Anthony Taylor, a referee from England, has announced his retirement after a 20-year officiating career.
According to Yonhap News on July 22, Taylor made his retirement announcement.
In a statement, he said, "It has been an incredible privilege to officiate at an elite level. However, the pressure is intense, and the scrutiny and criticism are endless. It is now time to step back."
Taylor's last match was the Round of 16 game between Spain and Portugal at the 2026 North America World Cup, which marked his 831st officiated match.
Starting his career as a professional referee in 2006, Taylor, a former prison officer, was promoted to the Premier League in 2010, where he officiated 432 matches.
He was also listed as a FIFA international referee and officiated 163 international matches over the past 14 years.
Taylor participated in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the North America World Cup, Euro 2020, and Euro 2024.
He faced challenges during his career, including receiving harsh criticism from AS Roma's manager José Mourinho after officiating the UEFA Europa League final in the 2022-23 season, where Mourinho called the performance "shameful." Mourinho later confronted Taylor in a parking lot and received a four-match ban for his actions.
Taylor also has ties to South Korean football, having officiated the group stage match between South Korea and Ghana at the Qatar World Cup. In that match, he controversially issued a red card to South Korea's coach Paulo Bento for protesting a corner kick decision just before the final whistle, with South Korea losing 2-3.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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