About Antonio Mateu Lahoz
Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈtonjo miˈɣel maˈtew laˈoθ]; born 12 March 1977) is a Spanish retired association football referee who refereed La Liga matches from 2008 until 2023. He is also a former international referee with experience in several editions of the FIFA World Cup. He is known for his talkative and "quirky" approach to refereeing: The Guardian has described him as the football star "who doesn't actually play but doesn't half perform". == Early and personal life == Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz was born on 12 March 1977 in Algímia d'Alfara, a village in Valencia Province on Spain's eastern coast. He has a large family, with two brothers and three sisters. His elder brother, mother and late father influenced his decision to take up refereeing; in part, the family's need for money after his father died young prompted him to move into refereeing full-time rather than becoming a footballer. Mateu Lahoz played at under-19 level for Valencia in the División de Honor Juvenil, mostly as the back-up for future professional player Luis Rubiales; after his playing career Rubiales became president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in the later years of Mateu Lahoz's refereeing career, and Mateu Lahoz was considered a likely candidate to succeed Rubiales as RFEF president following the Rubiales affair. Mateu Lahoz also worked as a physical education teacher before becoming a football referee. His elder sister is a teacher, and prior to his retirement he said he could see himself continuing in that career if he left football. He lives in Valencia and has two sons.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.