10 most iconic moments in football commentary

“Goal for All Africa!”“Goal for South Africa! Goal for All Africa!”, cried Peter Drury, when Tsiphiwe Tshabalala hammered the Jabulani home at the Soccer City, Johannesburg, that day in the summer of 2010. The goal was fantastic, the moment was historic, and the atmosphere was electric. The stadium was a sight to behold – with people from different countries, races, and backgrounds basking in the joy given by their common love – football. And while, nothing can beat the sheer, unadulterated joy of watching a football match in a stadium of thousands, there have been countless iconic moments in the beautiful game, which were made even more iconic by the men wielding the microphones – the commentators.There are times when they make you wish you saw the goal live. There are times when they make you want for it to happen one more time. There are times when they make you think, you couldn’t have put it any better yourself. For amidst 90 minutes of reporting what happens, in a civil, professional and workmanlike manner, there come moments when they lose it – when they go absolutely ballistic, revelling in what they’d saw, marvelling at what they’d witnessed. And, we love them for it. After all, what would the game be without them, and the moments of genius they embellish, with their words, emotion and passion.And while there have been many, many such moments over the years, some of them stay in our minds more than the others. Don’t ask me why, I’ve no idea. Maybe, it was the occasion. Maybe, it was the significance. Maybe, it was just that one, loud, Hulk-Scream, which speaks a thousand words. Or maybe, those wonderful, lucid lines, rich in poetic beauty made those moments memorable. Here are some of the very, very best of them, some of the most iconic moments in football commentary.

#10 Stan Collymore on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 2012-13

A real special one to begin with. What can I say about this goal, that hasn’t been said? Probably, the greatest goal of all time. If not, one of the greatest goals of all time, at least. After having scored 3 sublime goals, Zlatan found the net again, scoring this other-worldly beast of a goal, of which even Martian robots would’ve been proud. With nothing to play for in the final few minutes, the game had fallen flat, with no real intensity. It was then that Zlatan came out with this thunderbolt from the blue.

Listen to what Stan Collymore had to say/ scream/ shout/ cry from behind the microphone – “Oh my god, an insane goal. I’ve just seen the most insane goal, I’ll ever, ever see on a football pitch. Incredible, incredible Zlatan Ibrahimovic”. Stan the Man then followed it up with another wonderfully funny piece of commentating – “Oh my days, Zlatan Ibrahimovic! I want to come and give you a man hug. That is the beautiful game, played in a beautiful way. Oh my days, what a finish have I just seen!”.

And, if there has ever been a goal that deserved such reaction and adulation, it was this. Zlatan would agree.

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#9 Gary Neville on Fernando Torres, 2011-12

Parking the bus is an oft repeated, albeit cliched usage, describing the defensive tactic of a team, wherein they play nine or ten outfield players behind the ball, looking to stifle opposition attacks and save the day. I heard it for the first time after Chelsea’s jaw-dropping victory over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, in 2012. The match, which many believe, signalled the beginning of the end of the all-conquering Catalan side, then led by none other than Pep Guardiola.

Though more famous for John Terry’s bizarre dismissal and Roberto Di Matteo’s “negative” tactics, the game saw a fine goal by Chelsea on the break, with Fernando Torres rounding Victor Valdes and coolly slotting the ball home, to sign, seal and deliver the victory for Chelsea.

Sitting in the commentator’s box, Gary Neville couldn’t believe what he was seeing, sending out a long howl-cum-cry-cheer, god knows what. After that piece of “orgasmic reaction”, as was termed by the social media, Neville went on to excalim “Unbelievable! Un-be-lievable!”, making it one of the most memorable moments in recent Champions League history.

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#8 Kenneth Wolstenholme on Sir Geoff Hurst, 1966

One of the most enduring and endearing images of FIFA World Cup history, is that of Bobby Moore being held aloft by his teammates after the 1966 World Cup final. England had won the Jules Rimet Trophy, after beating West Germany in the finals. Sir Alf Ramsey’s men, who were favourites going in to the tournament held in their own backyard, had become the champions of the world. 48 years hence, we wonder when the Three Lions will do a repeat of that memorable day.

