Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has revealed that his family no longer attends his matches due to the abuse and threats he receives both in stadiums and beyond.
Speaking publicly for the first time about the toll that officiating at the highest level has taken on his personal life, Taylor told BBC Sport on Friday that the growing hostility towards referees has made him question whether the job is “all worth it
Taylor has been a Premier League referee for almost 15 years, he officiated at the Qatar World Cup in 2022 and the 2020 European Championship, and has overseen the finals of both the European Super Cup and Nations League.
He believes football’s ‘win-at-all-costs’ approach is having a detrimental effect on the mental health and performance of current and future referees.
Taylor recalled when he was confronted by ex-Roma boss Jose Mourinho after his side lost the 2023 Europa League final on penalties to Sevilla.
The English official showed yellow cards to 13 players during the match, and 25 minutes of added time were played across the full match, including extra time.
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Mourinho called Taylor a “disgrace” twice in a post-match news conference before confronting him in a car park – an incident for which the Portuguese was given a four-match ban.
Taylor was then shouted at by angry fans as he walked through Budapest Airport with his family.
“That’s the worst situation I’ve dealt with in terms of abuse,” he says.
“Not only because I was travelling with family members at the time, but it also highlights the impact of people’s behaviour on others. Even in a match like that, where there were actually no major mistakes in the game.”
Taylor felt after the match there was an attempt to “shift focus on somebody to blame.”
He added: “For me, that’s a great source of disappointment, frustration, anger.
“Why that’s acceptable, I don’t know – because I’m sure those individuals wouldn’t like somebody to turn around and say that to them or their own children.
“It makes you reflect back on whether you made a mistake travelling with your family in the first place. They haven’t been to one [match] since.”
Asked if he felt Mourinho’s behaviour could have influenced the fans who abused him, he says: “Yeah. I think if we’re being honest, yeah.”
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
