Stunning Liverpool and Chelsea referee was told ‘be less visible’ over scorching hot looks
Manuela Nicolosi, 45, has officiated more than 200 professional matches, but the Italian referee claims her superiors told her she was ‘attracting too much attention’ due to her looks
Manuela Nicolosi has been told to tone down her attention-grabbing looks(Image: manuelanicolosi_arbitra/Instagram)
A stunning referee who once took charge of a match between Chelsea and Liverpool was once told to tone down her attention-grabbing looks.
Manuela Nicolosi, 45, has overseen more than 200 professional fixtures in both men’s and women’s football during her career, including serving as an assistant referee in the 2019 Super Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool.
But she has since been advised that her appearance is “attracting too much attention”. In an interview with Italian publication Quotidiano Sportivo, she was asked whether her looks have ever proved problematic.
Nicolosi ran the line in the Super Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea in 2019(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
She replied: “No, on the contrary. All my superiors told me: you have to be less visible, you attract too much attention
“One year I wasn’t promoted from Serie C to Serie B because I was too ‘visible’. I was on the verge of giving up. Technical errors or failed athletic tests are one thing.”
“But having them stop me by telling me ‘you’re flashy’ is a big deal. I left Italy at 20 because I realised they didn’t want female referees. They let you reach a certain level, the regional one, and then they put a spoke in your wheels in every way.”
Manuela Nicolosi has earned thousands of followers on social media
Manuela’s early career in Italy proved rocky, and she was compelled to seek protection after one match in the Eccellenza, Italy’s fifth tier.
“I barricaded myself in the locker room,” she said. “The coaches and managers of a team were shouting at me ‘we’ll kill you, get out’. I called the police who escorted me out. I remember it as if it were yesterday.”
Manuela admitted that verbal abuse is a common problem for all referees, but when asked if she’s ever experienced harassment, she replied: “Yes, but I’d rather not talk about it.
“I never gave in, which is why it took me so long to make a career. It happened (players making advances), but I never gave in. I’m not the type who dreamed of getting engaged to a footballer.
“On the pitch, whether I was facing [Kylian] Mbappe or [Mohamed] Salah, it was the same for me.”
Liverpool and Chelsea clashed again on Saturday, with the pair playing out a 1-1 draw after the Blues cancelled out Ryan Gravenberch’s opener.
A stunning referee who once officiated a match between Chelsea and Liverpool has been urged to dial back her eye-catching appearance.
Manuela Nicolosi, 45, has presided over more than 200 professional matches across both men’s and women’s football throughout her career, including as an assistant referee during the Super Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool in 2019. However, she has now been informed that her appearance is “attracting too much attention”.
Speaking to Italian outlet Quotidiano Sportivo, she was quizzed on whether her looks have ever presented an obstacle.
She replied: “No, on the contrary. All my superiors told me: you have to be less visible, you attract too much attention.
“One year I wasn’t promoted from Serie C to Serie B because I was too ‘visible’. I was on the verge of giving up. Technical errors or failed athletic tests are one thing.
“But having them stop me by telling me ‘you’re flashy’ is a big deal. I left Italy at 20 because I realised they didn’t want female referees.
“They let you reach a certain level, the regional one, and then they put a spoke in your wheels in every way.”
Manuela’s career in Italy got off to a turbulent start and she was forced to be escorted from one fixture in the Eccellenza, Italy’s fifth division.
Nicolosi ran the line in the Super Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea in 2019
“I barricaded myself in the locker room,” she said. “The coaches and managers of a team were shouting at me ‘we’ll kill you, get out’.
“I called the police who escorted me out. I remember it as if it were yesterday.”
Manuela acknowledged verbal abuse is an issue all referees encounter, but when questioned whether she’s ever faced harassment, she responded: “Yes, but I’d rather not talk about it.
“I never gave in, which is why it took me so long to make a career. It happened (players making advances), but I never gave in. I’m not the type who dreamed of getting engaged to a footballer.
“On the pitch, whether I was facing [Kylian] Mbappe or [Mohamed] Salah, it was the same for me.”
Manuela can now be spotted on screens during the King’s Cup – established by Gerard Pique – where she officiates as a referee.
