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Your support makes all the difference.Phil Sharp will be seen by an audience of hundreds of millions and yet will hope to walk away from tomorrow's World Cup final into anonymity. The only two linesmen whom anyone remembers from previous World Cup finals are Arthur Griffiths, from Wales, whose decision to rule out a late Ferenc Puskas' equaliser in the 1954 Final against the Germans is still debated in Hungary and Tofik Bakhramov, the Soviet linesman who ruled that England's third goal against West Germany at Wembley had indeed crossed the line.
Sharp, one of 72 referees and assistants selected by Fifa for this World Cup, will run the line in Yokohama while Hugh Dallas, from Motherwell, will act as fourth official to Pierluigi Collina, rated as the best referee in the world. Leif Lingberg from Sweden will act as the second linesman.
Sharp, 38, who lists cycling and Thai boxing among his hobbies, has been an assistant referee in three World Cup games to date, including the quarter-final between Germany and the United States in which Dallas was criticised for failing to spot Torsten Frings' handball on the line.
John Baker, the FA's referees' officer, said: "We are delighted for Phil ,especially because Mark Warren acted as assistant referee in the 1998 final which meant we thought we would struggle to have an English official appointed this time.
"Although some assistant referees have attracted criticism in this tournament, I think Phil has been outstanding, just as he was in Euro 2000. Normally, we have more applicants to become referees and assistants in a World Cup year and this could be another boost for us."
Until now, Sharp has rated the 1999 FA Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle as his most memorable match and has proved he can stand up to intense pressure. In October, Sharp was the victim of a torrent of abuse by David O'Leary, after a two-footed tackle by Graeme Le Saux on Danny Mills, which resulted in the Leeds manager being banished to the stands.
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