A female footballer in Spain has complained that a male referee asked her out on a date during a Women's Primera División game.

Elena Pavel, who plays for Sporting Huelva, claimed that referee Santiago Quijada Alcon, who officiated her side’s 3-2 defeat to Santa Teresa on Sunday, propositioned her by asking: "Hey brown-hair, let's get coffee this afternoon."

According to a report by The Local, the 31-year-old replied, “Better stick to blowing your whistle” and later told news agency Efe that she believed Alcon was attempting to provoke her.

“I’ve stopped believing in football, in fair play,” she said.

"I feel helpless, humiliated. In the many years I’ve been playing football I’ve never felt so ashamed."

Pavel also criticised Alcon’s general performance, after he sent off two Huelva players and rejected vociferous claims for a penalty.