The World Cup champion star, FIFA's female player of the year, said she believed the difference between the men's and women's game was too great.

"The comparisons between me and world class men's players are flattering, but I believe they don't fit reality," Prinz said.

"If I'm in the limelight because of my performance on the pitch, I can live with that very well. But I'm not especially suited to be a glamour girl."

Perugia president Luciano Gaucci, known for flamboyant publicity stunts, was quoted in German newspapers as praising Prinz's looks as well as her playing skills in explaining why he wanted to sign the German forward.

Prinz, 26, was offered a "seven-figure" contract until 2005 after meeting with Gaucci in Rome, according to her manager. She is the third woman to reject a bid from the club after Swedes Hanna Lungberg and Victoria Svensson.

In turning down the Perugia offer, Prinz also cited the media storm likely to be generated by a woman appearing in a men's match and said she didn't want to be caught up in any legal battle between the club, Italian sports authorities and world soccer governing body FIFA.

Soccer experts say no regulation forbids a woman playing for a men's team in Italy, but Italian Olympic Committee head Gianni Petrucci has sharply criticized Perugia's pursuit of Prinz.

Petrucci told the Milan sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport that signing Prinz would harm the game.

"In any case, in Italy we have women's and men's leagues, and it's better things continue this way," he said.

Prinz said she feared that she would get little or no playing time, a major reason for rejecting the Perugia offer, which would significantly boost the amount over what she earns at German club FFC Frankfurt.

"After long consideration, I made this decision most of all based on my perspectives as an athlete," Prinz said.

Gaucci is popular in Italy for signing players for obvious publicity reasons. In the off season, he acquired Saadi Gadhafi, son of the Libyan leader, who is currently suspended for a doping offense.

German soccer officials were relieved Prinz rejected the offer, saying she was needed to sell the woman's game in Germany.

The World Cup triumph unleashed huge interest in the women's game in Germany. Prinz is the best known woman player after helping Germany to a 2-1 extra-time victory against Sweden in the Oct. 12 final.

"This was an absolute positive decision for Birgit, FFC Frankfurt and women's soccer in Germany. Women's soccer has to go its own way," the Frankfurt club's manager Siegfried Dietrich said.