Two days after the end of the World Cup, Anthony Taylor announced his retirement. At the age of 47, the referee looks back on over 400 Premier League matches—and plenty of other highlights.
Anthony Taylor has ended his refereeing career. The 47-year-old Englishman made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon. Thus, the Round of 16 match between Portugal and Spain (0–1) was the final game of his long career as a referee.
He officiated a total of 434 Premier League matches, having been active in England’s top division for 16 years. “Serving as a referee at the highest level” has been a great privilege for him, Taylor said in a statement. “But the pressure is enormous, and the public scrutiny is constant. Now is the right time to take a step back and begin the next chapter of my career.”
Taylor was always considered a controversial referee
Taylor was not always uncontroversial during his long career, not least because of the penalty he failed to call in the 2024 European Championship quarterfinal between Germany and Spain (1–2 after extra time), after Marc Cucurella blocked Jamal Musiala’s shot with his outstretched arm. In September 2024, he even received death threats after handing out 14 yellow cards in a Premier League match. Taylor, who was born in Manchester, officiated at two World Cups—in Qatar in 2022 and at this year’s tournament in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. He also refereed matches at the 2021 and 2024 European Championships.
Taylor also refereed the 2024 Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund (2–0), two FA Cup Finals, and one League Cup Final. The English referee officiated 42 matches in the Champions League. Taylor was the referee on the field when Christian Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest during the group stage match between Denmark and Finland (0–1) at the 2021 European Championship. At the recently concluded World Cup, Taylor officiated three matches. These included the Round of 16 match between Spain and Portugal, as well as the two group stage matches: Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (1–3) and Senegal vs. Iraq (5–0).
“I would like to sincerely thank my two assistants, Gary and Adam, my fellow referees, and everyone involved in soccer for their support over the years,” emphasizes Taylor, who adds a personal note: “Above all, I thank my family and friends for their unwavering support in the face of the great sacrifices this profession has entailed.”