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
