Technology does not take soul from football, says refereeing icon Pierluigi Collina

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Legendary Italian referee Pierluigi Collina defended the use of technology in football on Saturday, when he said it enhances, rather than diminishes, the spirit of the game.

Speaking at a session during Türkiye Innovation Week in Istanbul, Collina, who is the chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, told the audience: “Technology doesn’t take the soul of anything.”

“Technology is a tool given to humans to make their activities easier. And this is what is going on in football. We have a tool, technology, we have several tools, which are very, very important to make decisions more correct, and the outcome of the match, I would say, fairer.”

Collina reminded the audience that mistakes are part of human nature, even for highly skilled and well-prepared referees.

“Making mistakes is part of our nature. We are not perfect; we make mistakes. We always try to do our best to minimize the mistake,” he said, but referees cannot have as a goal to not commit any mistake. “Because perfection is not for human beings.”

“So, whenever a mistake happens, and the mistake can affect the outcome of the match, having technology helping you to prevent these mistakes from being committed, this is something great.”

“But I repeat, technology doesn't steal anything, particularly the soul of the match. It helps the referee to do their job better,” he underlined.

• Figure loved by Turkish fans

Collina also spoke fondly about his strong connection with Turkish fans, noting that he refereed 11 matches involving Turkish teams.

“I'm considered like a sort of pinnacle for the Turkish teams, because people in Turkey say that I bring luck to the Turkish team, because they never lose with me,” he said.

He noted that even in the 2003 Euro 2004 qualifying match between Türkiye and England, a 0–0 draw in Istanbul. “It was not really a defeat, but something similar.”

“I'm pleased that even 20 years after my retirement from the field of play, people here still love me,” he stated.

- Referee by chance, professional by passion

About his journey to refereeing, he said it began by chance at age 17 when a classmate invited him to join a referee course. “When you are 17 years old, you do things without any reason, just to make a new experience, just to make something different, without any goal.”

“So, it started really by chance, without any reason, any specific reason. And then, someone told me that I was quite good in what I was doing. And I like challenges very much, always. And the more they were telling me that I was quite good, and the more I tried to put the bar higher and higher and higher, to see what could I have reached in this.”

“Many, many years later, I'm still involved in something that became my passion and also my job. I'm a very lucky person, because normally you have your job and you have your passion. To me, passion and job are the same thing,” he said.

Collina emphasized that preparation is the cornerstone of any achievement.

“The habit I still keep (from referee career) is preparation,” he said. “You cannot be surprised by anything. You cannot justify failure by saying, ‘I didn’t know.’ Today, technology offers you plenty of information. So don't be lazy. Don't think that things can come only because you are lucky. Things come only if you are prepared.”

For him, relying solely on natural talent is not enough. “You cannot rely on your talent. It’s not enough. You need to work on your talent,” he said.

Collina also shared advice he gives to referees he coaches in FIFA competitions.

“Be ready to work very hard if you want to succeed. Success comes only if you are dedicated, committed and love what you do,” he said.

“So basically, it's work hard but also love what you are doing.”

Türkiye Innovation Week 2025, the country's largest innovation event, kicked off Thursday at Istanbul’s Halic Congress Center under the theme, “Tomorrow: Now.”

Organized by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) with the support of the Turkish Ministry of Trade and Anadolu Agency as its global communication partner, the three-day event brought together academics, senior executives, pioneering entrepreneurs, and innovation leaders from around the world.

The three-day event featured panels, masterclasses, digital art exhibitions, experience areas and networking opportunities.