About
Pierluigi Collina (born 13 February 1960) is an Italian former football referee. He was named “The World’s Best Referee” by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics six consecutive times from 1998 to 2003.
Collina is still involved in football as an unpaid consultant to the Italian Football Referees Association (AIA), the Head of Referees for the Football Federation of Ukraine since 2010, a member of the UEFA Referees Committee, and Chairman of the FIFA referees committee.
Collina was born in Bologna and attended the University of Bologna, graduating with a degree in economics in 1984. During his teenage years, he played as a centre-back 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.
Around this time, Collina developed a severe form…
Awards & Recognition
Born On This Day
Bio and photo via Wikipedia, used under Creative Commons licensing.