[Saba Sports News] Recently, Italian female referee Claudia Romani, known as “the world’s sexiest referee”, posed in an American flag bikini on Miami Beach to build hype for the ongoing World Cup — even though her home country Italy failed to qualify for the tournament. A certified referee eligible to officiate Serie A and Serie B matches as well as a former Playboy model, she shared the photo set on Instagram with the caption: “Which team are you supporting for the World Cup? Who’s going to win? So glad the US is one of the host nations, hope every team gets fair treatment!” The post has racked up more than 4,000 likes. Romani boasts 1.2 million followers on Instagram. She previously watched Italy lift the trophy live in Germany. Though Italy did not qualify this year, she still flew to the United States to soak up the World Cup atmosphere. Her refereeing career came to an end after she sparked controversy by publicly wearing an AC Milan jersey.
The editor believes that some people claim she is just shamelessly chasing clout, while others argue that the World Cup is a grand celebration for football fans worldwide, so there is nothing wrong with her wanting to attend. Now active as a model and internet celebrity, Claudia Romani regularly shares snippets of her daily life online. Her sentiments over her national team’s failure to qualify reflect the nostalgia many long-time fans feel for Italy’s glorious football past.