With the World Cup fast approaching, we thought it would be a good idea to introduce you to the amazing talent that ESPN has assembled to broadcast the matches. The level of football experience, both on the pitch and in the booth and studio, is very impressive.
ESPN Presenters
Chris Fowler
Chris Fowler is one of the most recognizable faces at ESPN, anchors College Game Day, and will serve as a host for the studio coverage where he will anchor all of the studio coverage as well as SportsCenter’s World Cup segments.
His international experience includes Grand Slam Tennis, for which he is the primary host for ESPN.
Bob Ley
Bob Ley has worked at ESPN since the third day the channel was on the air. He has hosted numerous sporting events, anchored SportsCenter, and is the studio host for the award-winning Outside the Lines.
For the World Cup, Ley will serve as a studio host in South Africa, hosting pre-game, halftime, and post-game studio segments as well as SportsCenter’s World Cup segments.
Mike Tirico
Mike Tirico has worked for ESPN for twenty years, hosting SportsCenter, studio shows, a radio show, golf broadcasts, and for World Cup 2010 will host studio shows in South Africa.
He is the lead commentator for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, for which he garnered a Sports Emmy nomination in 2007.
ESPN Pundits/Analysts
Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman will be a studio analyst during ESPN’s coverage of the 2010 World Cup. McManaman played for Liverpool and Real Madrid, winning the Champions League twice, and played for England at two European Championships and the 1998 World Cup in France.
He began his television career in 2005 with the Champions League Final, working for ITV, ESPN, and Setanta in the last five years.
Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit will join Steve McManama in the studio providing analysis and insight from his long and storied career in professional football. A two time World Player of the Year, Ruud Gullit played for three different Dutch clubs, leading all three to titles before moving to AC Milan and leading that club to three scudettos.
He also was a played manager at Chelsea, leading the English club to the 1997 FA Cup, their first major trophy in many years. Most well known for coining the term ‘Sexy Football’, Gullit managed at four different clubs, including the Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS.
Shaun Bartlett
Shaun Bartlett will bring the flavor of South Africa to the studio as he is the South African team’s all-time second leading scorer. He started his playing career with the Cape Town Spurs, and his career included stops with FC Zurich, Colorado Rapids, and New York Metrostars.
He played on the 1996 South African team which won the African Cup of Nations a mere five years after the Apartheid-inspired ban was lifted. Bartlett currently works for SuperSport as a studio analyst for international matches, Barclays Premier League, and Champions League matches.
Alexi Lala
Alexi Lalas will serve as a studio analyst, the same role he performs for ESPN as part of their coverage of the Barclay’s Premier League, MLS and the US Men’s National Team. Lalas, who was a fierce defender for the Men’s National Team, retired from playing in 2004.
He played in MLS and for Padova in Italy’s Serie A. He served as general manager for the original version of the San Jose Earthquakes, the New York/New Jersey Metrostars and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He also served as a studio analyst during the 2006 World cup.
Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez, the current manager of Wigan Athletic of the Barclay’s Premier League will serve as a studio analyst.
Martinez has 18 years of experience playing and managing at the professional level.
Jurgen Klinsmann
Jurgen Klinsmann. The German soccer legend is a 1990 FIFA World Cup winner with Germany, will serve as a studio analyst for ESPN’s unprecedented coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
He will appear on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3.com and ABC from South Africa during the month-long tournament.
Klinsmann is recognized as one of the world’s top strikers during his 16 seasons of top-tier professional soccer in Germany, Italy, France and England.
He played in three FIFA World Cups (1990, 1994 and 1998) and was the first player to score at least three goals in three World Cup tournaments and remains Germany’s second all-time World Cup goal scorer with 11.
ESPN Commentators
Derek Rae
Derek Rae joined ESPN in 1994 and is best known as the play-by-play commentator for the Champions League. A native of Aberdeen, Scotland, Derek Rae has commentated on international soccer for more than twenty years.
