London FA are proud to announce that the winner of Match Official of the Year for the 2024 Grassroots Heroes Awards is Marco Goumal!

Marco has been a London FA referee for just under two years, but in such a short time has made an impact in the refereeing community. 

Marco has dedicated his time to developing as a referee, becoming a part of the Referee Development Group to grow alongside other ambitious referees. This was after reaching out to London FA Referee Development Officer Deryll David to help with his progress. He now spends a large amount of time reflecting on his officiating, utilising footage and support groups to further develop. Alongside his officiating, Marco is also working to become a qualified accountant. Marco’s performances have been strong this season and he has massive potential to progress to higher levels. Just this season alone, he has achieved two promotions moving from Level 7 to Level 6 to now becoming a Level 5 referee. This highlights his commitment to London FA and refereeing alongside pursuing his career in accounting. Marco was rewarded for his hard work when he refereed the London FA U18 Saturday Cup Final. 

Beyond his commitment to developing himself as an official, Marco also supports his colleagues. He travelled from Enfield to Charlton to watch his colleague referee the U18 Sunday Cup Final and provide encouragement from the sidelines. Marco is also very popular with clubs, with them often requesting he officiate. As a player who has come from London clubs such as Cockfosters and Omonia, Marco is a modern referee.

Marco is an incredibly likeable person which is evident in his refereeing and his dedication to growing as an official is impressive to watch. His willingness to succeed is very inspiring and this is what makes him such a worthy winner. 

Congratulations to Marco!