Premier League and World Cup referee Anthony Taylor announced his retirement on Tuesday, citing the intense pressure and scrutiny on officials among his reasons for leaving the role.

The 47-year-old took charge of 831 games in a distinguished 20-year career, including 432 matches in the Premier League.

Taylor took charge of his last game in Spain's 1-0 win over Portugal in the World Cup earlier in July.

He was promoted to the Premier League officials' list in 2010 and refereed at the 2022 and 2026 World Cups and 2020 and 2024 European Championship.

Taylor was praised for calmly handling the Euro 2020 game between Denmark and Finland, which was halted when Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest.

He was also involved in controversy when Jose Mourinho, then in charge of Roma, called him a "disgrace" in a post-match news conference following his side's Europa League final loss to Sevilla in 2023.

Mourinho confronted Taylor in a car park after the final. The referee and his family were then abused by Roma fans at Budapest Airport on his way home.

"Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant," Taylor said on the official England Football website.

"The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career.

"I want to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support throughout the immense sacrifices this career has demanded." (AFP)



Edited by Robert Kemp