Anthony Taylor's biggest controversies, huge career earnings and real reason for quitting

View 4 Images

One of English football's most respected referees, Anthony Taylor, has announced his sudden retirement following a career spanning 20 years and more than 800 games. The Manchester official, 47, officiated 668 professional domestic games and oversaw every major English cup final.

Taylor, who was promoted to the Premier League in 2010, refereed at four major tournaments, including the last two World Cups and at the 2020 and 2024 European Championships.

In all, he took charge of 163 international matches and his final game was this month's World Cup last-16 tie between Portugal and Spain. Taylor said: "I want to express my deepest gratitude to my two assistants Gary [Beswick] and Adam [Nunn], my refereeing colleagues and everyone connected with the game for all their support over the years.

"Most importantly, I want to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support throughout the immense sacrifices this career has demanded."

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page

Like any top referee, Taylor has come under fire from managers, players and fans at times during his career. In 2023, he was confronted by Jose Mourinho in a car park following Roma's penalty shootout defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final in Budapest.

Taylor and his family were then harangued by Roma fans at Budapest Airport. He subsequently told his family to stop coming to his games, saying: "That's for sure the worst situation I've dealt with in terms of abuse.

"Not only because I was travelling with family members at the time, but it also highlights the impact of people's behaviour on others. It makes you reflect back on whether you made a mistake travelling with your family in the first place."

Mourinho, Roma's manager at the time, was charged with using insulting or abusive language and banned for four matches by UEFA.

Taylor was the man in the middle during the Euro 2020 match in which Christian Eriksen collapsed from cardiac arrest. Taylor was praised for his calmness and the speed at which he stopped the match and called for medical attention.

At the following Euros in Germany, Taylor was criticised for failing to award the host nation a penalty in their quarter-final against Spain. Taylor played on after Jamal Musiala's shot was blocked by the arm of Marc Cucarella, with his decision not to award a spot-kick backed by VAR . However, a subsequent UEFA report said Taylor had erred by not awarding the penalty.

View 4 Images

Taylor has had his moments of controversy in the Premier League as well. In September 2024, he dished out a record 14 yellow cards during Chelsea's match against Bournemouth and was demoted to fourth official duty the following week.

Taylor suffered another demotion in 2023, this time to the Championship, after he was deemed to have got it wrong by awarding Newcastle a penalty in a 2-2 draw with Wolves. The following week, instead of a Premier League game, he took charge of Preston vs Coventry at Deepdale, before returning to Premier League action.

Given his longevity and the scrutiny on referees, avoiding controversy was impossible. Taylor was widely regarded as one of the best and vied with Michael Oliver to take charge of English football's biggest games.

View 4 Images

Having spent 16 years refereeing in the English top flight, Taylor will have benefited from the burgeoning pay for officials. While not in the same league as the players he was taking charge of, he will have been earning around £250,000 per year at the time of his retirement.

While the average wage of a Premier League referee is around the £180,000 mark, as one of the best and most experienced officials, he will have been one of the top earners. Those figures do not include match fees, which exceed £1,000 per game.

Taylor will have worked his way up the pay scale during his time in the Premier League. A conservative estimate would put his top-flight earnings at over £2.5m. He will have received one final match refereeing payday at the World Cup, where officials can earn up to £75,000.

View 4 Images

While Taylor's sudden decision has surprised many within the game, his statement referenced the pressure and scrutiny that come with being a top-tier official.

He said: "Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant. The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career."

The last part of that statement suggests he has already planned his next move. Various roles could open up to him if he follows in the footsteps of the likes of Webb and Mark Clattenburg, who have both held lucrative positions in Saudi Arabian football. Webb has also previously worked with the MLS in the US.