HE'S A REFFING MARVEL

BROUGHT TO BOOK... Batistuta gets yellow card

STAR referee Pierluigi Collina officiated the England v Argentina clash - proving FIFA considered it the most potentially fiery of the whole first round. But Collina, 42 - voted world’s best ref four times - was not fazed before kick off.

 He said: "There is no way to intimidate a referee who is at world level. We know the top players and know who will dive and who will foul." The bald Italian owes his distinctive looks to alopecia, which robbed him of his hair in two weeks when he was 24.

He first refereed at school after an injury stopped him playing. He is now a celebrity, appearing in adidas TV adverts and with his own website. Amazingly Collina - who is married with kids aged six and 11 - describes himself as a financial adviser. He is tipped to oversee the World Cup final in Yokohama, as long as Italy do not get through.