English soccer fans might get some joy knowing their country will be represented in the World Cup Final in Johannesburg on July 11 as FIFA has appointed Howard Webb as the referee. The 39-year-old professional referee from Rotherham, England, will take control of the match between Holland and Spain, who are both going for their first World Cups.

Webb is a former policeman who was made a FIFA-listed referee in 2005 and keeps things in control during the season in the English Premier League. Webb has been a well-respected referee over the years and has earned a reputation of being one of the best in the game. He was focused on by Belgian film-makers at the European Championship in 2008 for a film named “The Referees.” Webb was also assigned the UEFA Champions League final in May in Madrid between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.

So far at this year’s World Cup in South Africa, the Englishman’s games have included Switzerland’s 1-0 win over Spain in the group stage as well as Slovakia’s 3-2 win over Italy which knocked the defending World Cup champions out of the tournament. He also worked Brazil’s 3-0 win over Chile in the playoff round.

Webb’s father was also a referee and the youngster began officiating games when he was 18 years old. In 2003 he took control of his first match in the English Premier League when Wolverhampton Wanderers kicked off against Fulham.

He officiated the FA Community Shield game in 2005 between Chelsea and Arsenal and in November of the same year, refereed his first national team game, which was a friendly between Portugal and Northern Ireland in Belfast.

Webb was in charge of the English League Cup final in 2007 between Chelsea and Arsenal. The same year he worked his first Champions League match and was sent to the Canada for the U-20 World Cup, where he presided over five games, including a semi-final between the Czech Republic and Austria. He also refereed in last year’s Confederations Cup in South Africa.

Webb becomes the fourth Englishman to referee a World Cup final game. The others were George Reader (1950), William Ling (1954) and John Taylor (1974). Benito Archundia of Mexico will referee the third-place game between Uruguay and Germany in Port Elizabeth on July 10th.