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The Cuban referee Sergio Enrique Cabrera Acosta will serve as the primary assistant referee this Saturday in the legends match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, known as "The Legends Cup," which will take place tonight at the Inter Miami CF Stadium (Chase Stadium) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 7:30 p.m. local time.
Cabrera, originally from Santa Clara, Villa Clara, will be part of the officiating crew alongside chief referee Hayden Oscanoa and assistant referee Michael Jarvis. All three are members of a university association in South Florida, as reported by Swing Completo.
Regarding the pressure of directing one of the most iconic classics in world football, even in its version with former players, Cabrera was straightforward: "You cannot fail."
The match features the Barça Legends, managed by former player Albert Ferrer, with stars such as Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Javier Saviola, Rafa Márquez, Gaizka Mendieta, Adriano, Claudio Bravo, and Paulinho. This is the tenth match of the 2025/26 season for the azulgrana team, a record since the group's establishment in 2016. The match will be broadcast live on the FC Barcelona YouTube channel.
Both teams have already faced each other this season in Los Angeles, where they drew 1-1 with a goal from Saviola.
The appointment of Cabrera has a background that goes beyond sports. Trained in Cuba, he was a FIFA referee in two Futsal World Cups: in Thailand 2012, where he officiated nine matches including the final between Brazil and Spain as the third referee, and in Colombia 2016, being one of the six CONCACAF referees among 44 appointed.
She also officiated the final of the Women's Futsal World Championship in Costa Rica 2014, between Portugal and Brazil, possibly becoming the only Cuban referee to have officiated two finals of futsal world championships for both genders.
In 2012, he was named the best referee in Cuba across all sports. As recognition, he received a framed serigraph and a trophy.
Despite this background, Cabrera emigrated to the United States in 2016 without having received the institutional recognition he deserved. The Cuban referee reflected on what awaited him on the island with a phrase that summarizes the reality of sports under the dictatorship: "In Cuba, being an active FIFA referee with positive results guarantees you absolutely nothing; only oblivion awaited me once I reached retirement."
Since 2017, he has worked with organizations such as the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), MLS Next, and the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL), the highest-level professional futsal league in the United States, in which he has been involved since 2021. He has worked in multiple states: Ohio, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, Texas, and Florida.
A previous experience opened the door for this appointment: Cabrera had already officiated a match with Ronaldinho and his friends at the Inter Miami field, which put him on the radar for the legends' classic.
Before Cabrera, the Cubans Vladimir Masó and Antonio Álvarez also participated in Futsal World Cups, in Taipei 2004 and Brazil 2008 respectively, during a time when Cuba was a regional powerhouse in futsal and qualified for four consecutive World Cups.
Tonight, in Fort Lauderdale, Cabrera will lead the match that Cuba never knew how to appreciate.
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