Unafraid to show his faith in public, international FIFA referee Damian Sylwestrzak makes the Sign of the Cross after the opening whistle at every soccer match. For this Polish referee—who studied theology—faith is the foundation of both his personal and professional life.
“I take a moment to pray before leaving the locker room, and I always make the most of it,” Sylwestrzak says in an interview with the Polish Catholic portal Misyjne, run by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
FIFA Referee Prays Before Every Match
The Ekstraklasa referee—Poland’s top professional football division—says he always carries the Divine Mercy image with the inscription, “Jesus, I trust in You.”
“With the first whistle, I make the Sign of the Cross, giving thanks for my passion and placing everything I do into God’s hands,” he explains.
During the interview, he notes that on some occasions he has been asked to stop making the Sign of the Cross before matches. “But I’ve always done it, and I will keep doing it,” he says, unafraid of any backlash.
He adds that he prays especially to entrust the match to God—“to give thanks that I can be there, doing what I love, and that I have found something so meaningful in which I can fulfill myself.”
From a young age, he felt drawn to study theology and pursued it at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology, where he met his wife. Although he did not complete his degree, he considered teaching religion before ultimately choosing refereeing as his profession.
“I became an altar server as soon as I was old enough in my parish—maybe even a little earlier. I loved it. Sometimes on Sundays, I served at several Masses. The liturgy and service deeply captivated me,” he recalls.
A Witness of Faith Through Small Gestures
He says faith has always been part of his life, especially when making important decisions. In difficult moments—particularly after a tough match or amid controversy—he relies on his family, which he describes as “a great support and a way to decompress.”
Sylwestrzak firmly believes that “anyone can bear witness to their faith,” even a referee. “I try to do it, even through small gestures. But for me, the most important witness is within the family,” he explains.
As a father of three, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining simple practices: praying together before bed, making the Sign of the Cross before meals, and even when passing by a church.
“God Is the Hope of What Comes After Life”
The FIFA referee shares that in difficult moments, he often goes to church, where he kneels and entrusts everything to God.
“I also go many times to give thanks or simply to reflect,” he says.
For the 34-year-old Sylwestrzak, God is “the hope of what comes after earthly life.” Despite his youth, he admits he often reflects on what happens after death.
“Sometimes I feel fear when I think about that question. But when it comes, faith brings me peace. It is my comfort and my compass in life. I know that at times, thanks to faith and the teaching of the Church, my wife and I go against the current of the world. But I am happy with our decisions—I have never regretted them, and I am even proud of many of them,” he concludes.
This article originally appeared in ACI Prensa and was adapted for ChurchPOP.