U19 final referee Jablonski lives the dream

The 33-year-old from the football stronghold of Bremen in northern Germany is enjoying an intense and rewarding period as a referee at home and abroad.

Jablonski ended his domestic season on a high note when he handled the memorable title-deciding match between 1. FC Köln and Bayern Munich on the last day of the German Bundesliga campaign.

Now, following excellent performances in the UEFA Under-19 finals in Malta, where he has refereed two matches – including the group encounter between tomorrow's finalists – he is relishing another pivotal accolade on his refereeing journey as he looks forward to Sunday’s big game at the National Stadium in Ta' Qali.

'The EURO's ninth team'

“I’m really happy about this appointment,” Jablonski told UEFA.com.

“I’m grateful to everyone who has been part of the referee team in Malta for making this such an enjoyable tournament – observers, coaches, fitness trainers, UEFA staff. It’s been a fantastic and special experience to be together every day with colleagues from other countries. We’ve really been the ninth team here. I feel like I’ve learned a lot in these two weeks.”

Sven Jablonski refereed the U19 EURO Group A match between Portugal and Italy earlier this monthUEFA via Getty Images

Jablonski began refereeing in his home area at the age of 13. “I joined my club when I was five years old and played the game for a number of years,” he says. ”At a certain moment, the club was looking for referees, so I tried it, and combined playing and refereeing for two years before deciding at 15 to concentrate fully on refereeing.”

From that moment, Jablonski’s career path was set, and his rise through the ranks in Germany was impressive, with high-level domestic assignments already on his agenda by the time he reached his 20s.

He began taking charge of German third-division games in 2011 and moved up to the second division three years later. Promotion to the top-flight German Bundesliga was achieved at the tender age of 27 in 2017. His international badge followed in 2022.

Following in father's footsteps

Jablonski was thankful to draw on an important influence as a referee from his formative stages. His father Jörg also tasted higher levels of the game as a referee and Bundesliga assistant referee. “He never forced me to take up refereeing, or said that I had to do this or that,” he explains. “I was already fascinated by refereeing when I started.”

‘Honesty is the best policy,’ the saying goes. Jablonski considers this trait as a crucial part of a referee’s character. “You’ve got to have the ability to be self-critical, both with yourself and with the people working with you, your mentors, your observers,” he says. “It’s important that you’re seen to be authentic on the field – concentrated, professional and strong.”

“You’re taking decisions in a fraction of a second, taking responsibility, managing 22 people with different personalities – it’s really true to say that refereeing is a school for life, because you learn to do things as a referee that you might not learn elsewhere. And as a referee, you also feel this great responsibility for upholding certain values on the field, such as respect.”

Referee teamwork - 'cooperation, cohesion and trust'

Jablonski will be accompanied at Sunday’s final at Ta’ Quali by compatriot Robert Kempter and Rafael Morim (Luxembourg), with Gergo Bogár (Hungary) serving as fourth official.

He agrees with the widely-held view of all of his contemporaries that refereeing teamwork is essential in the modern-day game. “Co-operation, cohesion and trust on the field, giving each other confidence – all key in your efforts to produce a top refereeing performance,” he reflects.

Away from football, Jablonski enjoys quality time with family and friends. “Refereeing is an intense job, you invest a great amount in it because you like what you’re doing, so it’s important that you’re able to find a balance,” he says. “I enjoy other sports, I play tennis, I listen to music, being around people that I like; these things all help you to relax and recharge your batteries.”

The future looks bold and bright for Sven Jablonski as he prepares for this key moment on his refereeing adventure.

“I hopefully have a lot of good years in front of me as a referee,” he concludes, “so I hope that I can stay healthy and fit to do the job I love for as long as possible.”