The world of professional football refereeing remains one of the most scrutinized professions in global sport, but for trailblazing official Manuela Nicolosi, the challenges have often extended far beyond offside calls and VAR checks.
The 45-year-old Italian-French official, who made history as part of the first all-female refereeing team for a major men’s UEFA final, has opened up about the systemic obstacles she faced—including being told to be “less visible” because of her physical appearance.
A Historic Career Built on Resilience
Manuela Nicolosi’s CV is a testament to elite-level performance. Having officiated more than 200 professional matches, her career highlights include:
- The 2019 UEFA Super Cup: Serving as an assistant referee for the high-stakes clash between Chelsea and Liverpool in Istanbul.
- Two Olympic Games: Officiating at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
- FIFA Women’s World Cup: Becoming the first Italian woman to officiate a World Cup final in 2019 alongside Stéphanie Frappart.
Despite these accolades, Nicolosi reveals that her journey was nearly derailed by superiors who focused on her looks rather than her technical precision.
In a recent interview with Quotidiano Sportivo, she shared that one of the most frustrating moments of her career was being denied a promotion from Serie C to Serie B in France because she was deemed “too flashy.”
“Technical errors or failed athletic tests are one thing,” Nicolosi stated. “But to have them stop me by telling me ‘you’re flashy’ is a big deal. I was on the verge of giving up.”
Born in Rome, Nicolosi’s passion for football was initially met with resistance at home when her father refused to let her play the sport.
Turning to refereeing at age 15, she quickly realized that the domestic environment in Italy offered limited opportunities for women.
“I left Italy at 20 because I realized they didn’t want female referees,” she explained. “They let you reach a certain level, the regional one, and then they put a spoke in your wheels in every way.”
This led her to move to France, where she eventually climbed to the highest levels of the game, including officiating in Ligue 1.
The move required immense sacrifice. Nicolosi walked away from a lucrative managerial career at a “Big Four” consulting firm—where she was responsible for EU finance—to pursue her passion for the whistle, often earning as little as €150 per match in the early stages of her career.
Beyond the institutional barriers, Nicolosi has faced the darker side of the beautiful game.
She vividly recalls a match in Italy’s fifth tier (Eccellenza) where she had to barricade herself in the locker room while coaches and managers threatened her life, requiring a police escort to leave the stadium.
She also addressed the issue of harassment from players. While she confirmed that advances and insinuations occurred throughout her career, her focus remained strictly professional.
“On the pitch, whether I was facing Kylian Mbappé or Mohamed Salah, it was the same for me,” she told MARCA. “I never gave in, which is why it took me so long to make a career.”
A New Chapter: Empowerment and the Kings League
Today, Nicolosi is channeling her experiences into leadership coaching, motivational speaking, and television consulting. She has been recognized by Fortune Italia as one of the “50 Most Powerful Women” and continues to break barriers as a referee in Gerard Piqué’s Kings League.
Her story remains a powerful reminder of the progress made in football officiating—and the significant distance still to be traveled for gender equality. As she noted in a recent Instagram update, “Sport helps break gender barriers… It’s no longer about gender, but about ability, training, and mindset.”