In a surprising twist, UEFA has appointed French referee Francois Letexier to officiate the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England, a decision that has stirred up the football community. Many believed the honor would go to Poland’s Szymon Marciniak, whose outstanding performance throughout the tournament had seemingly made him the favorite for the role.
Szymon Marciniak, who has been a fixture on the international refereeing scene, will instead serve as the fourth official for the final. This decision has left fans and experts alike puzzled, considering Marciniak’s exemplary track record during the championship. Zbigniew Przesmyski, the long-standing head of the Polish Referees’ Association (PZPN), expressed his disappointment in an interview with WP SportoweFakty, stating, “Marciniak was brilliant during Euro 2024 and deserved the final.”
The choice of Letexier has certainly raised eyebrows. At 35, he will become the youngest referee ever to oversee a European Championship final. Some speculate that if France had triumphed over Spain in the semi-finals, Marciniak would have been the one to lead the final match.
Marciniak: One of the Best in the World
Przesmyski elaborated on the situation, highlighting the challenges of repeatedly appointing the same referee for major finals. “Szymon is one of the best, if not the best referee in the world, but he cannot be appointed to every final. It would reflect poorly on UEFA if they appeared to rely on a single referee,” he explained.
Despite not being the main referee, Marciniak’s inclusion in the tournament until its conclusion is a testament to his high regard within UEFA. “The fact that Szymon and his team stayed in Germany until the very end and were considered for the final confirms they were in good form and performed well at Euro 2024,” Przesmyski added.
As the much-anticipated final approaches, England will face Spain at 9:00 PM on Sunday, marking the culmination of a thrilling tournament.