He calls matches for La Liga, has hosted ESPNSoccernet Press Pass, and commentated for Euro 2008. Rae got his professional start in 1986 working for the BBC.
He left the BBC in 1991 and moved to America where he served as a press officer for the World Cup 1994 Organizing Committee.
Adrian Healey
Adrian Healey will serve as a match play-by-play commentator. He also commentated for ESPN during World Cup 2006 and Euro 2008.
He currently serves as a commentator for ESPN International’s coverage of several European leagues, including the Champions League.
He started work in radio, began his commentating for the New England Revolution of MLS, and also was a television play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Martin Tyler
Martin Tyler will lead the play-by-play commentating for ESPN. One of the most recognizable voices in World Football, Tyler has commentated the last eight World Cups for either ITV or SBS Australia.
If you are a gamer, you will recognize his voice from the EA Sports FIFA video games.
He has extensive experience calling club matches, starting in 1974, and has called every major European competition at some point in his illustrious career.
Ian Darke
Ian Darke will also provide play-by-play commentary for ESPN. Also a very recognizable voice in world football, Darke has covered club football since 1982, including European competitions.
He currently commentates for TWI and also hosts their weekly magazine show.
ESPN Co-Commentators
Efan Ekoku
Efan Ekoku will be a match analyst. The English-born Ekoku played club football for many clubs, most notably Norwich City, scoring their first European goal in 1993 and was the first to score more than three goals in one match in the Premier League.
He was a member of the 1994 Nigerian World Cup squad.
His television experience includes commentary for BBC broadcasts of Premier League matches.
John Harkes
John Harkes is the lead soccer analyst for ESPN’s coverage of MLS. A former USMNT captain, Harkes first commentated on matches for the 2006 World Cup.
His 13 year career included stints at Sheffield Wednesday, DC United, New England Revolution and the Columbus Crew.
He was a five time MLS All-Star the captain of two MLS championship winning sides.
Robbie Mustoe
Robbie Mustoe, the head soccer coach at Boston College, will be a game analyst.
He played for Middlesbrough for 12 years, ending his career at Charlton Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday.
He is currently a studio analyst for ESPN’s coverage of Barclay’s Premier League matches and does analysis for ESPN International’s coverage of Champions League matches.
Ally McCoist
Ally McCoist is a Scottish former professional football player who played as a striker. He is currently assistant manager at Scottish Premier League club Rangers, where he spent fifteen of his twenty-two years as a player.
ESPN Reporters
Jeremy Schaap
Jeremy Schaap will serve as a reporter for the World Cup, focusing primarily on the US Men’s National team for ESPN.
A six-time Sports Emmy Award winner, Schaap appears frequently on Outside the Lines, SportsCenter, and E:60.
He has covered virtually every major sport in America, worked for NBC as a writer for Olympic studio coverage, and has written extensively for such sports magazines as Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine.
John Sutcliffe
John Sutcliffe will serve as a reporter covering the Mexican national team for ESPN.
Sutcliffe regularly serves as a commentator for ESPN International covering all four of the Golf’s Majors: the Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA Championship.
He has also worked for Atlanta-based TNT on golf and NBA coverage.
Sal Masekela
Sal Masekela is a snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding enthusiast who works the X Games for ESPN.
He will serve as a reporter at the World Cup, covering cultural and human interest stories.
Maskela is the son of South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela.
Julie Foudy
Julie Foudy, the former US Women’s National Team Captain, joined ESPN in 2005 as a studio analyst for women’s soccer and the 2006 World Cup.
Foudy also provides features for a wide variety of ESPN’s studio programs including SportsCenter, Monday Night Countdown, and Outside the Lines.
Allen Hopkins
Allen Hopkins will be a reporter in South Africa, a role he covered in both 2006 and 2002.
