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Referee Collina's swansong set for June 18

June 09, 2005 22:23 IST

Italian Pierluigi Collina, widely regarded as the best referee in the world, will take charge of his last match in the second leg of the Serie A relegation playoff between Bologna and Parma on June 18.

Italian referees must retire at the age of 45 and Collina, who reached that age in February, has not received the necessary exemption from Italy's Football League to continue next season.

Collina, a financial advisor by profession, has worked as a referee since 1977, taking charge of his first Serie A match in 1991

and getting his FIFA badge four years later.

He has been voted world referee of the year five times.

Among his career highlights were Manchester United's last-gasp comeback to beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final and the 2002 World Cup final between Brazil and Germany.

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