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Is Pierluigi Collina the greatest ever referee in football history?
Pierluigi Collina, one of football’s most iconic referees, has revealed that his career was almost derailed—not by a controversial decision, but by his own appearance.
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The legendary Italian official, famous for his intimidating bald look and commanding presence, disclosed in a recent interview that he was nearly forced out of refereeing due to alopecia totalis, a condition that caused him to lose all his hair at the age of 24.
Collina on why he hated giving red cards
Widely regarded as the greatest referee of all time, Collina reflected on his approach to officiating, particularly the difficult task of issuing red cards.
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Speaking with La Repubblica, Collina said, “Giving a red card, contrary to popular belief, is not a moment of satisfaction for the referee.
“I have always experienced it as participating in a defeat, even if it wasn’t my own. A red card is necessary to maintain respect for the rules on the field. But I have never enjoyed sending a player off.”
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Despite his strict demeanour, Collina was never tempted to walk away from the profession due to abuse from fans or players.
However, there was a moment when authorities tried to force him out—not because of his refereeing, but because of his appearance.
Collina on fighting for his career despite alopecia challenge
Collina revealed that when he developed alopecia totalis, he lost all his hair within two weeks, leading to unexpected resistance from refereeing authorities.
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The former Italian referee revealed, “They tried to make me stop refereeing because I had lost all my hair,” he admitted. “The refereeing authorities suspended me for three months.”
To determine whether he could continue officiating, he was sent to Latina, a stadium known for its heated atmosphere, to see how the crowd would react.
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He passed the test and noted his gratitude to the fans on that day, saying, “I will always be grateful to that crowd: that day, they couldn’t have cared less about having a bald referee.”
Collina went on to have an illustrious career, reaching the pinnacle of refereeing when he officiated the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final between Brazil and Germany.
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