Nicolás Lamolina

Nicolás Lamolina, born on December 7, 1982 in San Fernando, Buenos Aires, is an Argentine referee who follows in the footsteps of his father, the renowned former referee Francisco Lamolina. Before dedicating himself to refereeing, Nicolás played as a midfielder in Argentine lower division teams, including Tigre, El Porvenir, and Central Ballester.

He made his debut as a referee in the Argentine First Division in 2014, officiating a match between Olimpo and Defensa y Justicia that ended 0-0. In 2015, he was awarded the Alumni Award as an outstanding referee in the Primera B Nacional, a recognition bestowed by the Circle of Football Executives and Former Executives of Argentina.

In 2020, Lamolina was added to the FIFA international referees list, allowing him to officiate matches in continental competitions such as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana.

In October 2024, he served as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the match between Peru and Uruguay, corresponding to the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Lamolina is recognized for his balanced refereeing style, combining authority with constant dialogue with players, which allows him to maintain control of the game without excessively resorting to disciplinary sanctions.