And, the most memorable moment in that memorable day came in the dying minutes of the match, when Sir Geoff Hurst hurtled down the German half and finished emphatically, to leave the result in no doubt. And BBC’s legendary commentator, Kenneth Wolstenholme applied the finishing touches on British football’s golden moment, with his iconic line, “Some people are on the pitch.... they think it’s all over....... it is now!”.

Parodied by scores of other commentators and channels over the next few decades, Wolstenholme’s words are considered as iconic as Herbert Zimmerman’s “Its over! Over! Over! Germany are World Champions”, spoken after the 1954 World Cup Final.

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#7 John Aldridge on Dirk Kuyt, 2011-12

If anybody told me that the FA Cup doesn’t mean much to teams, fans and players anymore, this match will change everything. Liverpool vs Manchester United. The greatest and most-storied rivalry in the Old Blighty. The rivalry of not just two red teams, but also of two cities steeped in history.

And, when the two of them were drawn together for the 2011-12 season’s FA Cup 4th Round tie at Anfield, fans and neutrals alike, were buzzing. The match lived up to its billing too, as the two teams were level on 1-1 after 88 minutes. Enter Dirk Kuyt.

The Dutchman made full use of a Patrice Evra error (Luis Suarez was smiling from ear to ear in the stands), to smash the ball home in front of The Kop, resulting in an explosion of sheer joy for the Liverpool fans. Among them, was one Mr John Aldridge, who was Radio City’s match commentator.

Aldridge’s “YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!” scream when the ball hit the back of the net, spoke more about the significance of the goal than any words possibly could. And, he followed it up with a delightfully cheeky goal analysis, saying “Evra’s made a mistake which I’m absolutely delighted with”. Simply John Aldridge.

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#6 Martin Tyler on Sergio Aguero, 2011-12

I had talked of Faris Awad going absolutely wild after this goal. While his trademark “Ya Rabbah!” and “Mostaheel!” stand out here too, what made his commentary special was his commentary after that. The very fact he was able to articulate properly and convert thoughts into words after witnessing something so stunning, is an achievement in itself. Not many people were able to do that.

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And, Martin Tyler certainly wasn’t able to do that.

After witnessing Kun Aguero’s grandstand finish, all that Tyler could do, was memorably call out “Agueroooooooooooo!”. Who could blame him? He was left stunned, Manchester United was left stunned, Queens Park Rangers was left stunned, the world was left stunned. In Tyler’s very own words, “I swear, you’ll never see anything like this ever again”.

The incredible scenes that followed, with Aguero’s wild celebrations, a Joe Hart who could barely stand his ground, and Roberto Mancini’s long sprint down the pitch, showed the importance of what had happened, and what it meant to them.

Tyler’s magnificent one liner after the final whistle, rubbed home the shock and disappointment for all United fans – “Premier League dreams have come true in blue!”

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#5 Barry Davies on Francis Lee, 1974-75

Considered by veteran fans and pundits of the game to be among the greatest matches in English First Divison football, was Derby County’s 2-1 win over title rivals, Manchester City, at Maine Road, in 1975. In what was Dave Mackay’s first full season in charge of Derby County, after Brian Clough’s departure, the team fought off both Liverpool and Manchester City, on their way to the league title.

However, the game is remembered by most people for Barry Davies’ legendary piece of commentating, during the build-up to Francis Lee’s winner, and after.

“Lee, interesting..... very interesting! Oh, just look at his face. Just look at his face (his voice breaks down here, in a very John Motson-like manner, leading to people imitating the commentary the same way). The smile of an angel on the face of a tiger.”

Today, the line has become a part of mainstream British culture, with the TV show, “They think its all over”, opening with Davies’ iconic line. Listen carefully to the clip, and curiously, you can hear the Derby fans singing, “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, in the background – sung before The Kop made the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, their own, with the now-popular rendering by Gerry and the Peacemakers.

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#4 Jonathan Pearce on Teddy Sheringham, 1996

With the 1996 European championships being held in England, the Three Lions played some of their best football in modern times, that too, in a major tournament, occasions where they normally flattered to deceive.

And one of the teams that suffered at the hands of England, was the Dutch National Team. It was one of those nights when the Oranje were pulverised from all sides, by a ruthless English attack. And, Jonathan Pearce, famous for being the most un-English among English commentators, with his loud player calls and louder celebrations, was having the time of his life.

