From a prostitution and cocaine raid to the World Cup final: Who is the referee set to officiate Spain vs. Argentina?

The appointment of Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić to officiate the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium has brought renewed attention not only to his refereeing career but also to a high-profile incident that made headlines in 2020.

Although he is now regarded as one of Europe's most respected referees, Vinčić's name attracted widespread attention six years ago when he was among the people detained during a police operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina targeting an alleged prostitution, drug trafficking, and illegal weapons network.

The operation took place in May 2020 at a farmhouse near Bijeljina, where police arrested 35 people. During the raid, officers seized four packages of cocaine, 10 pistols, three bulletproof vests, and more than €10,000 in cash.

Among those detained was Vinčić, who was questioned and later released after authorities found no evidence linking him to any criminal activity. The referee himself said he had accepted an invitation to a "business lunch" without knowing the nature of the gathering, later describing it as "the biggest mistake of my life."

The Slovenian Football Association publicly backed the referee, stressing that he had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Now that Vinčić has been selected to officiate the biggest match in world football, the 2020 incident has once again come under public scrutiny, making the Slovenian referee one of the most talked-about figures ahead of the World Cup final.

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