Most fans watching Curaçao’s 0-0 draw against Ecuador on Saturday night focused on the Curaçaoan goalkeeper, whose 15-save effort was compared to some of the greatest displays in World Cup history. But for some fans in China, the main draw of the match was the tournament debut of Ma Ning, 47, the World Cup’s highest-ranking Chinese referee. Because China did not qualify for the World Cup, Ma has become the country’s de facto representative at the tournament. His popularity has given him an unusually high-profile turn in a role that…
With No Team in the World Cup, China’s Fans Celebrate a Referee