He is the network’s lead sideline reporter for MLS and US Men’s National Team telecasts. Hopkins has called over 2000 soccer games from all of the major European leagues, plus the Brazilian Championship.
He previously worked for Fox Sports.
Rob Stone
Rob Stone has covered soccer for ESPN since 1997 serving as host for Worldwide Soccer and the SEC Network studio show.
He has served as a sideline reporter for college football and MLS and US Soccer telecasts.
He was both a play-by-play announcer and sideline reporter at the 2006 World Cup. He worked for ESPN’s coverage of both France ’98 and Korea/Japan ’02, providing reports or hosting World Cup 2Night.
He has worked a variety of sports including the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest from Coney Island.
These commentators and analysts will provide World-Class commentary for ESPN and American fans of The Beautiful Game will be very fortunate to get exposure to such high quality commentary and analysis.
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30 comments… read them below or add one
Well at least Sheffield Wednesday will have 2 people at the World Cup this way.
Whatever happened to Georgie Bingham?
Ian, Georgie went back to England.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Do they know what the pairings will be yet for games? I think it should be Tyler-Ekoku, Darke-McCoist, Healey and Rae will either have Harkes or Mustoe. But would ESPN possibly have a Tyler-Harkes combo for the US-England game? If so that would be the biggest drop off in talen maybe ever.
The pairings haven’t been announced yet. But Tyler will be paired with Harkes for the US games.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
I agree. I do not look forward to having to listen to Harkes during the US games. Most unfortunate. Not a big Lexi Lalas fan either.
Where is Tommy Smythe and Shaka Hislapp?
I’m fine with Tyler-Harkes simply because it might make Harkes a better commentator. Tyler-Mustoe would be nice too. I can hear Tyler-Ekoku the rest of the year.
Great website- keep up the good work. How about John Motson?
Robby Mustoe isn’t head coach at BC (that would be Ed Kelly).
You are correct. He is listed as a coach at Boston College and I incorrectly gave him a promotion.
thats a pretty good crew except for( and he is why mute is a wonderful tool )
alexi lalas.he has the smug condescending demeanor that just makes me sick
and for someone who played the game at a pretty high level he seems
clueless in his analysis.(unfortunately i cant black out his face)well there is always univision.
i think he hates the english(just my opinion)
I really do not enjoy listening to Ruud Gullit’s commentary, with his “therefore”s every sentence.
Three days into the WC and been enjoying some intelligent coverage by the analysts… Specifically like the observations from Ruud, Shaun, Jurgen, Steve, Bob… But for heavens sake, I cannot stand listening to Lalas’ angry rants and raves. Lalas’ was an average player who, granted helped development of us soccer, but the guy acts like he “founded” the sport.
What? Sal Masekela?? Why?? Because he is the son of Hugh Masekela does not qualifies him?? Have you ever watched the daily 10 on the E-Network?? He is a utter disgrace to the Masekelas’. What an embarresment! Sies! This is not Ayoba!!!
GHANA VS AUSTRALIA this espn commentator is pissing me off he needs to stop talking i swear he keeps talking about how Africans are disorganized and need to play smart…..what an asshole.even though Ghana is obviously pressing why don’t they just move to Austrilia. Or stick to commentating for basketball and American football (not soccer).
Heyy who’s d lady who presents d talk show ??
any1 kno her name ??
Mr. Lala
What did the Swiss ever do to you, you insulted them before the Spain game, and the crap you let out after the Chile game, cant stand watching you again, hope ESPN will can you.
harkes is the best commentator in the world
I hope you are kidding. He is, hands down, the worst in South Africa.
memorible lan darkes…..On June 23, 2010, Darke called the USA/Algeria match at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In stoppage time with the USA needing a win to advance to the second round, Landon Donovan scored to give the USA the 1-0 win. Darke called the action like this:
. . . Howard gratefully claims it – distribution, brilliant. Landon Donovan – there are things on here for the USA. Can they do it here? Cross…and Dempsey is denied again!!! AND DONOVAN HAS SCORED!!!! OHHH CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS!! GO, GO!!! USA! CERTAINLY THROUGH! OH IT’S INCREDIBLE! YOU COULD NOT WRITE A SCRIPT LIKE THIS!” ..
