Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has admitted he came close to quitting football after he and his family were attacked by angry Roma fans at Budapest airport following the 2023 Europa League final.
Taylor, one of England’s top officials, had taken charge of Roma’s dramatic defeat to Sevilla. What followed was a disgraceful night of chaos as Roma boss Jose Mourinho branded the referee a “f*ing disgrace” in the car park and unleashed a foul-mouthed rant over what he called “bull** decisions”.
The Italian side’s supporters then turned on Taylor as he tried to fly home with his wife and daughter. Shocking scenes showed a furious mob hurling abuse and even throwing a chair while security staff desperately tried to keep the crowd back. The referee and his family were visibly shaken as they were surrounded by more than a hundred fans.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Taylor admitted the experience left him questioning his future in the game. “That’s for sure the worst situation I’ve ever dealt with in terms of abuse,” he said. “Not only because I was travelling with family members, but because it highlights the impact people’s behaviour has on others. There were no major mistakes in that game, but people needed someone to blame. It was deeply disappointing and frustrating.”
Taylor confessed there were moments when he wondered whether it was worth continuing. “There have definitely been times when you think, is it worth it? What’s being said is completely unfair,” he said. “There’s this old tactic of bombarding the referee to try to get a decision. A lot of the behaviour you face isn’t real, it’s just people playing games, acting like children.”
Mourinho, furious at the number of yellow cards shown to his players, stormed through the tunnels after the final whistle to confront the official. The Portuguese coach swore repeatedly at Taylor in English and Italian before sarcastically sneering, “Congratulations, you f***ing disgrace,” as he left for the team bus.
Reflecting on the airport ambush, Taylor said he regretted travelling with his family. “You look back and think maybe it was a mistake,” he admitted. “Our families rarely come to matches, only the big ones, but what should have been a simple trip home turned into something really disappointing.”
Taylor also hit out at the wider culture of abuse in football. “There’s a win-at-all-costs mentality that excuses behaviour you’d never see anywhere else,” he said. “You can go to any park in the UK and see parents shouting at young referees. If we want football to be enjoyable for everyone, that attitude has to change.”