Anthony Taylor announced his retirement from refereeing with immediate effect, bringing down the curtain on a distinguished career that lasted 20 years.
The 47-year-old’s final match was Spain’s 1-0 win over Portugal in the World Cup round of 16 on July 6.
Taylor, who worked as a prison officer before becoming a professional referee, joined the Football League squad before the 2006-07 season and was promoted to the Premier League in 2010.
During his career, he officiated 668 professional matches in England, including 432 Premier League matches, and officiated at every major domestic cup final.
“Being in charge at the elite level has been an enormous privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant,” Taylor said.
“It is now time to step aside and look forward to moving on to the next chapter of my career.”
Taylor also has an extensive international career, having spent 14 years on FIFA’s referee roster. He officiated the 2022 World Cup, Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 finals, and also supervised 163 international matches.
He was shortlisted to referee the 2022 World Cup Final but was ultimately overlooked due to political tensions regarding Argentina who qualified for the final.
Webb praises Taylor
Howard Webb, Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer, praised Taylor’s contribution to the game.
“Anthony has been a fantastic servant of football over many years, both at domestic and international level,” Webb said.
“He has been trusted time and time again to officiate the biggest matches.
“We thank him for his tremendous contribution to the game and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.”
Taylor’s most notable appointments include the 2015 EFL Cup Final, two FA Cup Finals in 2017 and 2020, the 2015 Community Shield and the 2018 Championship play-off final.
He also officiated several major matches in UEFA, including the 2020 Super Cup, the 2021 Nations League Final and the 2023 Europa League Final.
Taylor received widespread praise for his handling of Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland after Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch.
One of the most challenging moments of his career came after the 2023 Europa League final, when then-Roma coach Jose Mourinho described him as a “disgrace” before confronting him in a car park. Mourinho later received a four-match ban for the incident.
Taylor and his family were also subjected to abuse from fans at Budapest Airport after the match.
