Iván Barton has taken center stage for some very odd decisions during Mexico and Honduras second leg in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. Mexico was virtually out of the league and qualification for the Copa America until the referee added 11 minutes of stoppage time.
A gassed Honduras side could not hold on and gave up the tying goal in the 10th minute of added time, then survived to reach penalty kicks, during the spot kicks Mexico’s César Huerta missed his penalty kick attempts twice but scored on his third attempt after referee Iván Barton stated Honduras keeper Edrick Menjívar stepped off his line twice before.
As Mexico advanced 4-2 on penalty kicks the world press came down hard on Iván Barton and Honduras newspapers wrote in the morning that things were called in Mexico’s favor so they can qualify for the Copa America and continue in the Nations League.
Iván Barton’s history of strange decisions
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Barton was the man in charge when he favored Mexico with a controversial penalty kick on Diego Lainez against Panama in Concacaf World Cup qualifying for Qatar 2022. The match ended 1-0 in Mexico’s favor.
Ivan Barton referee shows the yellow card to Edrick Menjivar of Honduras during the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals second leg match between Mexico and Honduras at Azteca Stadium on November 21, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Then in the Leagues Cup, Barton was criticized for not showing Lionel Messi a yellow card in a game against Orlando City, when Messi got in the face of his opponents. Barton also issued a debatable penalty kick in favor of Inter Miami.
Iván Barton’s bio
Iván Barton is only 32 years old and has been a FIFA referee since 2018, he is a Chemical Sciences major and was a as a professor of Organic Chemistry.
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Barton has officiated in national team tournaments, such as the 2018 Concacaf Under-20 Championship in the United States, the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the CONCACAF Nations League, and the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil. Barton also refereed in the first leg of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League Final between Seattle Sounders FC and UNAM, where he awarded three penalties.
