Rome: Football will bid “arrivederci” to top referee Pierluigi Collina next year when he will be forced to retire under Italian regulations.

“Next June, when I turn 45, I will retire, as the rules oblige me to do,” Collina, known for his bald head and intense gaze, was quoted as saying by news agency Ansa on Monday. “Of course, deciding this on the basis of your identity papers is a bit arbitrary. But I will comply. Referees are men of rules.”

Collina, praised for his handling of the 2002 World Cup final between Brazil and Germany in a meet plagued by refereeing controversy, is set for his international swansong at Euro 2004.

The authorities, however, will face enormous pressure to bend the rules and allow one of the game’s most instantly recognisable faces to stay on the pitch. Under Italian Referees Association regulations professional referees must stand down at 45 unless the President makes an exception.

Collina, who celebrates his 44th birthday next month, pointed to players who continued competing despite reaching veteran status.

“There are some players that are fantastic role-models, like (Dino) Zoff and (Roberto) Baggio, who continued playing at the highest level defying expectations,” he said. Zoff, past his 40th birthday, kept goal for Italy when they won the 1982 World Cup in Spain. (Reuters)