Ex-referee Mike Dean enjoys jet-setting life – ticking off 50 countries he's travelled to
Mike Dean has settled in nicely to his new life away from the football pitch - and he shared a snap of all the countries he has visited in his lifetime, from Australia to Japan
Ex-Premier League referee Mike Dean is enjoying retirement - as he sets his eyes on seeing the world.
Dean shared a snap on social media platform Instagram, showing off the 50 countries he has visited in his lifetime. Alongside ticking off the UK (how could football fans ever forget?), Dean has been as far as Australia, while taking in the sights of the Middle East and the Land of the Rising Sun.
Dean has also ticked off the majority of Europe - presumably thanks to his career officiating on the continent. On his list there are just two countries in Europe he is yet to visit: Malta and Lithuania.
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Dean loves to share snaps of his travels on social media - a recent upload shows him holding an FC Eindhoven scarf outside of the Jan Louwers Stadion in the Netherlands. While other pics show the ex-Premier League referee in Qatar for the World Cup.
In one more cheeky snap, Dean can be seen relaxing on an unicorn inflatable - made famous by Bukayo Saka during the World Cup - as he soaked up the Spanish sun.
What do you think of Mike Dean's travels? Let us know in the comments section
Dean is also a keen golfer and has seen the world with his trusty bag of clubs by his side. After retiring from refereeing, football fans were shocked to see Dean carrying the clubs of Lydia Hall at the Scandinavian Mixed tournament in Sweden.
It's not the first time he's performed this task - also caddying for Hall at the British Open in 2018.
Dean retried from Premier League duties in 2022, before moving to Stockley Park as a VAR official. In an emotional statement, Dean said: "So much love for this game but time to call full time one last time. 22 years. 560 @premierleague games.
"Some unbelievable memories and I’ll miss this next season."
However, the notorious whistler couldn't stay away from football for too long, and these days he can be found on Soccer Saturday.