Referee Anthony Taylor has retired from football, citing the impact of the “intense” pressure of the role.
Taylor enjoyed a 20-year career which included 831 matches.
The 47-year-old’s final game being Spain’s 1-0 win over Portugal in the World Cup last 16 on 6 July.
A prison officer before becoming a professional referee, he was first added to the Football League list at the start of the 2006-07 season.
Promotion to the Premier League followed in 2010, where he took charge of 432 top-flight matches and officiated every major domestic cup final.
In total, he officiated 668 matches in the professional game in England.
“Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant,” Taylor said.
“The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career.”
The Wythenshawe-born referee, who had been on Fifa’s list of officials for 14 years, was also selected for the 2022 World Cup, and the Euros in 2020 and 2024.
