Model-turned-referee Claudia Romani welcomes Lionel Messi to Inter Miami with bikini photoshoot

Claudia Romani, who swapped her modelling career to serve as a referee, recently heralded Lionel Messi's imminent transfer to Inter Miami through a stylish bikini photoshoot. According to Daily Star, she notably made the dramatic career pivot in 2014, trading Playboy, GQ, and Cosmopolitan covers for the football pitch.

Even though her days are now occupied with enforcing the rules of the beautiful game, she has maintained a strong online presence, boasting an Instagram following of 1.3 million. Her recent photoshoot was fuelled by the anticipated arrival of Lionel Messi to the shores of Miami.

The Argentinian wizard is on the brink of being officially introduced as part of David Beckham's franchise, and his presence has already been felt around town. Murals of the legendary forward have been painted, while there have been sightings of him filling his shopping cart with cereals at a local store.

Instagram Post

Romani, with a discernible soft spot for the World Cup champion, celebrated his impending arrival in style. She graced her Instagram profile with photos of herself sporting an Inter Miami jersey and towel over her bikini.

She even sported a smart Inter Miami top with nothing more than a skimpy pair of bottoms. The excited referee captioned the post with:

Although her endorsement of Messi's new squad might have earned her some fresh followers, it raises questions about her ability to impartially officiate matches involving the star. However, such questions remain largely hypothetical as Romani's qualifications primarily pertain to Serie A and Serie B in Italy.

She has previously been accused of showing a soft corner for teams she loves. This was notably the case when she shared a risqué photo of herself donning an