Emanuela Rusta, who holds the title of the world's most attractive female referee, has closed her Instagram account due to disturbing messages.

Female referee Emanuela Rusta expressed her discomfort with being referred to as the "sexy referee." The 30-year-old Albanian referee gained fame as the first woman to officiate in the men's league before stepping onto the European stage.

Rusta used to be an active user on social media, sharing attractive photos. However, due to the sexist messages she received, she had to close her Instagram account.

Rusta stated that the media's focus on her appearance overshadowed her professional achievements and said, "They should focus more on my professionalism than other things." Rusta expressed her discomfort with headlines such as "The sexy referee who raises the temperature" in her country.

Rusta emphasized the need for female referees to fight hard for acceptance. She described the challenges she faced, saying, "You have to shatter the glass ceiling."

Despite the comments about her physical appearance, Rusta feels respected on the field and stated, "Refereeing is not a gender issue, it is a matter of competence." She expressed her hope for more female referees to officiate in high-level men's matches in the future.

Following in the footsteps of Stephanie Frappart, Rusta aims to officiate in men's Champions League matches. Frappart became the first female referee in this field in 2020 and also officiated in the 2022 World Cup.

Rusta, who will officiate the Sporting Lisbon - Real Madrid match in the Women's Champions League tonight, hopes to be remembered for her professional achievements and for the end of sexist approaches as her career progresses.