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14th June 2024
04:29pm BST
England players will have to be well disciplined tonight after a UEFA rule change has put players at risk of picking up bookings or even worse being sent off.
The Three Lions will be kicking off their campaign tonight at the Arena AufSchalke, in Gelsenkirchen at 8pm BST, and all players concerned will be well aware of the the alteration.
The change was made in an effort by the football body to give more protection to referees at the tournament in Germany.
This comes as UEFA have reminded nations that yellow cards will be dished out to any player complaining to the referee that is not the team captain.
Referees have become the subject of mass berating from players in recent years often finding themselves surrounded by dozens of shouting footballers.
Occasionally players do find themselves in the book for dissent, but UEFA have decided to crack down on the issue for this year's Euros.
Roberto Rosetti, UEFA's managing director of refereeing, pleaded in open letter the need for players to understand the difficulties referees face in making decisions while surrounded by protesting players.
He wrote: "Being a referee in the modern game is very difficult. The official in the middle takes between 200 to 250 decisions per match - that is one every 22 seconds - in difficult and sometimes controversial situations, under huge pressure, with each of them scrutinised and re-watched from multiple different angles by fans and pundits alike.
"They (referees) receive a lot of information from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), and we are ready to speak and share more details with the players and coaches to help them understand how a decision was taken.
"Explaining a decision with up to 22 players mobbing you is impossible for a referee. It can lead to a breakdown in communication, with the beautiful game turning very ugly very quickly.
"We ask that all teams ensure their captain is the only player who speaks to the referee. We ask the captains to ensure their team mates do not encroach upon and surround the referee, allowing direct conversations to take place in order that the decision be relayed in a timely and respectful manner."
The only exception to the rule will be in the scenario where the team's captain is the goalkeeper, in which case one outfield player will be nominated to converse with the referee.
In England, the Premier League has been attempting to improve discipline concerning dissent, with an increase in yellow cards issued due to stricter rules on dissent.
Last season saw Manchester United's Diogo Dalot sent of against Liverpool for two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent, leaving spectating fans bemused by the decision.
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