Who is Christina Unkel? ITV's Euros referee analyst impresses viewers

Football fans tuning into the early stages of Euro 2024 have already identified one of the stars of the tournament – but it isn’t anyone out on the pitch.

Instead, viewers have been impressed with ITV's Euros referee analyst Christina Unkel.

Unkel is part of ITV’s team during live games this year, replacing Mark Clattenburg during broadcasts.

The American has many strings to her bow – Unkel is a former Fifa-licensed referee who moved into the media after retiring from the sport.

She has worked in the past with Kate Abdo, Thierry Henry, Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher on the CBS Champions League show.

Unkel is a familiar presence on US football coverage, but people in the UK are praising the 37-year-old on social media after hearing her for the first time during the tournament.

As well as doing analysis for the media, Unkel has also previously worked as the president of the Tampa Bay Sun in the US.

She’s also the co-founder of a number of businesses working in sports science, as well as being an active litigation attorney.

Plenty of people were impressed after hearing her in action during the opening game of the tournament between Germany and Scotland.

Meanwhile, ITV’s title sequence for games this year features animated versions of top players from across Europe, with a whimsical fantasy backdrop.

The music, though, has caught the attention of viewers on social media – and left some completely baffled.

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