Szymon Marciniak is the favourite to referee the European Football Championship final scheduled for July 14 in Berlin, Sky Sport Italia reported on its website. For, it added, another serious candidate for the role, Italian Daniele Orsato, has already returned home from the tournament.

For now, the cast of both semifinal matches is officially known. UEFA had already announced the game between Spain and France in Munich would be led by Slovenian Slavko Vincic, while the rivalry between the Netherlands and England in Dortmund would be officiated by German Felix Zwayer.

The name of the final’s referee remains unknown, but most speculations indicate that Sunday’s match in Berlin will be officiated by Marciniak.

According to the Sky Sport (Italia) website, his most serious rival Daniele Orsato, who announced a few weeks ago that he was ending his career after the European Championships, has already returned to Italy.

Unexpected career 

Although Szymon Marciniak is now at the top of European football the beginnings of his career were not easy at all.

While he was still a football player he received a red card from a Polish referee. His reaction was to bring him into the profession for good.

“I told him that I had never seen such a bad referee before. „If you’re so smart, get a whistle yourself,” he replied. After a week I signed up for a course,” Marciniak said in an interview for Sportowe Fakty.

Today he is considered one of the best referees in history. The Pole has already led the finals of the World Cup (2022) and the Champions League (2023). UEFA has not appointed him to officiate any of the Euro 2024 semifinals, and that means he is among the close favourites to referee the European Championship finals.

Photo: X/PSN_Futbol

Tomasz Modrzejewski