If anyone can talk about the highs and lows of being a referee, it is Darren England. Three years ago, when acting as the video assistant referee (VAR), a blunder in a game between Tottenham and Liverpool stalled his career for months. Luis Diaz scored for Liverpool, but his goal was flagged as offside.
In a lapse of concentration, and despite the VAR image showing Diaz was onside, England said "check complete". The goal remained disallowed. The South Yorkshire official suddenly found not only himself in the full glare of the media, but his family too.
"Refereeing is about low points and high points," England tells BBC Sport. "It's a rollercoaster of emotions. The lowest point, of course." Today, the 40-year-old's career is revived.
He is considered one of the most-trusted referees in the Premier League - both on the field and as a VAR. Throughout 2026, England has regularly been given some of English football's biggest matches - including Manchester City's 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final. "So we flip it," England says, moving the conversation along to the game at Wembley.
"That was a huge high for me, the pinnacle as a referee." And on Tuesday, England has been promoted to a VAR in the Champions League for the first time, as Galatasaray take on Stuttgart. The game has changed immeasurably in the 11 years since England swapped his flag for a whistle. England says referees are now "dressed like RoboCop" as they carry so much additional equipment, such as communication devices.
The biggest change has been the introduction of VAR, which had only been in the Premier League for a few months when England refereed Southampton v Wolves in January 2020. "It's certainly not changed the way I make decisions," England insists. "If I play on on a penalty decision, some people think the perception is 'oh you're waiting for VAR to get involved'.
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