Pierluigi Collina is a former FIFA football referee who is widely regarded as the best referee of his generation. Pierluigi is a current member of the UEFA Referees Committee and a consultant to the Italian Football Referee Association, helping to improve and preserve standards of refereeing at the highest levels of elite football.
Having officiated at the highest levels at some of the most famous games in football history, Pierluigi had a clear aptitude for refereeing. After rapidly progressing to referring Serie B and Serie A matches, he was placed on FIFA's Referees List in 1995. He was given the opportunity to officiate five matches at the 1996 Olympics, including the final between Nigeria and Argentina. He also took control of the 1999 UEFA Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Pierluigi has refereed at memorable events such as the 2002 World Cup and the Euro 2004, which would prove to be his last major tournament. Taking brief stints out of retirement to help officiate charity match Soccer Aid, Pierluigi also helped with the introduction and evaluation of the VAR system for the 2018 World Cup.
During his incredible career, Peirluigi was awarded the IFFHS World’s Best Referee title for six consecutive years from 1998. The IFFHS also named him as the All Time World's Best Referee between 1987 and 2020. The Italian Football Association named him as the Serie A Referee of the Year on seven occasions between 1997 and 2005, in addition to being bestowed an honorary doctorate by Hull University and being inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Having undertaken a multitude of corporate opportunities and sponsorship deals with companies such as Opel, Signum, MasterCard and Adidas, and the Pro Evolution Soccer video game franchise, Pierluigi's popularity is on par with football players and managers alike. An instantly recognisable character and sports speaker to anyone with an interest in football and sport, Pierluigi Collina is unquestionably a phenomenal addition to events and occasions as a motivational football speaker. His rise through the ranks to establishing himself as the most inspiring and extraordinary referee of his generation is something to behold and appreciate. A well-loved official who has an extended ability as a sports speaker, book Pierluigi Collina today for your event.
Reviews
Pierluigi Collina received a 5 star rating across 9 events in 2025
Agent Recomendation
Pierluigi Collina is an outstanding speaker whose authority is forged at the very pinnacle of world football. Widely regarded as the greatest referee of his generation, he shares first-hand insight from World Cups, Olympic finals and Champions League showpieces. Now serving on the UEFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi brings compelling lessons on leadership, integrity and decision-making under pressure, making him a powerful and credible addition to any event.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
"Overall, the feedback about Secrets of Success was extremely positive. Our Chief Operating Officer Peter Giortz commented how much he had enjoyed participating in it and meeting Pierluigi. Morven McLean, our Global Head of Leadership Development commented: Pierluigi was incredibly professional and generous with the insights he shared. He was also easy to work with and adapted his considerable knowledge to our own leadership model. This helped give the session a real edge and sense of meaning to our leaders. He was also a lot of fun." - Mette, Arla
- 2025 - Featured across BBC, GiveMeSport, The Guardian and The Mirror
- 2020 - Named the IFFHS All Time World’s Best Referee for the period 1987 to 2020
- 2018 - Contributed to the introduction and evaluation of the VAR system at the FIFA World Cup in Russia
- 2011 - Inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame
- 2005 - Concluded his international refereeing career after officiating at the highest levels of world football
- 2004 - Officiated at UEFA Euro 2004, his final major international tournament
- 2002 - Refereed at the FIFA World Cup, overseeing matches on the sport’s biggest stage
- 1999 - Took charge of the UEFA Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Manchester United
- 1998 - Awarded the first of six consecutive IFFHS World’s Best Referee titles
- 1997 - Named Serie A Referee of the Year by the Italian Football Association, beginning a run of seven awards
- 1996 - Officiated five matches at the Olympic Games, including the final between Nigeria and Argentina
- 1995 - Added to FIFA’s official Referees List, marking his elevation to the top tier of international officiating
How to hire Pierluigi Collina
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Pierluigi Collina for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
