Referee Anthony Taylor Retires, Citing Intense Pressure Amid Career Controversies

Anthony Taylor, one of England's most prominent football referees for two decades, has retired with immediate effect at the age of 47. The former prison officer officiated 831 matches, including 432 in the Premier League, and was selected for two World Cups and two European Championships.

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intense pressure and constant monitoring

Taylor's final match was Spain's 1-0 victory over Portugal in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16. He stated that the "intense" pressure and constant scrutiny contributed to his decision. Beyond his extensive record, Taylor's name became associated with several highly controversial incidents.

In the 2023 Europa League final, Roma coach José Mourinho harshly criticized Taylor's officiating after his team's loss to Sevilla on penalties. Mourinho called Taylor a "disgrace" and confronted him in the stadium parking lot, citing uncalled handball and disciplinary decisions. Taylor and his family later faced harassment from Roma fans at Budapest airport, an event Taylor described as the worst abuse of his career.

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a disgrace

Another notable controversy occurred during Euro 2024, where Taylor did not award a penalty for a handball by Marc Cucurella in stoppage time of a quarter-final match between Germany and Spain, despite the ball striking his hand. The VAR did not intervene. Months later, UEFA's Referee Committee acknowledged that Germany should have received a penalty.

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the worst abuse of his career

Taylor's career also saw incidents like a controversial penalty awarded to Newcastle against Wolverhampton in 2023, which led to British media labeling his subsequent assignment to a Championship match as a temporary "demotion." In the 2022 World Cup, he ended the South Korea vs. Ghana match just before South Korea could take a corner, sparking vehement protests from players and leading to the ejection of coach Paulo Bento.

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Germany should have received a penalty