Pierluigi Collina

Pierluigi Collina was without a doubt the world's greatest football referee and is one of the most recognised faces in the world today. He reached the highest level in the game and was renowned for his pinpoint decision making, fairness and calming influence. He was voted as Best Referee in the World by FIFA for six consecutive years.

Pierluigi's career highlights include the final of the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, the UEFA Champions League Final in Barcelona in 1999, the World Cup in France in 1998, Euro 2000 and the World Cup Final in 2002. Mr. Collina has been a referee since 1977 and was voted best referee of the world voted by IFFHS for 6 consecutive years between 1998 and 2003 as well as best referee in the Italian league for 6 years.

An economics graduate from the University of Bologna, Pierluigi Collina is a financial consultant by profession (Italian League referee is not a full-time position). As well as the awards he has collected on the pitch, Pierluigi has been honoured around the world for his achievements. These honours include the Commendatore dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana bestowed upon him in 2003.

Outside of his football and professional life, Pierluigi Collina is an energetic champion of good causes. He was International Red Cross' ambassador for the campaign Children in war, in 2004, and FIFA Ambassador for the SOS Italia Children Villages. He is the author of the book The Rules of the Game, published in Italy in 2003 and translated in more than 10 different languages and 20 countries.

Drawing parallels between business and football, Pierluigi considers the leadership, planning, decision-making and execution necessary for peak performance, especially under pressure. His simple creed is as relevant to the fast-moving world of commerce as it is in refereeing: make use of all the resources at your disposal, analyse each team's tactics to ensure you're in the right place at the right time, and defuse tense situations quickly and fairly. Above all, learn from your mistakes – but resist the temptation to make matters worse by compensating for them.

Pierluigi Collina provides a fascinating glimpse of what it takes to be the best and stay the best and how dedication to a goal in life has led to fame and success - plus many anecdotes from the challenges he has faced when managing "interesting situations".

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Clients often ask about purchasing books for giveaways and delegate packs. Below you’ll find a selection of products by Pierluigi Collina. Click the images to view on Amazon's website. For bulk orders, please speak with your Booking Agent.