Pierluigi Collina facts for kids
Collina as head of referees for the Ukrainian Association of Football in 2010
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| Born | 13 February 1960 Bologna, Italy |
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| Other occupation | Financial advisor, UEFA Head of Referees | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1988–1991 | Serie C2 | Referee | |
| 1988–1991 | Serie C1 | Referee | |
| 1991–2005 | Serie B | Referee | |
| 1991–2005 | Serie A | Referee | |
| 1992–2006 | Coppa Italia | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1995–2005 | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Pierluigi Collina (born 13 February 1960) is a famous Italian former football referee. He was known for his distinctive bald head and intense stare. Many people consider him one of the best referees of all time.
He was named "The World's Best Referee" six times in a row. This award came from the International Federation of Football History & Statistics between 1998 and 2003. Even after retiring, Collina stayed involved in football. He works as a consultant for referee groups and is part of important football committees.
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Becoming a Top Referee
Collina was born in Bologna, Italy. He studied economics at the University of Bologna and finished his degree in 1984. When he was a teenager, he played football as a defender.
In 1977, he decided to take a referee's course. It quickly became clear that he was very good at it. Within three years, he was refereeing top regional matches.
By 1988, he moved up quickly to national third division games. After three more seasons, he started refereeing matches in Italy's top leagues, Serie B and Serie A.
Around this time, Collina lost all his hair due to a condition called alopecia. This gave him his unique bald look. People sometimes called him Kojak because of it.
Big Games and Important Moments
In 1995, after refereeing 43 Serie A matches, Collina was added to FIFA's list of international referees. This meant he could referee games all over the world.
He was chosen for five matches at the 1996 Olympic Games. This included the final game between Nigeria and Argentina.
Collina also refereed the 1999 UEFA Champions League final. This was a thrilling match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Manchester United won with two goals in the final minutes. Collina said the cheers at the end of this game sounded like a "lions' roar." He called it his most memorable match.
In June 2002, Collina reached the peak of his career. He was chosen to referee the 2002 FIFA World Cup final. This huge game was between Brazil and Germany.
Before the final, Germany's captain, Oliver Kahn, spoke about Collina. Kahn said Collina was a "world-class referee" but didn't bring him luck. This was because Collina had refereed two big games Kahn's teams lost: the 1999 Champions League final and Germany's 5–1 defeat to England in 2001. Kahn's luck did not change in the World Cup final, as Germany lost 2–0.
Collina also refereed the 2004 UEFA Cup Final between Valencia and Marseille. UEFA Euro 2004 was his last major international tournament. He reached the mandatory retirement age for international referees in February 2005. His last international match was a World Cup qualifier between Portugal and Slovakia.
Retirement and Later Work
The Italian Football Federation wanted Collina to referee for one more season. They raised the retirement age to 46 just for him. However, a problem came up in August 2005. Collina signed a sponsorship deal with Opel, a car company. Opel also sponsored a Serie A club, A.C. Milan. This was seen as a conflict of interest, meaning it could look unfair.
Because of this, Collina was not allowed to referee top Italian matches. He decided to resign, which ended his career as a referee in Italy.
After retiring from Serie A, Collina refereed charity matches called Soccer Aid. He took part in games in 2006, 2008, and 2010. His very last competitive game was a Champions League qualifier between Everton and Villarreal on 24 August 2005.
Since 2010, Collina has been the head of referees for the Football Federation of Ukraine. He also played a big role in bringing in the video assistant referee (VAR) system for the 2018 World Cup. He spoke positively about how VAR helped during the tournament.
Life Outside Football
Pierluigi Collina met his wife, Gianna, in 1988. They have two daughters together. In 2003, Collina wrote a book about his life called My Rules of the Game. After he retired, he focused on his work as a financial advisor. He now lives in Forte dei Marmi, Italy.
Collina became very popular in Japan after refereeing a World Cup match there in 2002. He even appeared in a TV advertisement for frozen food. He is also well-liked in Turkey because no Turkish team ever lost a game when he was the referee.
Even though he is famous for football, Collina's favorite sports team plays basketball. He supports his local club, Fortitudo Bologna. In 2010, Collina played in a special charity football match in Lisbon. It was to help victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
Awards and Recognition
Collina has received many awards for his amazing career:
- IFFHS World's Best Referee: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
- IFFHS All Time World's Best Referee 1987–2020
- Honorary degree: Doctor of Science (2004), from Hull University for his contributions to sport.
- Serie A Referee of the Year: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2011
Key Matches He Refereed
| Date | Match | Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| 3 August 1996 | Nigeria vs Argentina (3–2) | 1996 FIFA Men's Olympic Football Tournament Final |
| 26 May 1999 | Manchester United vs Bayern Munich (2–1) | 1999 UEFA Champions League final |
| 30 June 2002 | Germany vs Brazil (0–2) | 2002 FIFA World Cup final |
| 19 May 2004 | Valencia vs Marseille (2–0) | 2004 UEFA Cup final |
See also
In Spanish: Pierluigi Collina para niños
