Who Is The Best Football Referee Ever? – Ranking The Top 5

Football is a beautiful game where players are in the spotlight, but the importance of a referee can’t be overlooked. The officials are responsible for enforcing the regulations in a football match. 

Referees are the ones who have the most authority since only they can blow the whistle to signal the game’s beginning and end. Moreover, they can pause the game and hand over cards to punish the players for making foul plays. 

Over the years, many legendary referees have left a lasting impact on football. In this post, I’ll give you a well-detailed list of the top five officials in football history and crown the best football referee of all time. 

Buckle up and prepare for an in-depth review of the world’s best-ever football referees!

Related: Best Football Managers Of All Time – Ranking The Top 10 GOATS in Football Coaching

#5 – Bjorn Kuipers

No.5 on the list of the best football referees in history is the legendary Dutchman Bjorn Kuipers. He got his FIFA badge in 2006 and was an official until 2021. Moreover, Kuipers was also a referee of the UEFA Elite Group from 2006 until 2021. 

He began his career as a referee in the second-best Dutch league in 2002, and in 2005, he started refereeing soccer games in the Dutch top-tier league—Eredivisie. The rest is history. 

He has officiated numerous big football games, like the 2011 UEFA Super Cup Final, the 2013 UEFA Europa League Final, and the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final. When it comes to officiating World Cup games, he was the main referee at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup Final and the fourth official in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final. 

Bjorn Kuipers was known to be a fair official who didn’t make many controversial decisions during his successful career as a football referee. 

Apart from being a referee, Kuipers owned a supermarket. 

#4 – Kim Milton Nielsen

Kim Milton Nielsen takes the fourth spot on the list of the best football referees of all-time. Standing at 6’ 6”, this towering Danish referee was an authoritative figure not only because of his immense height but because he was unbiased and unwavering. He was listed as a FIFA referee from 1988 until 2006, when he reached the age limit 45. 

During his illustrious career as an official, he was the main referee in 154 international matches and 53 UEFA Champions League games as well.  Nielsen also officiated many Danish top-flight games. 

He was the referee in more than a few important football games, like a couple of 1998 World Cup games, the 2002 FIFA World Cup semi-final, and the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final.

Besides his career as a referee, Nielsen was an IT manager. 

#3 – Howard Webb

Without a doubt, the best and most famous soccer referee from England is Howard Webb. Many football fans consider him the greatest Premier League official ever. Webb was mainly known for having a calm demeanor and controlling heated situations in many football matches he officiated. 

His successful refereeing career began in 2003 in the Premier League, where he officiated games until 2014. In 2005, he was listed as a FIFA referee, and in 2014, he retired.

Howard Webb refereed many prestigious football events in England, such as the 2005 Community Shield, the 2007 League Cup Final, and the 2009 FA Cup Final. 

As for his high-profile international games, Howard Webb officiated the 2010 World Cup Final and the 2010 Champions League Final. 

While being a referee, Webb issued 534 yellow cards and 68 red cards in 1694 games. 

Aside from his career as an official, Howard Webb was a police officer. 

#2 – Markus Merk

Markus Merk is a refereeing icon hailing from Germany. In his career, he put up some impressive records. He became the youngest referee in the Bundesliga, the no.1 league in Germany. Furthermore, he officiated the most games in that league. 

Merk is known as one of the fittest referees in soccer history since he regularly ran marathons and even competed in triathlon. 

He has had a tremendous career as an official since he was a referee in more than a few prestigious football matches, such as the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final, the Champions League Final in 2003, and the 2004 UEFA EURO Final. 

Marcus has amassed many accolades during his time as a professional referee, winning the award for being the best FIFA referee and the best German referee six times. 

After 20 years as an official, in 2008, Merk retired when he reached the age limit of 45. 

Apart from being a referee, Merk was a dentist. 

#1 – Pierluigi Collina

Undeniably, Pierluigi Collina is the best soccer referee who ever stepped onto a football pitch. The Italian’s authority on the field was never questioned, and many players never dared to swear at him or even raise their voices in his presence. 

He began his refereeing career in 1991 when he started officiating Seria A games. In 1995, he was listed as a FIFA Referee. He was the referee at the 1996 Olympic Football Final for Men a year later. Collina’s track record boasts numerous prominent football matches like the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final and 2002 World Cup Final.

His accolades speak for themselves since he won the IFFHS award for the best referee in the world six times. 

Collina retired in 2005, and his legacy as a referee will forever be etched in football’s history. 

After his career, he became a consultant for the UEFA Referees Committee. 

Featured image author: MojNews.CC BY 4.0.