The Rules of the Game

The most distinctive figure in football blows the whistle on the beautiful game On 30th June 2002 Pierluigi Collina, universally acknowledged to be the world's finest referee, officiated over Brazil and Germany in the World Cup Final. A matter of weeks later he was back on the field refereeing a Italian Cup first round encounter between Sampdoria and Siena. This unique vantage point makes Collina perfectly placed to comment on the game, on the stars, the media and the matches he has overseen, including England's world cup victory over Argentina and Manchester United's dramatic treble winning European Cup Final. The Rules of the Game takes us as never before into the world of the referee, the preparation needed for each game, the managing of players and the other officials and the camaraderie behind the scenes. Collina describes how it feels to make a difficult decision, the pressures from the crowd and from the players while taking us through the most significant matches he has refereed. But more than anything this is Pierluigi Collina's chance to speak out about the game he loves. His passionate, expert and, sometimes controversial views are compulsory reading for anyone with a passing interest in the beautiful game. 'In my opinion, Collina is the best referee in the game' David Beckham