Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from refereeing aged 47 ending his career at the World Cup.
The Englishman’s last match as a referee was eventual World Cup champions Spain’s last-16 1-0 win over Portugal on July 6.
Taylor’s career as an official saw him involved in 831 matches which spanned over two decades.
During that time he was a Premier League referee for 16 seasons, being the man in the middle on 432 occasions.
Aside from the Premier League, he officiated the 2024 Champions League final as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund, the FA Cup final in 2017 and 2020, the 2015 League Cup final and the 2018 Championship play-off final.
As well as this summer’s World Cup, he officiated the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as well as the 2020 and 2024 European Championships.
Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from refereeing, bowing out at the World Cup
Explaining why he is retiring, Taylor cited the demands of the job.
‘Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant,’ Taylor said in a statement.
‘The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career.
‘I want to express my deepest gratitude to my two assistants Gary and Adam, my refereeing colleagues and everyone connected with the game for all their support over the years. Most importantly, I want to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support throughout the immense sacrifices this career has demanded.’
Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer at Pro Ref, English football’s professional refereeing body, said of Taylor: ‘He’s consistently demonstrated over a sustained period why he is one of the best and most successful officials that English football has ever produced, but it’s not just his on-field achievements that see him as a role model to many.
‘The professionalism he’s shown and the support for his colleagues and the next generation of officials looking to follow in his footsteps is testament to his character.’
