Melissa Borjas
![]() | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (October 2016) |
![]() Borjas gives a penalty to Australia's Sam Kerr | |||
Full name | Melissa Paola Borjas Pastrana | ||
---|---|---|---|
Born |
[1] Tegucigalpa, Honduras | 20 October 1986||
Years | Role | ||
2013– | Referee | ||
International | |||
Years | League | Role | |
2013– | FIFA listed | Referee |
Melissa Paola Borjas Pastrana (born 20 October 1986), known as Melissa Borjas, is a Honduran football referee. Borjas earned a degree in Finance at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, and has been a professional referee since 2011.[2]
Borjas, best known by the local media as Melissa Pastrana, is 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) tall and has been on the FIFA International Referees List since 2013.[3]
In 2015, she became the first Honduran woman to referee at the FIFA Women's World Cup when she officiated a match between Japan and Ecuador.
Borjas was the first female referee to officiate a match in Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras, the top flight of men's football in the country.[4] Borjas then became the first female official to referee a final match in Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras when she officiated the first leg of the 2019 spring final between local teams Olimpia and Motagua on 26 May 2019.[5][better source needed]
On 3 December 2018, it was announced that Borjas had been appointed to be a referee for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.[6] After the conclusion of the round of 16, FIFA announced that Borjas was selected as one of 11 referees who would be assigned to matches during the final 8 matches of the tournament.[7] In the 2020 Olympic games she notoriously disallowed a goal from Australian Superstar Sam Kerr eliminating Australia from Gold and Silver Medal contention. This will forever be known as the Matildas “invisible foul”.
References[]
- ^ "Referees in Canada 2015™: MELISSA PAOLA BORJAS". FIFA.com. 4 June 2015. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ^ "Getty Images". Getty Images. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ^ FIFA.com. "Referees in Canada 2015™: MELISSA PAOLA BORJAS - FIFA.com". www.fifa.com (in British English). Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ FIFA.com. "Women's Football - News - Refereeing in the genes for Borjas - FIFA.com". www.fifa.com (in British English). Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ "Melissa Borjas Photos - Ecuador v Japan: Group C - FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 - Zimbio". Zimbio. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ^ FIFA.com. "FIFA Women's World Cup 2019™ - News - Match officials appointed for FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™ - FIFA.com". www.fifa.com (in British English). Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ "Refereeing - Media briefing" (PDF). FIFA.com. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- Living people
- 1986 births
- Honduran football referees
- FIFA Women's World Cup referees
- Women association football referees
- Sportspeople from Tegucigalpa
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras alumni
- Honduran football biography stubs
- Central American women's football biography stubs