Pierluigi Collina Keynote Speaker

Regarded by many as the best football referee of all time
Successful investor and devoted philanthropist
Author of 'The Rules of the Game'

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Pierluigi Collina's Biography

Pierluigi Collina is regarded by many as the best football referee of all time. He is still involved in football as Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee. An Economics graduate of Bologna University, and a former financial adviser by profession, Pierluigi enrolled on a refereeing course on the suggestion of a friend and made his debut with Serie A in 1991

An international referee from 1995 to 2005, Pierluigi refereed several international finals, starting from the 1996 Olympic Games Final, between Nigeria and Argentina. In 1999 he refereed the so called “ultimate final” of UEFA Champions League between Bayern Munich and Manchester United.

In 2002, he reached the pinnacle of his career when he was chosen to referee the World Cup final between Brazil and Germany. He was also referee for the 2004 UEFA Cup final between Valencia and Olympique Marseille. Euro 2004 was his last major international tournament, as he reached the mandatory retirement age of 45 in 2005. His last international match was Portugal – Slovakia

Voted FIFA ‘Best Referee of the Year’ for six consecutive years between 1998 and 2003, the french magazine France Football rated him as the best referee of the football history. He was named “Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana” by Italian Republic President Ciampi in 2003 and inducted into Italian football’s Hall of Fame 2011.

Beyond his football and professional life, Pierluigi is a dedicated champion of good causes. He was an International Red Cross Ambassador for the campaign “Children in War” in 2004, and FIFA Ambassador for the SOS Italia Children Villages.

In talks, he outlines his key strategies which are as relevant to business as they are to football matches: analyse each team’s tactics to ensure you’re in the right place at the right time; how to defuse any tense situation quickly and fairly; and above all learn from your mistakes: “In a fast moving environment, with a number of factors in play, use all the resources at your disposal to make the best possible decision.” He is the author of the book “The Rules of the Game”, published in Italy and later translated in more than 10 different languages and 20 countries.

He is also the subject of a new biography -‘More Than Just a Whistle, The Impact of A Referee on the Beautiful Game‘ by Robert Christian (2024)