and then on the European stage, he got his first taste of world football at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023. Drawing on his experience, he will be at the forefront of the action at the Olympic Games this summer, aged just 35. The journey is beautiful, but that doesn’t mean it is always plain sailing.

“Things aren’t always easy – sometimes the going gets tough. These tough times are like defeats, because the calls were incorrect and negatively impacted the outcome of a match, or because we’ve failed to live up to our own expectations,” he explains.

But Letexier prefers to focus on the finer times: “All those defining moments that are part and parcel of matches; those moments before a match, when we come together as a team and share powerful messages, to unite and create a sense of togetherness and those after a match, when you feel you’ve done your duty and can celebrate what feels like a team triumph.” The FIFA Referees Committee has also focused on the finest by selecting Letexier to officiate at the Olympic Football Tournaments Paris 2024.