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Pierluigi Collina Referee
Profile
Role
Referee
Federation
FIFA elite panel (retired)
Nationality
Italy
Age
66
Debut
1991
About Pierluigi Collina
Pierluigi Collina is widely regarded as one of the greatest referees in the history of association football. Born in Bologna in 1960, he began refereeing in the Italian lower divisions in 1977 before reaching Serie A in 1991 and the FIFA international list in 1995.
Collina officiated at three FIFA World Cups, peaking with the 2002 final between Brazil and Germany in Yokohama. He was named IFFHS World's Best Referee a record six consecutive times between 1998 and 2003, and continues to influence the modern game as Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee.
Career highlights
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1991 | First Serie A appointment |
| 1995 | Added to FIFA international list |
| 1996 | Olympic Games men's final, Atlanta |
| 1999 | UEFA Champions League final, Camp Nou |
| 2002 | FIFA World Cup final, Yokohama |
| 2010 | Appointed UEFA Refereeing Officer |
Famous matches officiated
| Match | Tournament |
|---|---|
| Brazil 2-0 Germany | FIFA World Cup 2002 — Final |
| Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich | UEFA Champions League 1999 — Final |
| Argentina 1-0 Nigeria | Olympic Games 1996 — Final |
| Real Madrid 3-0 Valencia | UEFA Champions League 2000 — Final |
Notable decisions
| Match | Decision | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil vs Germany (2002 WC Final) | Yellow card to Roque Junior, 6th minute | Set the tone for tactical discipline |
| Manchester United vs Bayern Munich (1999 CL Final) | Played four minutes of stoppage time | United scored twice in injury time to win 2-1 |
Recent matches officiated
No recent matches recorded in our database for this referee yet.