Rudi Glöckner

Rudolf "Rudi" Glöckner (20 March 1929 in Markranstädt – 25 January 1999 in Markranstädt) was the first German to referee a football World Cup final when he took charge of the 1970 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Italy in Mexico City.

Glöckner, from what was then East Germany, had a long international career, officiating at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and also matches in the 1976 European Championship. He refereed the game between ADO Den Haag and West Ham United in the 1976 European Cup Winners Cup. He had to be escorted from the field of play by 16 police officers when Wales and Yugoslavia met at Ninian Park, Cardiff in 1976, after the Welsh reacted violently to some of his decisions.

In total he refereed four matches at two Olympic Games and four matches at two World Cups.