Alexis Da Silva, 34, originally from São Paulo, Brazil, who now lives in the Midtown area, has gone from refereeing local Sportsdome indoor games to being the referee when Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi scored an 11-minute hat trick in Fort Lauderdale, in an end of the regular season Major League Soccer matchup.
“That was, you know, very emotional. I was very thankful. The experience is amazing to have all those names, big names around you. It's a dream,” he said.
He describes his style as being fit, always alert, decisive and giving “lots of body language to be respected on the field. I try to have a lot of empathy for players, for coaches,” he said. “But at the same time, I have to be serious and be focused for the full game.”
A Northern Nevada resident since 2015, Da Silva started in the MLS last year part time and went full time this past season. Next year, he’ll be eligible to ref playoff games, as he works his way up to wanting to be on the international stage. He’s already done a few friendlies with top European clubs on their summer preseason tours, giving him a taste of the highest level of soccer.
“I have the goal to go international, that's always been my goal,” he says.
It’s been a gradual ascent from local soccer at the Sportsdome, GBYSL and UNR women’s games.
He used to drive to California to get more recognition and exposure, doing up to five complete matches per day, and then do the same the next day, sometimes at a loss because of the gas money he spent.
“I was dead tired,” he remembers, “and sometimes losing money.”
He started doing prestigious youth tournaments such as the Dallas Cup, more college games and lower level professional leagues to gain even more visibility, and worked his way up with all the licenses and experience needed to be a professional referee.
His arrival in the MLS coincided with a new Collective Bargaining Agreement for referees including significant pay increases, improved travel accommodations, and a minimum number of match fees in case of injury.
Probationary referees got a a 68% increase in 2024 to $85,150, with experienced referees who have officiated 200 matches seeing their pay increase to $142,150.
Soccer has been Da Silva’s long life passion, first as a player going through the ranks in Brazil, mostly as a playmaking center midfielder, and then as a college player in the US in Illinois and Indiana.
He says the position he played which involves lots of fitness and vision helped him as a ref. In contrast, being Reno-based has been a challenge, with fewer opportunities initially and added layovers for travel.
“It's actually been a challenge for me every time when I say I’m from Reno, people are like, woah. Where is Reno?” he says laughing about it.
He says MLS is looking good right now, with Messi, its partnership with Apple TV, its expansion with a new San Diego team in 2025, and the anticipation of the 2026 North America based World Cup.
His advice to young up and coming referees? “Always keep learning,” he said. “Every game you need to take seriously and learn something new. It's not going to be easy. You know? It’s difficult to referee. There's a lot of pressure. The higher you go, the more pressure, physically, mentally. The criticism from all sides. You need to be prepared. That comes from a lot of hard work, a lot of discipline. And sometimes being selfish to be willing to grow, to learn more, and keep moving toward your own goals.”