Ranked: The greatest referees of all time

The usual focus in football is on the legendary footballers and coaches. However, behind every thrilling match is the referee, the guardian of the game. Here are the greatest referees in history!

Mark Halsey is on the list because of the respect he demanded and got during his time in the Premier League. He refereed over 300 Premier League games and took charge of the 2008 League Cup final. He is renowned for his quick decision-making and natural ability to officiate.

As one of the first Asian referees to officiate a World Cup knockout game, Ravshan Irmatov has earned his place as one of the best referees ever. His calm and unflinching manner has led him to refereeing at multiple Asian Cups and World Cups.

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According to Refsix, Italy's Pierluigi Pairetto made a long and significant impact on Serie A and international football, having a career that spanned the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. He famously refereed the Euro 1996 final between Germany and the Czech Republic.

Former Spanish referee Manuel Mejuto González had a long and successful spell as a referee in La Liga. He officiated multiple European games and two European Championships. He was the referee for Liverpool's famous 2005 Champions League triumph over AC Milan.

French referee Michel Vautrot refereed the French top division for 19 years and officiated at the 1982 and 1990 World Cups. He also refereed the 1984 Euros and took charge of the 1988 Euros final. He also refereed the 1986 European Cup final between Steaua Bucharest and FC Barcelona.

Swiss referee Massimo Busacca has officiated the Champions League and UEFA Cup finals, and refereed at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Busacca is renowned for his commitment to fair play and was awarded the Referee of the Year in 2009.

Pedro Proenca began his refereeing career in 1998 and became one of the best in modern times. He was the first referee to officiate the Champions League and Euros final in the same year and won the Best Referee of the Year award in 2007 and 2011, per GiveMeSport.

Slovakian Viktor Kassai had a highly successful 16-year career in football, making a name for his precise decision-making under pressure. He officiated the 2011 Champions League final between Manchester United and FC Barcelona, and participated in the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

Hungarian Sandor Puhl rose to fame as a referee after officiating the 1994 World Cup in the USA. He was named the World's Best Referee of the Year four times (1994-1997) and officiated the Champions League final in 1997. His ability to make good decisions and speak multiple languages makes him one of the best.

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Referees try to stay out of the spotlight, but that was difficult for Kim Milton Nielsen, who stood 6 ft 6 in tall. Nielsen was an imposing referee, with a career from 1988 to 2005. He officiated at multiple World Cups and took charge of the 1994 UEFA Cup and 2004 Champions League finals.

Many fans loved and hated Mark Clattenburg for his outspoken nature, but one thing is sure: He knew how to control a football game. He refereed over 250 games in the Premier League and took charge of the 2016 Champions League and Euro finals.

Nicola Rizzoli won seven consecutive Serie A Referee of the Year awards from 2011 to 2017, earning widespread recognition for his calm ability to referee high-stakes situations. He was responsible for the 2014 World Cup and 2013 Champions League finals.

Markus Merk is Germany's most successful referee, having won the German Referee of the Year award six times and officiating over 300 Bundesliga games. He refereed the Euro 2004 final and the 2003 Champions League final. Merk is also a three-time winner of FIFA's Best Referee of the Year award.

Howard Webb retired from refereeing reasonably early in his career to progress his career with the Professional Game Match Officials Board. Before that, Webb is acknowledged for his well-respected authority and calm persona. In 2010, he refereed the Champions League and World Cup finals, winning the Best Referee of the Year award.

The undisputed GOAT of refereeing is Italy's Pierluigi Collina. Collina's intimidating eyes and demeanor gathered the respect of all the players he officiated, leading him to the biggest games in football. The Italian refereed the 1999 Champions League and 2002 World Cup finals. He was even the face of Pro Evolution Soccer 3.

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