However, it's relationship with referees is nothing short of ugly.

The treatment of Anthony Taylor was just the tip of the abuse iceberg that plagues every level of the football pyramid.

The Brit took charge of a heated UEFA Europa League final between Roma and eventual winners Sevilla in which he showed 12 yellow cards to players.

He also booked Roma manager José Mourinho and three members of the Portuguese's coaching staff.

Taylor was applauded by some for his handling of the ill-tempered affair, including former Premier League referee Mark Halsey.

Halsey also condemned the actions of Mourinho who no doubt set an example for the abuse that was to follow.

Mourinho re-enacted his Real Madrid antics by waiting for Taylor in the car park to lambast him, branding him a disgrace.

There was a contentious penalty decision that had Roma particularly incensed, as a Nemanja Matić cross made contact with a Sevilla arm in the box but his hands were judged to have been in a neutral position.

Matches, and millions of Euros too, can be won or lost by these decisions so it is easy to see how these incidents can enrage those on the losing side. 

However, respected figures like Mourinho must be aware of his impact which was seen soon after at Budapest airport.

Taylor and his family were harassed by supporters after being recognised waiting for his flight, with drinks and a chair thrown at them.

Referees' body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) described it as "unjustified and abhorrent abuse".

Additional organisations and individuals have leapt to the 44-year-old's defence.

The Premier League said it was "shocked and appalled by the unacceptable abuse".

A spokesperson added: "No-one should have to suffer the inexcusable behaviour they had to endure.

"Anthony is one of our most experienced and accomplished match officials and we fully support him and his family."

West Ham manager David Moyes, whose side play Fiorentina in the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday (June 7) in Prague, said: "All referees have a really difficult job and shouldn't be put through any difficult situations. That's not correct."

UEFA has also spoken out, claiming it "vehemently condemns" the "violent behaviour" towards Taylor, adding that "such actions are unacceptable and undermine the spirit of fair play and respect that [it] upholds".

The governing body has charged Mourinho for the car park show but the matter moves to its control, ethics and disciplinary body to decide on a punishment.

Abusing referees is hardly a new phenomenon.

In the Premier League alone this season, a handful of managers including Jurgen Klopp, Marco Silva, and Roberto di Zerbi have served touchline bans after being sent off.

The behaviour towards officials led PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb to call for a harder approach in order to crackdown on it.

"It's clear it has not been good enough," he said on Radio 5 Live.

"Everybody acknowledges we need to be stronger in dealing with behaviours not at the acceptable level.

"I think for a long time referees have taken a conciliatory approach, I did it as well.

"I didn't want to overreact and ruin the game in the moment.

"But that's not fared well in the bigger picture and we need to collectively look at ways we can change the trend - and it does need changing.

"We all accept that."

Klopp was merely given a one-match ban after being sent off against Manchester City for berating the referee's assistant, while Silva and Di Zerbi have served three touchline bans each.

Webb claims that is a desire to tackle the problem and has hinted that changes will be implemented in the European off-season.

It will then beg the question if any elite-level reforms will trickle down to impact the grassroots game.

Many argue that treatment of referees is infinitely worse in the amateur leagues, with even youth officials getting abused by those usually far older.

In the 2021-2022 season, the Football Association had to hand out 380 bans to players and coaches for threatening referees and match officials in grassroots football.

There is a horrendous culture of violence in English football which has even spilt over into children's matches.

Parents have been known to shout in the faces of referees and hurl insults at them while watching their kids play, as experienced by one 14-year-old official in Northumberland.

The Northumberland FA have campaigned for referees to be respected but the boy's mother was insistent that action was needed otherwise it "was just lip service".

The Merseyside Youth Football League even had to cancel all fixtures one weekend in protest at "multiple incidents of inappropriate and threatening behaviour" towards officials.

Refereeing numbers are already dwindling and unless reforms come in there could be a crisis that causes the grassroots game to be stopped in its tracks.

"A national rule has to come in to say if any misdemeanours happen, they are banned for three or four weeks, never mind a week," said senior referee in the Merseyside division Keith Radcliffe.

"It can't continue. 

"If it doesn't stop, referees are actually getting physically assaulted and there is going to be a national strike."

Football can definitely learn from rugby union in terms of its treatment of officials, with the latter streets ahead.

Firstly, having only captains talking to the referee puts a stop to a lot of the on-pitch lobbying that players do to have their opponents punished.

Secondly, the Television Match Official (TMO) is undoubtedly better than its football counterpart Video Assistant Referee.

Both do a similar job but the TMO seems to operate in a much cleaner and efficient fashion which results in far less contentious decisions, therefore taking a lot of pressure away from the actual referee.

Until football's governing bodies can properly address abuse of referees and improve technology to reduce mistakes then Mourinho might as well buy a parking permit.