Anthony Taylor retires: referee of Roma-Sevilla Europa League final calls time after 20 years

English referee Anthony Taylor, famous for officiating the controversial 2023 Europa League final between Roma and Sevilla, has announced his retirement after 20 years and more than 800 matches in charge, as reported by [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/referee-anthony-taylor-retirement-world-cup-48d92dae5ae0f8db5d6fe5ad2526ccc5).

Taylor, 47, officiated 432 Premier League games, two World Cups (2022 and 2026), and was on FIFA's international list for 14 years. His final match was the round-of-16 clash between Spain and Portugal at the 2026 World Cup on July 6, which Spain won 1-0 en route to becoming world champions.

"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."

A professional referee since 2006, Taylor took charge of the FA Cup final in 2017 and 2020 and the League Cup final in 2015. He is perhaps best remembered by Italian fans for the 2023 Europa League final in Budapest, where Roma lost to Sevilla on penalties amid controversy over a failure to show a second yellow card to Rakitic and a denied Roma penalty.

After that match, Jose Mourinho launched a furious tirade against Taylor, calling him a "disgrace" with a series of expletives. The referee and his family had to be escorted away by security at Budapest airport after Roma fans directed insults at them and threw a chair in their direction.

Sources

• AP News