Felix Brych: World-class referee “Fantastic Brych” switches to sought-after top speaker

Quitting when it’s best suits the always calm and unexcited Felix Brych. He is one of the few (German) referees “for whom journalists, commentators and companions chose words like for a world-class player. He is something special,” wrote the German „Fumsmagazin“ when Felix Brych said goodbye to the stage of international soccer in July 2021. Brych stands for foresight, game intelligence and positional play.

In fact, the Munich native studied law at the beginning of his career, earning his doctorate from the University of Regensburg in 2004. Since then, as the soccer magazine “Der Kicker” wrote, “not only the players in the Bundesliga have been dancing to his tune, but also those in the World Cup and European Championship, the Champions League and Europa League.”

Felix Brych about Digitization in soccer

The German referee officiated five matches at EURO 2020 in 2021, more than any other referee before him. Now 45 years old, Brych plans to remain with the DFB until he passes the age limit of 47 set by the German Football Association.

At the same time, he turned to a new passion, which is speaking on stage. Felix Brych lectures on digitalization in soccer, which he has experienced firsthand. “I think there will be a lot of development in the digital area in the near future,” Brych told “Der Kicker”. “And that’s in the whole sport. There have already been tests to digitally assess physical contact and potential foul plays. That will continue, but I don’t know to what extent.” Asked if he worries that his guild will eventually become obsolete, Brych waves it off. “No, you will never be able to replace the referee on the pitch. He is needed there to officiate, one of his most important tasks is to deal with people. The highest principle is to treat people equally and fairly. Technology can only help in case-by-case decisions.”

Making decisions – quickly, precisely, without inhibitions

For many years, Felix Brych worked with sports psychologists. Based on this work, he has developed tangible tools for himself to remain calm under pressure and make the right decisions. It’s not only on the soccer pitch that decisions sometimes have to be made in the shortest possible time, against the current and under a great deal of perceived pressure.

Brych shares his tools in his lectures because he knows how arduous the path to inner calm can be. When he has half a stadium against him as a referee, he needs the necessary distance to stick to his decision. He has learned firsthand how to do that and now passes on his knowledge.

Learning from mistakes

As a soccer referee, he knows well how important it is to analyze one’s own mistakes. In his lectures, he also reveals how we can learn from mistakes and that mistakes made will not stop us from making new decisions again and again in the future.

Felix Brych doesn’t just shine on the pitch. He is also someone very special on the stage. Inquiries at: felix.brych@premium-speakers.com