There are few referees in football history who have left their mark on the game as strongly as Pierluigi Collina.

The no-nonsense Italian was a commanding figure wherever he travelled and his serious and strict approach when dealing with players on the field of play made him one of the most respected officials in the game.

Collina was in charge of some of the biggest matches in the game and he was also FIFA’s best referee for six successive years. At the end of his career, UEFA appointed him head of referees on the continent.

The 56-year-old was in Malta last weekend as special guest of The World in 2017 business conference, organised by The Economist.

This was not his first visit to the islands as in the run-up to the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea he was part of a selected group of match officials who conducted a short training camp here.

“This is the first time that I had a chance to tour this beautiful country,” Bologna-born Collina told The Sunday Times of Malta.

“Valletta is a great city. I was impressed with the beauty of St John’s Cathedral in particular. I want to visit this place again.”

At first, Collina played soccer for a local team in Bologna but in 1977 he was convinced to take up a course in refereeing and that marked the start of an extraordinary career.

“I did well to have opted for this line of career,” Collina said.

“I was able to travel to different places and meet different people. I was referee for low-key matches and at top-notch tournaments…  each fixture had something special about it.

“The 1999 Champions League final (Manchester United vs Bayern Munich) and the 2002 World Cup final (Germany vs Brazil) will remain indelible in my mind though.”

Collina still has vivid memories of the Nou Camp contest between United and Bayern with the English champions scoring two very late goals to lift the coveted trophy.

“You won’t get another final like that very often,” Collina said.

Many incidents on the pitch are unpredictable due to the superior skill of the players and that is why referees need to be a step forward and able to anticipate what could happen next

“Bayern Munich were leading 1-0 at the 90 minutes but then conceded two goals in two minutes and 34 seconds of stoppage time and that really made it a memorable occasion. The reaction of the crowd when Solskjaer netted the second goal was tremendous.”

Today, Collina’s job is to monitor the progress of referees across all 54 UEFA member associations. He reckons that a top referee has to have different characteristics.

“It’s a combination of various qualities,” Collina said.

“For sure, all refs have to be fit and well prepared. They must possess a good know-how of the game and the ability to work in a team. These days it’s no longer a one-person show but a group effort.

“Refs also need to keep hold of their nerves during matches… that’s another important attribute as you need to be sure of yourself and not fearful of taking the right decision no matter how difficult it may be.”

Collina said the game these days is played at a faster pace so it was imperative for referees to know how and when to react during matches.

“Football has seen a lot of changes along the years,” he said.

“Everything is done faster today and that makes our job even more demanding. Many incidents on the pitch are quite unpredictable due to the superior skill of the players and that is why referees need to be a step forward and able to anticipate what could happen next.

“A referee has to read the player’s intention before he/she actually does the next move. They always have to be a step forward and in the most ideal position for something that is going to happen.

“If they’re late it’s probable that a wrong decision would be taken.”

Late last year, FIFA introduced video technology assistance at the Club World Cup in Japan.

During the tournament, criticism was levelled at the system from a number of players, particularly those of Real Madrid, who contended that the long wait for a decision on a particular matter could create confusion.

While respecting the players’ views, Collina feels judgements were premature also considering the experiment was still ongoing.

“Video technology is still in its infancy in football and I don’t think it was fair to judge on something like that at this stage… this is not a finished article yet,” he said.

“The exercise has to completed, analysed and put for consideration. Then anyone can sound his/her opinion. I think it’s important for the football authorities to run this experiment and take a serious consideration on its outcome.

“I was also involved in this project and been to several matches where video assistance was applied.

“Definitely there will be certain aspects that need to be improved or rectified but the most important thing now is to let the tests run and once it’s over there will be time for considerations on the matter.”

Collina has been one of the most vocal speakers to promote more respect between referees, players and officials.

He reckons that a strong relationship between all parties concerned will make the game more entertaining and popular.

“Respect is among the main values in sport and society,” he said.

“All players sport the Respect logo on shirt these days but it should not be just a word… we all have to see that it is applied in practice. When there’s mutual respect it becomes easier to play and when there is respect between referees and players there is more harmony on the pitch.

“That’s what makes football the ‘Beautiful Game’.