Bio
Eric Braamhaar
Born: 1966-10-13
Intl. since: 2002-01-01
Hometown: Enter
Country: Netherlands
Speaks: Dutch, English, German
Occupation: Account manager, Referee Supervisor (KNVB)
Hobbies: Fitness, Family, Running, Cycling

This Dutch referee, who works for the Dutch football association, taking care of other referees and scouting for new ones, took charge of the World Cup u17 final after one year as an international referee. He was a UEFA Elite Category referee, was demoted to the Premier category at the start of season 2009-2010 and again to the 1st category in 2011, his last year as a FIFA ref.

matches

Braamhaar did not have to go through a few years of qualifiers, but immediately went to a UEFA Cup first round in 2002. A quarter finals match in the UEFA Cup of 2007 is the highest he has reached, in the Champions League there was a knock-out round match in 2007. But then something started to go wrong. Braamhaar was not selected for EURO 2008, his fellow country man Vink, younger, less experienced, was. And Braamhaar, even as an Elite referee, never got any further than the CL group stage.

His last international match was a Europa League group stage match between Celtic and Atletico Madrid.

work

Braamhaar used to be an account manager for a company that sold solar water heaters, but then he got a job working for the KNVB, the Dutch Football association, as a referee coordinator. Which was their way to make a referee professional.

Did you know
BIO

  • January 2009 in a match De Graafschap - PSV, a fan jumped on the field and deliberately bumped into assistant referee Simons. Simons fell and rolled for a metre or two, a clear dive if there ever was one. The fan, a former assistant referee in an amateur league himself, was banned from the stadium for ten years. Braamhaar asked Simons whether he should abandon the game, but Simons indicated he was alright.
  • November 2007, in a match Feyenoord - De Graafschap, the Dutch Eredivisie, Eric Braamhaar saw a foul outside the penalty box. He pointed to the place he thought it had happened, but then he stopped and television viewers could see him listen closely to his ear piece. After having listened to his assistant, Braamhaar nodded and pointed to the penalty spot. A small event perhaps, in a not very important league, but an international referee none the less and it seemed that finally referees were starting to see their assistants as assistants. A memorable little event.
  • March 2007. Repeats on Dutch television showed Braamhaar making a joyful gesture with his arm after Ajax scored their fifth goal against home team PSV. Asked about this, Braamhaar said he was happy because his decision to give the advantage to Ajax and wave off a bad foul by a PSV player turned out to be a right one since it resulted in a goal.
    The same happened to Mike Reed in 2000 in England, but Reed was severely reprimanded.
  • Eric Braamhaar officiated a match between CSKA Moscow and Lokomotiv Moskow (2 - 0) in March 2007. The Russian football federation had asked UEFA for foreign referees to be in charge of potentially "difficult" matches. According to the Russian site "sport express", his performance got the highest rating of all foreign referees working in Russia.
  • Then then Dutch number one referee Eric Braamhaar was disappointed when it turned out he wasn't on the list of referees to officiate in the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. After the tournament, he stated that it was strange he wasn't chosen by FIFA, considering the quality of many referees who were. The best referees should participate, he said.
  • Braamhaar is sure he will referee in the 2008 European Championship finals. If he doesn't, it will be because of bad lobbying. Lobbying, he thinks, is essential in modern football. (well, he didn't get selected so....)
  • This Dutch referee once starred in an instruction film for referees.
  • Braamhaar is often the tallest man on the field.
  • You can book Eric Braamhaar as a speaker. His talk will be about 'the football field as a workplace' and will probably be full of football metaphors like "you can't score if you don't have a goal"


  • In 2011 talking to local business people. (source: Rijsens Nieuwsblad)
Statistics
Statistics for ERIC BRAAMHAAR
Totals Home Away Total
Penalties 9 3 12
Fouls 0 0 0
Yellow 116 143 259
YellowRed 0 0 0
Red 1 4 5
Averages Home Away Total
Penalties 0.13 0.04 0.08
Fouls 0 0 0
Yellow 1.61 1.99 1.8
YellowRed 0 0 0
Red 0.01 0.06 0.03

