Referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement with immediate effect, highlighting the impact of the “intense” pressure of the role.
Taylor, 47, enjoyed a 20-year career spanning 831 matches, with his final game being Spain’s 1-0 win over Portugal in the World Cup last 16 on 6 July.
A prison officer before becoming a professional referee, he was first added to the Football League list at the start of the 2006-07 season.
Promotion to the Premier League followed in 2010, where he took charge of 432 top-flight matches and officiated every major domestic cup final.
In total, he officiated 668 matches in the professional game in England.
“Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant,” Taylor said.
“The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career.”
The Wythenshawe-born referee, who had been on Fifa’s list of officials for 14 years, was also selected for the 2022 World Cup, and the Euros in 2020 and 2024.
In total, he officiated 163 international matches.
Taylor was shortlisted to referee the 2022 World Cup final, but was discounted because of political tensions between England and finalists Argentina.
Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Pro Ref, said: “Anthony has been a fantastic servant to the game over many years, both domestically and on the international stage.
“He has been repeatedly trusted to officiate in the biggest games.
“We thank him for his immense contribution to the game and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.”
Source: BBC
