At 90 years old, he officiates game number 2,700: the Sicilian who wants to enter the Guinness.

A great event to celebrate the 2,700 rugby matches officiated in his career and the title of oldest referee in Great Britain. A unique story that of Nando Di Matteo, from Palermo, 90 years old, who moved to the United Kingdom in 1964 where he began his career as a rugby referee, while his brother Mimmo played professional football in Italy (he also played for Palermo) in the 1970s; he, on the other hand, seeing his poor results as a rugby player, decided to pursue a refereeing career in the oval ball. And at 90 years old, Nando Di Matteo returned to the field to officiate match number 2,700 and apply to enter the Guinness World Records.

Referee Nando Di Matteo in front of the Wellingborough Rugby Football Club emblem

For this historic event, there was a full house at the Cut Throat stadium in Wellingborough, in Northamptonshire, which is about an hour from London, for the night match between Wellingborough RFC and a team from the East Midlands, selected to celebrate the 90th birthday of the legendary Nando, accompanied by his son Gino, a former rugby player and now a successful physiotherapist in London.

A character well known to Letterio Pomario, from Palermo, an extraordinary freelance professional photojournalist since 1979 with photojournalistic reports on social, anthropological, and environmental themes, whose photos have made history and have been published by the most important newspapers, dailies, and magazines around the world.

Referee Nando Di Matteo with his son Gino

Photojournalist Letterio Pomara

“Growing up in a family of athletes, Ferdinado Di Matteo - known to everyone as Nando - a former hairdresser - recounts Letterio Pomara - he moved to England in 1964, where he lives, married for 63 years to his wife and surrounded by the love of three children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. A quiet life, his. Between the shop, some friendships mostly with Italians, and a few pastimes. Little or nothing hinted at what would become the longest refereeing career in the United Kingdom, after his registration with a local rugby club: the Wellingborough Rugby Football Club, of which he is still one of the most active members and his 51 years of commitment rank him among the longest-serving.

Rugby referee Nando Di Matteo

“Indeed, whenever he can - continues Letterio Pomara - Nando leaves his successful hair salon and rushes to the club to watch his son play rugby, and in the meantime, he attends referee school with excellent results. Books and manuals on rugby hold no secrets for him. He doesn’t miss any training courses for referees. The official badge arrives along with the jersey with the characteristic golden embroidery of the East Midlands Rugby Referee. And at the beginning of 1982, he even receives the call-up for his first official match. It’s a crescendo of esteem and appreciation from all sides. The rest is history, and at his 90 years, almost to congratulate Di Matteo, the East Midlands Rugby Union, the governing body of rugby, officially recognizes him for 2,700 matches officiated and over 6,000 miles - almost 10,000 kilometers traveled up and down the playing fields. Trophies, awards, and recognitions with the most flattering motivations are countless. A rich showcase, that of the Palermo referee, to which after this last match, more testimonies have been added. Special jerseys under glass with his name embroidered. Ribbons, plaques, miniatures of precious whistles, and above all - probably what he values most - the Honour Cups, a finely decorated cap that in rugby is given sparingly only for “Honor to merit.” But it hasn’t all been as easy as it may seem.”

Nando Di Matteo with the Honour Cups, the finely decorated cap that is given sparingly in rugby, and only for "Honor to Merit"

A moment from the meeting directed by Nando Di Matteo

The same Nando Di Matteo emphasizes, first of all, the difficulties with the language due to the English rugby terms, with players often misunderstanding his decisions on the field, and only thanks to his well-known Sicilian gestures was he able to resolve the most complicated situations.

“There was also a minimal atmosphere of suspicion that lingered in the environment - recounts Nando Di Matteo - although it was offset by professionals who did not hesitate to support me. Today, however, if the esteem for me is almost unanimous and I am held in high regard, I owe it to these individuals and to my discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism.”

Thus, there was almost a sold out at Cut Throat Lane in Wellingborough to witness the match celebrating the ninetieth anniversary of referee Nando Di Matteo, and even BBC did a live broadcast, with many colleagues from the press present, in addition to the numerous and endless congratulatory messages that came from all over. And now at 90 years Nando Di Matteo is ready to serve the new refereeing generations.

Referee Di Matteo after the match with his pint of Guinness

“Not everyone reaches ninety years and walks on the grass of a rugby field for 80 minutes - recounts Nando Di Matteo - and perhaps I didn't even believe I would make it this far. But this is the result of my meticulous way of living, starting with a healthy diet that I have followed for years; then I go to the gym three times a week and occasionally run for an hour. I have only two “sins”: a pint of Guinness and a banana at the end of each match and the good bread with spleen, some panelle and a couple of crocchè that I love to enjoy in my Palermo during the usual summer holidays. Because every year I come down. I will be the oldest referee in Great Britain and I may be ninety years old, but frankly, I don't feel it!”

Nando Di Matteo with the whistle given to him by the National Federation of Rugby Referees