Based on 72 international matches

Matches
MATCHES FOR ERIC BRAAMHAAR
Date Score Yellow Red Penalties Fouls
Europa League 2011 - 2012
group stageCelticAtlético de Madrid2011-11-300 - 1 5 (2-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageKobenhavnHannover2011-11-031 - 2 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageLazioVaslui2011-09-152 - 2 7 (4-3)0 (0-0)2 (1-1)0 (0-0)
play-offsMaccabi Tel AvivPanathinaikos2011-08-183 - 0 2 (0-2)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2011-2012
qualifiers 3rd roundRubin KazanDynamo Kyiv2011-08-032 - 1 5 (1-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Eredivisie
HeerenveenAjax2011-05-011 - 2 2 (2-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Euro 2012 qualifiers
PortugalDenmark2010-10-083 - 1 1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Europa League 2010 - 2011
round of 32BenficaVfB Stuttgart2011-02-172 - 1 6 (3-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageDortmundKarpaty Lviv2010-12-023 - 0 2 (0-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stagePAOKVillarreal2010-11-041 - 0 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageRosenborgAris Thessaloniki2010-09-302 - 1 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
play-offsAston VillaRapid Wien2010-08-262 - 3 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2010-2011 qualifiers
3rd roundDinamo ZagrebSheriff2010-08-041 - 1 6 (2-4)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
friendly
PeruEcuador2011-03-290 - 0 4 (2-2)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
GermanyItaly2011-02-091 - 1 1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
IrelandAlgeria2010-05-283 - 0 2 (0-2)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
OmanBrazil2009-11-170 - 2 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
SwedenFrance2008-08-202 - 3 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
SwitzerlandGermany2008-03-260 - 4 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
SlovakiaGermany2005-09-032 - 0 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
ScotlandIreland2003-02-120 - 2 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Europa League 2009 - 2010
round of 32LiverpoolUnirea Urziceni2010-02-181 - 0 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
play-offsSturm GrazMetalist Kharkiv2009-08-201 - 1 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2009-2010
group stageGlasgow RangersUnirea Urziceni2009-10-201 - 4 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
group stageBordeauxMaccabi Haifa2009-09-301 - 0 2 (1-1)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundZurichMaribor2009-07-292 - 3 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)
WC 2010 qualifiers - Europe
ArmeniaBosnia-Herzegovina2009-09-050 - 2 4 (4-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
LithuaniaFrance2009-03-280 - 1 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UkraineCroatia2008-10-110 - 0 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Superclásico
1st legAjaxFeyenoord2010-04-252 - 0 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
FeyenoordAjax2008-09-212 - 2 9 (5-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2008-2009
group stageBayern MunichSteaua2008-11-253 - 0 3 (0-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Group stageBaselBarcelona2008-10-220 - 5 2 (2-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageAnorthosisPanathinaikos2008-10-013 - 1 5 (2-3)0 (0-0)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundMarseilleBrann2008-08-272 - 1 4 (1-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2007 - 2008
round of 16EvertonFiorentina2008-03-122 - 0 7 (2-5)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2007-2008
group stageSevilla FCArsenal2007-11-273 - 1 6 (4-2)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
group stageBarcelonaGlasgow Rangers2007-11-072 - 0 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageOlympiakosLazio2007-09-181 - 1 4 (1-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2006 - 2007
1/2 finalsOsasunaSevilla FC2007-04-261 - 0 6 (2-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
1/4 finalsEspanyolBenfica2007-04-053 - 2 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Euro 2008 qualifiers
TurkeyBosnia-Herzegovina2007-11-211 - 0 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
SerbiaFinland2007-09-080 - 0 3 (2-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Northern IrelandSweden2007-03-282 - 1 1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
RussiaEstonia2006-10-112 - 0 6 (1-5)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2006-2007
1st knockoutLille OSCManchester United2007-02-200 - 1 5 (2-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageAEKAC Milan2006-11-211 - 0 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageCelticBenfica2006-10-173 - 0 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageShakhtarOlympiakos2006-09-272 - 2 6 (3-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2005 - 2006
round of 16PalermoSchalke 042006-03-091 - 0 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
round of 32MiddlesbroughVfB Stuttgart2006-02-230 - 1 4 (3-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
1st roundHamburger SVKobenhavn2005-09-151 - 1 7 (3-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2005-2006
group stageUdineseBarcelona2005-12-070 - 2 2 (2-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundSteauaRosenborg2005-08-101 - 1 2 (2-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
WC 2005 u20
group stageTurkey u20China u202005-06-111 - 2 6 (2-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
WC 2006 qualifiers - Europe
ScotlandMoldova2005-06-042 - 0 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
LuxembourgRussia2004-10-090 - 4 1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2004 - 2005
round of 32Real ZaragozaFenerbahce SK2005-02-242 - 1 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageSevilla FCAEK2004-12-023 - 2 5 (1-4)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
1st roundFerencvárosMillwall2004-09-303 - 1 5 (4-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2003 - 2004
3rd roundNewcastle UnitedVÃ¥lerenga2004-03-033 - 1 4 (1-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
3rd roundNewcastle UnitedVÃ¥lerenga2004-03-033 - 1 4 (1-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
2nd roundMaccabi HaifaValencia2003-12-110 - 4 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
1st roundBlackburn RoversGençlerbirliği2003-10-151 - 1 4 (3-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
WC 2003 u17
finalBrazil u17Spain u172003-08-301 - 0 5 (1-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
1/4 finalsArgentina u17Mexico u172003-08-232 - 0 5 (3-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stagePortugal u17Cameroon u172003-08-205 - 5 1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageFinland u17Mexico u172003-08-160 - 2 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageArgentina u17Australia u172003-08-132 - 0 6 (3-3)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Euro 2004 u21 qualifiers
play-offsBelarus u21Poland u212003-11-151 - 1 8 (4-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Spain u21Greece u212003-06-062 - 0 4 (1-3)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2002 - 2003
1st roundMetalurh ZaporizhyaWerder Bremen2002-09-192 - 2 4 (3-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)