Happy birthday to the legendary Pierluigi Collina who turns 62 years today

If the Italian was officiating you knew it was a big game.

Named FIFA’s best referee for 6 consecutive years and widely considered the GOAT. He was that ref that had an inbuilt VAR in his eyes.

Pierluigi could communicate in 4 languages on the field [French, Spanish, Italian and English]. Before each game, he studied the game and the players of the teams he would lead and learned the names of the players.

During the 2002 World Cup Final in Japan, Ronaldo gave him his shirt and the ball. The players from Brazil and Germany have congratulated him on his performance. He was ruthless with his cardboard, charismatic and respected.

Footballers had huge respect for him and even fear, just by his presence. This is also the only ref who has been on a video game cover.

Nobody put players in their place quite like Pierluigi Collina.

A true legend