As far as all research can find, only one football referee has ever appeared on the cover of a major video game.
Who?
- Pierluigi Collina – the famous Italian referee.
Whilst no referee has ever appeared on one cover, Collina appeared on two of them, he appeared on the cover of:
- Pro Evolution Soccer 3 (2003)
- Pro Evolution Soccer 4 (2004), alongside players like Thierry Henry and Francesco Totti.
Collina’s appearance on PES 3 made him the first football referee ever featured on a video-game cover, which was unusual and ground breaking because sports games almost always feature players or sometimes managers instead.
Pierluigi Collina was chosen for the cover of Pro Evolution Soccer 3 largely because, at the time, he was arguably the most famous referee in the world and symbolised authority and realism in football.
He was globally recognisable
By the early 2000s, Collina had become a football celebrity.
- His piercing stare and shaved head made him instantly recognisable.
- He had officiated major matches including the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final and the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final.
- He was repeatedly voted IFFHS World’s Best Referee.
For many fans, he was the face of refereeing.
The developers wanted to emphasise realism
The developer Konami marketed the Pro Evolution Soccer series as the most realistic football simulation at the time.
Putting a referee on the cover:
- highlighted the officiating and rules aspect of the sport
- suggested authenticity rather than pure star marketing.
It made the cover stand out
Competing football games like FIFA almost always used superstar players.
Using Collina:
- was unusual and memorable
- instantly differentiated the PES series on shop shelves.
He had a strong personal brand
Collina wasn’t just respected—he was charismatic and authoritative, which made him marketable.
He even released an autobiography, The Rules of the Game, around that period, showing how well known he had become.
