IFFHS ALL TIME RANKING OF THE WORLD’S BEST REFEREE (1987-2020)


Picture : Pierluigi Collina is always the leader of the IFFHS All Time Ranking, winning six annual Awards in a row !


IFFHS ALL TIME RANKING OF THE WORLD’S BEST REFEREE (1987-2020) - COLLINA LEADER !


The IFFHS has devised an equitable method for determining the ranking of THE ALL TIME WORLD’S BEST REFEREE. It has taken in consideration the TOP 20 of each yearly ranking of the category concerned and allocated points to each place. So the first placed received 20 points, the second placed 19 points, the third placed 18 points …. And 1 point for the twentieth place. If the annual ranking comprised fewer than 20, no point will be awarded for the unoccupied places. Adding the points from the individual years of the category provides an IFFHS ALL TIME WORLD’S BEST REFEREE Ranking from 1987 to 2020 (the list of the winners of all annual IFFHS Awards of THE WORLD’S BEST REFEREE is to find in the column GALA AWARDS).



Behind Collina, the 9 other Referees in the World's All Time Top 10 !

 

Italy’s Legend Referee Pierluigi Collina, winner of the annual IFFHS Award of THE WORLD’S BEST REFEREE six years in a row (1998 to 2003), leads the All Time Ranking with 191 points, 7 more than German Markus Merk (3 annual Awards) and Denmark’s Kim Milton Nielsen at the third place with 159 points without winning an annual Award. 

Howard Webb (two awards) and Peter Mikkelsen (also two annual Trophies) completed the Top 5. After the top 5, the trio Brych – Cakir – Kuipers , always in top level activity, is ready in the next months to disturb the ranking et arrive in the Top 5 !

The Top 50 is composed of 41 Referees from UEFA, 7 from CONMEBOL, 1 from CONCACAF and 1 from AFC. Italy with 6 referees leads before Germany, Argentina, Spain and England (5 referees each). Pierluigi Collina is the best ranked of UEFA, Colombian Oscar Ruiz in the Top 10 is the best of CONMEBOL, Arturo  Brizio Carter the best of CONCACAF and Ravshan Irmatov the best of AFC. 

If Collina holds the record for the most annual Awards (6), Hungarian Sandor Puhl, ranked at the 11th place of the All Time Ranking, has won 4 consecutive Awards (1994 to 1997) , one more than German Markus Merk, who won also the IFFHS Decade Award (2001-2010). Felix Brych won the second IFFHS Decade Award (2011-2020).


 

Sandor Puhl - 4 IFFHS Awards in a row/ Markus Merk winner of the first Decade/ Felix Brych winner of the second Decade


 

IFFHS ALL TIME RANKING OF THE WORLD’S BEST REFEREE (1987-2020)


PlaceNameCountryPoints
1Pierluigi COLLINAItaly191
2Markus MERKGermany184
3Kim Milton NIELSENDenmark159
4Howard WEBBEngland156
5Peter MIKKELSENDenmark142
6Felix BRYCHGermany141
7Cuneyt CAKIRTurkey140
8Björn KUIPERSNetherlands133
9Oscar RUIZColombia132
10Nicola RIZZOLIItaly121
11Sandor PUHLHungary119
12Jorge LARRIONDAUruguay108
13Urs MEIERSwitzerland102
14Anders FRISKSweden100
15Frank DE BLEECKEREBelgium98
16Pierluigi PAIRETTOItaly97
17Massimo BUSACCASwitzerland96
17Helmut KRUGGermany96
17Lubos MICHELSlovakia96
20Juan Carlos LOUSTAUArgentina93
21Roberto ROSETTIItaly91
22Nestor PITANAArgentina88
23Graham POLLEngland82
23Joel QUINIOUFrance82
25Viktor KASSAIHungary81
25Ravshan IRMATOVUzbekistan81
27Martin ATKINSONEngland80
28Hugh DALLASScotland78
29Damir SKOMINASlovenia76
29Mario VAN DER ENDENetherlands76
29Michel VAUTROTFrance76
32Manuel Mejuto GONZALESSpain73
33Horacio ELIZONDOArgentina69
34Luigi AGNOLINItaly68
34Hector BALDASSIArgentina68
36Bernd HEINEMANNGermany66
37Erik FREDRIKSSONSweden62
38David ELLERAYEngland59
39Manuel DIAZ VEGASpain54
39Antonio MATEU LAHOZSpain54
41Alexis PONNETBelgium53
41Gianluca ROCCHIItaly53
43Mark CLATTENBURGEngland52
44Arturo Brizio CARTERMexico51
44Javier CASTRILLIArgentina51
44Valentin IVANOVRussia51
47Aaron SCHMIDHUBERGermany50
48Luis Medina CANTALEJOSpain49
48Jose GARCIA ENCINARSpain49
48Pedro PROENCAPortugal49