Pierluigi Collina

summary

Pierluigi Collina is without a doubt the world’s greatest football referee. He has reached the highest level in the game and is renowned for his pinpoint decision-making, fairness and calming influence. Career highlights include the final at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, the UEFA Champions League Final in Barcelona 1999, the World Cup in France in 1998 Euro 2000 and the World Cup in 2002.

biography

Pierluigi Collina is without a doubt the world’s greatest football referee. He has reached the highest level in the game and is renowned for his pinpoint decision-making, fairness and calming influence. Career highlights include the final at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, the UEFA Champions League Final in Barcelona 1999, the World Cup in France in 1998 Euro 2000 and the World Cup in 2002.

Pierluigi Collina (born 13 February 1960 in Bologna, Italy) is a financial advisor.

He attended the University of Bologna, graduating with a degree in Economics in 1984. During his teenage years he played as a central defender for a local team, but was persuaded in 1977 to take a referee’s course where it was discovered that he had a particular aptitude for the job. Within three years he was officiating at the highest level of regional matches, while also completing his compulsory military service. In 1988 he progressed, more rapidly than normal, to the national third division, Serie C1 and Serie C2.

After three seasons he was promoted to officiating Serie B and Serie A matches.About this time he contracted a severe form of alopecia, resulting in the permanent loss of all his facial hair, giving him his distinctive bald appearance and earning the nickname Kojak. In 1995, after he had officiated at 43 Serie A matches, he was placed on FIFA’s Referees List.

He refereed five matches at the 1996 Olympic Games, including the final between Nigeria and Argentina; and the 1999 UEFA Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Manchester United. In 2002, he reached the pinnacle of his career when he was chosen as the referee for the World Cup final. He was also the referee for the 2004 UEFA Cup final between Valencia and Olympique Marseille.

Euro 2004 was his last major international tournament as a referee, as he reached the mandatory retirement age of 45 for international referees early in 2005. Recently, the FA Premier League has publicly discussed having foreign referees officiate selected high-profile matches, and has had talks with Collina about his possible availability to fill such a role. (In England, the mandatory retirement age for referees is 48.)

Although Collina is closely identified with football, his favorite sports club plays basketball. He is a lifelong supporter of Fortitudo Bologna, one of Europe’s leading basketball clubs.

What he offers you
Pierluigi offers audiences a glimpse of how he has reached the top of his trade and his dedication to the role which has brought him fame and celebrity. He explains in meticulous detail how he became an official and what it takes to be the best and stay the best.

How he presents
His presentations are inspirational and filled with anecdotes and humour. Often under the spotlight of the world’s media Pierluigi is highly professional and well used to dealing with the pressures of a live audience

Topics
Teamwork
Motivation
Entertainment
After Dinner
Awards

Publications
The Rules of the Game 2003

photos

Testimonials