Caputi becomes Serie A's first female referee with a message for women

The 32-year-old referee progressed through the ranks after beginning her refereeing career at the age of 17 because she was not allowed to play professional football at the time.

Last season, she officiated her first Serie B match, a 0-0 tie between Cittadella and

, and Cagliari's 3-1

Coppa Italia

victory over

.

Ferrieri Caputi

first stated her motivation for becoming a referee in an interview with Corriere della Sera.

“My parents didn’t want me to play, but in those days things were different to now. The refereeing course seemed like an opportunity to seize and in the early years it was something to share with my peers, above all else. I’m already working to get ready for the start of the season, I hope to make girls understand that it can be done.”

She reflected on her officiating career and the hardship of moving up the ranks. 

“The amateur leagues, for a referee, are the hardest. I experienced that, I wasn’t put at ease. But in professionalism, as the word itself says, there is professionalism.”

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