I just have to say how incredibly insulting Alexei Lalas is ..He continuously insults the England team ..obviously has some issues there ..never gives them a break !!, rude about other teams as well ..Where does his high and mighty attitude come from ..I would rather listen to any of the other guys over lalas any day ..GET RID OF HIM!!!!
Mike Tirico – babling about population size & GDP as if it is some type of match analysis !!
& Lalas, you don’t deserve to be on the same stage as Ruud Gullit, show some respect!!
I think Steve McManaman & Jurgen Klinsmann complement each other nicely
The match commentaries would be so much better if John Harkes would stop whining about the referees. It is really distracting and annoying.
Hey guys..who is the lady anchor on espn fifa show???
the terrific commentary has really made me a new soccer fan (at age 64!). only complaint is that John Harkes is a poor match for likes of Martin Tyler and Ian Darke, who have humor and experience and well-modulated, perfectly understandable diction. harkes’s voice is tight-pitched and monotone, and he doesn’t really know when NOT to talk. but overall wonderful job from ESPN!!
Excellent show. The debate over Suarez’ hand shows some inexperience. This is not cheating at all. As one of you said, there are rules, he was caught (as opposed to Henry from France in qualifying), he is punished, and Uruguay may well have lost today due to his absence. A related comment on FIFA changing rules. No doubt, FIFA is a bureaucratic monster that changes very slowly; it’s like moving a supertanker in narrow waters. Having said that, the hand stopping a goal rule was changed after 1978, when Mario Kempes, from Argentina, highest scorer and golden ball winner, made a marvelous stop on a certain goal, diving as well if not better than a goalkeeper, in the middle of a key match Argantina had to win. Kempes went on to score two goals in the final, and was not only not suspended, he wasn’t even given a yellow card. Clearly, Suarez and Uruguay paid a just price.
ESPN… Thank you for your excellent coverage of the World Cup matches in South Africa. Overall you have picked a great lineup to cover the matches. You have introduced us to the personalities of some great soccer commentators from various parts of the globe, but it was all from one perspective. It would have been nice for you to introduce us to another credentialed personality such as Pierluigi Collina (does he speak English?), or a current/former top FIFA referee/assistant referee. Especially in light of what has transpired with officiating in this World Cup, it would have been nice to have someone other than your usual round of coaches, players and commentators who all criticize the matches. The perspective of a top FIFA referee would have added an intriguing dimension to your coverage. Anyway, perhaps it is something for you to consider for 2014 in Brazil. BTW, a number of your commentators have been talking about and critical of the rules. As you should know, soccer has no rules. They are called Laws of the Game.
What a contrast in commentators… ESPN…we can really do without Alexi Lalas. Besides his statements that clearly indicate a lack of knowledge with regard to soccer outside the United States, he needs to learn that tact. When you put him in the studio next to classy, knowledgeable individuals like Roberto Martinez and Jurgen Klinsmann it really highlights his shortcomings. If Lalas is going to continue to commentate he should at least certify as a referee so he can fully understand the laws of the game. I’m not sure if his some of his statements are meant to brew controversy or whether he truly lacks knowledge.
Thank you, ESPN. Fowler, Tirico and Ley have been so enthusiastic. Martinez, Klinnsman and Gullit have provided so much great insight. Lalas and McManaman have shared so much passion. I am grateful.
Next time, please be sure that you’re play-by-play folks let the viewer know, at all times, who has the ball. The stories, anecdotes and missed analysis can be saved and given later as podcasts for those who cannot get enough! = me!
Have to agree with Don. Overall excellent coverage, but I also would love to have a referee’s insight, especially Collina!