Too much attention forces Swedish referee to shut Facebook page

Posting updates about games he officiated and interacting with supporters, his page quickly became a big hit with fans of Sweden's Allsvenskan and garnered international attention, including an exclusive interview with Reuters.

"It was great fun, but quite simply I don't have the time anymore. I have two jobs, a family and a refereeing career to think about," he said in a statement posted on a Swedish FA website.

"It's very sad, I got a lot of great feedback, but unfortunately it's not working out anymore," the 30-year-old, who also serves as a lieutenant in the Swedish military, said.

(Reporting by Philip O'Connor)