He had already made his mark for the day, chanting “Super Alan, Super Alan, Super Alan Shearer!”, after England’s opening goal. But, it was his unbelievable, unbelievable commentary, full of rhythm and life, after the Teddy Sheringham scored the second goal, that delighted fans all over the world.

“Goaaaaaal! It is Double Dutch Delight. Gazza takes the corner, and the Dutch weren’t ready; Their defence wasn’t steady; and, there was good, old Teddy; Let’s toast to a glass of Sherry!”

I haven’t heard of a more spontaneously poetic line in sport, that was able to capture the mood of a nation like this one.

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#3 Clive Tyldesley on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 1998-99

“Football, bloody hell!”, said Sir Alex Ferguson after Manchester United’s incredible, Hollywood victory over Bayern Munich, in the 1999 Champions League Final.

After trailing for 84 minutes, and with just stoppage time left, Tyldesley said, as if he was talking to himself – “Can Manchester United score? They always score”. Prophetic words, indeed. The substitute Teddy Sheringham scored from close range in the 91st minute, to send the United fans and Tyldesley into raptures, with the latter uttering one of his most famous lines – “The name on the trophy!”. But, there was still more to come. For, this was a night like no other.

United won another corner in the 93rd minute. David Beckham whipped the ball in. Sheringham played it through for the baby-faced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to tap it home from close range, to seal off the most incredible European comeback in history. The goal has become synonymous with United and great European nights, with Tyldesley’s “And Solskjaer has won it!”,ringing in our ears to this day.

Except for maybe Istanbul six years later, nothing has come close to the sheer drama of that night at the Camp Nou. A night that was capped off by another marvellous Tyldesley one liner – “Manchester United have reached the promised land!”

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#2 Andy Gray on Steven Gerrard, 2004-05

Andy Gray has always been, and will always be a true-blue Evertonian. A real, unabashed, blue-nosed, Toffee. But, there was one moment, when the Evertonian in him took a backseat and the football fan in him took hold. And for me, that moment is the most iconic piece of commentary in Champions League history.

The story has become stuff of legends today. It was 2004-05. Needing to win by a two-goal margin in order to progress to the pre quarters, Liverpool was losing by a goal to nil against Rivaldo’s Olympiakos at Anfield. Spurred on by two super-sub goals from Neil Mellor and Florent Pongolle, the Kop was buzzing, waiting for the third, with time against them.

And then, with nothing but seconds left on the clock, came a Gerrard special out of nowhere. But, what made that goal a real stand-out moment in European football history, was Andy Gray going mad upon seeing it – “Ohhhhhh ya beautyyyyy! What a hit, son! What a hit!”. One of the most talked about moments in the beautiful game in the last decade, that moment made many a Liverpool fan for life. And, we all know what Liverpool went on to achieve that season.

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#1 Ray Hudson on Lionel Messi

“This man is absolutely mainline to pure footballing magic, that is from another galaxy altogether, than we are living in!”

Find me a simpler, more telling and more profound appreciation of a sportsman by an ardent admirer. I don’t think there is one. Because, admiration, in the deepest sense of the word, is what Ray Hudson has for Lionel Messi. We’ve been treated to so many Hudson-specials-upon-Messi-specials, that knowing where to begin, is hard.

The earliest among them that one can remember, is Hudson enthusing “The ball is hammered home with love, from Messi”, during La Pulga’s first ever hat-trick, against Real Madrid, all those years ago.

And, while there have been many memorable quotes on the Argentinean from Hudson’s co-commentator, Phil Schoen (“strictly sensational”, “He is something else”, “Who is the best player in the world?”), Hudson’s emotion, his pure childlike excitement upon seeing his favourite player score, takes his commentary to a level of brilliance that is unmatched. There have been commentators who have made goals and moments iconic. But, there has been no one, who has made every single week and every goal, something to remember.

The Gateshead native has made so many highlight reel quotes on the Barcelona No10, that it’s hard to list the best. “Orgasmic passing”, “Magisterial Lionel! Magnifico!”, “The greatest footballer on God’s earth” and that famous, famous quote where he gets lost for adjectives and ends up saying “The most wonderful-stupendously-magnificent player in the history of the game” after Messi beat Gerd Muller’s record, are the ones that stand out the most.

But, there are so many more. And, so many more to come. Because Ray Hudson and Lionel Messi is footballing symbiosis at its very best.

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Edited by Staff Editor