One of the most successful referees in the history of volleyball, Stefano Cesare, will experience a special evening in Messina. The Italian will be the first referee for the Italy – Brazil match of the FIPAV Cup Men Elite, which starts tonight at 9:00 PM Bulgarian time. This will be his last match in an Italian referee uniform, and the match will also be the 100th anniversary encounter between the two volleyball powerhouses.
The symbolism is even greater because of something that practically cannot happen in an official international match – an Italian referee officiating the Italian national team.
"The special thing, of course, will be that I will officiate the Italian national team, and as an Italian referee, this never happens to me. And to officiate such a great classic as Italy – Brazil makes it even more beautiful," Cesare commented to the Italian Volleyball Federation.
Behind this evening stands a truly extraordinary number – 40 years of refereeing.
Stefano Cesare was born on February 16, 1970, in Turin, and began refereeing in 1986. This means he took his first steps as a referee at just 16 years old.
It is precisely such an early start that largely explains the incredible longevity of his career. From his first matches in 1986 to his last appointments in 2026, four decades have passed.
Cesare himself recalls how different volleyball was when he started. Back then, for example, a double touch was called on a two-handed reception from below if the ball didn't come out cleanly. Over 40 years, he has gone through huge changes in both the rules and the game itself, as well as in the technologies that gradually entered refereeing.
"As for technology, we were among the pioneering sports with the introduction of some aids. This makes refereeing even more interesting, but you have to use technology, not be its hostage. It may sound a bit philosophical, but the difference is actually significant. The difficulty lies in managing the moments and situations during a match," Cesare explains.
He gives tennis as an example, where with the huge amount of technology, it might seem that the referee has almost nothing to do, but disputes between players and officials still arise. Therefore, according to him, managing individual moments remains a fundamental part of a referee's job.
His path to the elite was also long. Since 1999, Cesare has been a referee in the Italian Serie A, which means 27 years at the highest club level in Italy.
However, his international history is unusual because it spans two different disciplines – beach and indoor volleyball.
The first moment that Cesare himself defines as a turning point for his international career was the 2003 Beach Volleyball World Championship in Rio de Janeiro. There, he was the first referee for the men's final. In his own words, this match was his "first international showcase."
Just a year later, even greater recognition came.
At the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004, the Italian was the first referee for the women's beach volleyball final. Four years later in Beijing, he again received one of the most prestigious appointments – this time officiating the men's Olympic final.
After the Beijing Olympics in 2008, his international refereeing activity in beach volleyball concluded. Cesare himself points to the period 1994–2008 as the years when the two directions in his career – indoor volleyball and beach volleyball – overlapped.
Since 2010, he has been an international referee in indoor volleyball. Thus, by 2026, he will have 16 years as an international indoor referee, having previously reached the Olympic peak on the beach.
This is what makes his career unique – Cesare managed to reach an Olympic final in both varieties of volleyball.
The culmination in indoor volleyball came on August 10, 2024, in Paris.
Cesare was the first referee for the men's Olympic final between France and Poland. The hosts won 3:0 (25:19, 25:20, 25:23), and the Italian added a third Olympic final to his exceptional career.
Thus, after the beach finals in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, Cesare reached the match for Olympic gold in indoor volleyball at Paris 2024. He is the only international referee to have officiated Olympic finals in both disciplines.
Exactly 20 years stand between his first and third Olympic final.
It is interesting that when asked to name the most special moments of his vast career, Cesare chooses two matches from the two ends of his international journey – the Beach Volleyball World Final in Rio in 2003 and the France – Poland Olympic final in Paris in 2024.
Around the second one, there's also a playful jab with Ferdinando De Giorgi. Cesare recounts that the Italian coach reminded him with a smile that he managed to officiate the Olympic final in Paris "thanks to Italy." The Italians did not reach the final, so there was no obstacle for an Italian referee to be appointed for the decisive match between France and Poland.
But behind the decision for today's Italy – Brazil to be his last match in the Italian referee uniform lies another interesting story.
Cesare revealed on his social media profile that he had the opportunity to continue officiating at the highest level for another four seasons. However, FIPAV invited him to join a project related to the development of the refereeing sector, and he decided to accept the offer.
"How could I say 'no' to such a request?" Cesare writes.
Therefore, this evening is not a forced end due to age or inability to continue. On the contrary – according to Cesare himself, he had another four seasons at the highest level ahead of him. The decision is to gradually begin the transition from a person who officiates big matches to a person who will pass on the experience accumulated over four decades to the next generation of referees.
However, Italy – Brazil will be neither the last match of his career nor his last match on Italian soil.
After Messina, Cesare has two more international commitments. First, his last competition under the FIVB aegis in Rio de Janeiro in September awaits him.
And the absolute end is planned for December.
Cesare himself reveals thatthe last match of his refereeing career will be in Civitanova – an Italian derby from the men's CEV Champions League. He will then be in the CEV uniform.
After this final match, Cesare will remain in refereeing, but in a different role. He will work on the refereeing committee and help his younger colleagues, wanting to pass on not only his experience but also the passion and enthusiasm with which he has gone through these 40 years.
"Believe in yourselves, dream big, be persistent and never give up, but always remain humble and maintain your desire to grow and improve," Cesare addresses the young referees.
Thus, Italy – Brazil tonight does not put an end to Stefano Cesare's career. It closes another huge chapter – the one in which for 40 years he wore the Italian referee uniform.
The last match is scheduled for December. And fate has prepared a curious finale – after officiating his own country's national team for the first time tonight, he will finally end his career again in Italy, with an Italian derby in the Champions League.

photos: Nikolay Varadinov