The English football fan who got fired for going to watch the Euro 2020 semi-final in the stadium while on sick leave has a new job created just for her as she has been hired as a football pundit for Pizza Express.

The UK restaurant group jumped at the chance to recruit Nina Farooqi (pictured left) as a "PizzaExpress Pundit" to provide commentary on their social media channels.

As to why a pizza business even needs a colour commentator, the chief cusotmer officer Shadi Halliwell did not explain but just said the 37-year-old Farooqi would deliver a “running commentary with a difference”.

And the new employer already liked what they saw in Farooqi, which was why they pounced.

“When we saw that avid football fan, Nina, pulled a sickie for the big semi-final she had our complete respect,” Halliwell said.

“We knew we wanted her to be part of our own line-up somehow and that’s when we developed our own ‘PizzaExpress Pundit'.”

Caught on camera celebrating jubilantly

Farooqi's absenteeism was noticed internationally when she was caught on camera celebrating jubilantly Harry Kane’s winning goal during England’s victory over Denmark.

The former digital content producer had lied about being sick just to attend the game after her friend won last-minute tickets in a ballot that put them in seats behind the goal post.

Her former employer, composite decking company Composite Prime, fired Farooqi promptly.

“I didn’t get any sympathy at all and they said that’s it," she said.

“That’s their call and the consequence of what I did.”

Will do it over again

But the subsequent media coverage and new job put a cap on the bittersweet-turned-sweet ending.

While she was regretful over the incident, Farooqi said she would do it all over again.

“I would have hated the regret of missing out.”

Composite Prime explained its decision after the firing: “Unfortunately, on this occasion our employee lied, taking one day off sick to attend the football match on Wednesday, July 7."

“This was in breach of her employment contract and so we had no choice but to take the appropriate action."

“As a business we value honesty and integrity, and we don’t tolerate any employee taking advantage of our policies.”