The ref. The man in black. The whistle. The man or woman in the middle. The referee is in charge of each football match, they blow the whistle to start and end the game, award fouls, and have a yellow card and red card ready to give to players committing fouls. They are basically the police on the pitch, sent by Pro Ref (previously PGMOL). They work each match alongside a team of assistant referees (previously called linesmen) and a 4th official on the side of the pitch looking after substitutions and taking verbal abuse from managers and coaches. Who would be a referee? They receive plenty of angry insults from the stands, players, and the touchline.
Maybe the most famous referee of all was Pierluigi Collina, known for his stern yet fair refereeing style and intense eyes. The Italian ref was a standout, had great authority and was respected by pretty much everyone from players and coaches to fans and commentators, a rare feat. He refereed a World Cup final, Champions League final, UEFA Cup final and Men’s Olympic Football final.
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