A first managed without a hitch by the French, despite an apparent headset problem at the end of the game when validating the fourth German goal scored by Niclas Füllkrug (89th).

Once this problem was solved, the goal was validated, like that of the 2-1 scored by Costa Rican Juan Pablo Vargas (70th).

Admittedly, a decision will undoubtedly be very much commented on.

However it is not his, but that of his South African colleague Victor Gomes, who was officiating about fifty kilometers away, in the other match of the group, Japan-Spain: his decision to validate the goal of Ao Tanaka as the ball seemed to have gone out previously expelled Germany from the qualifying places.

On the other hand, there will be no controversy over the performance of Stéphanie Frappart who, on the lawn of al-Bayt, distributed a single yellow card to the defender of the "Ticos" Oscar Duarte, guilty of a contact late on Jamal Musiala (77th).

She was assisted by two other women, the Brazilian Neuza Back, a graduate in physical education, and the Mexican Karen Diza Medina, an agricultural engineer by training.

American Kathryn Nesbitt officiated in the VAR.

Two other women, the Rwandan Salima Mukansanga and the Japanese Yoshimi Yamashita, were selected among the 36 field referees for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Main referee Stéphanie Frappart and her two assistants, Brazil's Neuza Back (L) and Mexico's Karen Diaz (R), during the Men's World Cup match between Germany and Costa Rica on December 1, 2022 in al-Khor © FRANCK FIFE / AFP

"No More a Surprise"

First referee in the French second division (2014) then in the men's Ligue 1 (2019), in the European Supercup (August 2019), in the Champions League (December 2020) and in the final of the Coupe de France (May 7, 2022), Frappart , 38, is used to this pioneering role.

“Since 2019, we have taken a big step forward, estimated in September the one who also officiated as fourth referee for two group stage matches (Mexico-Poland and Portugal-Ghana). Now, it is no longer a surprised to see women refereeing men, regardless of continent or country."

"They were not chosen because they are women but Fifa referees. They could referee any match," commented the chairman of the Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina.

French referee Stéphanie Frappart (C) during the World Cup match between Germany and Costa Rica, December 1, 2022 in al-Khor © Raul ARBOLEDA / AFP

This is the "most normal situation in the world", abounded the German defender Lukas Klostermann before the meeting.

"It underlines what the women have achieved, their determination to do more in a sport that is very macho," added Costa Rican coach Luis Fernando Suarez.

Frappart has "always campaigned for (women referees) to be taken into account for (their) skills and not necessarily for (their) gender".

Rather than a personal accomplishment, she prefers to see in her selection for this World "the valuation of French arbitration".

"It is also a strong sign from Fifa and the authorities to have women referee" in Qatar, criticized for its human rights violations, she added in September.

"I am not a feminist spokesperson but if it can help things..."

But recent and rare

The former player of AS Herblay, in the Paris region, referee since she was 13 years old.

"At the beginning, it remained out of passion, explains the one who "didn't have Ligue 1 or any competition whatsoever in her sights".

French referee Stéphanie Frappart consults the VAR after the fourth German goal scored by Niclas Fuellkrug, during the World Cup match between Germany and Costa Rica, December 1, 2022 in al-Khor © Glyn KIRK / AFP

Christophe Galtier, then Lille coach, praised her "diplomacy" in 2019. "She has a small voice but she has charisma", also described midfielder Pierre Bouby, who rubbed shoulders with her in Ligue 2 with Orléans .

Finding a woman in charge of a men's match is recent and rare, from top level to amateurs.

In the major European championships, the pioneer was the German Bibiana Steinhaus, referee in the Bundesliga between 2017 and 2021.

In France, women referees are only a thousand, or 4% of the contingent, according to figures from the French Football Federation (FFF).

Christophe Galtier (D), then Lille coach, and referee Stéphanie Frappart (G), during a Ligue 1 match in Strasbourg, February 1, 2020 © PATRICK HERTZOG / AFP/Archives

Frappart's rise is the culmination of a professionalization plan for elite female referees launched by the FFF in January 2019.

© 2022 AFP