A Great International Experience
It is not just the players and coaches who benefit from the international atmosphere. The referees also return home from the Dana Cup with valuable experience and lasting memories. German referees Jan Grothe from Solingen and Linus Schmidt from Rotenburg are enjoying their experience at the tournament and are delighted to be part of this year's Dana Cup.
"It’s always great to experience the different styles of play. We’ve just watched a team from Mali, and you can immediately see the difference compared to European football," Jan Grothe says.
Linus Schmidt also points out that the tournament's international character is clearly reflected on the pitch, where challenges are often more intense than those he encounters in Germany's domestic leagues.
"You can take so much away from a tournament like this. You learn a great deal that you can bring back to your matches at home," Linus Schmidt says.
He believes this is one of the reasons why the number of referees attending from their region continues to grow. Last year, they travelled to the Dana Cup with 12 referees. This year, that number has increased to 19. It is simply a great international experience.
