Telemundo Deportes Announces Commentary Teams For 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
By: Tori Hartshorn Jun. 06, 2018
Telemundo Deportes, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, today announced its team of commentators and analysts for this summer's tournament taking place June 14 - July 15. The on-air team will include Telemundo Deportes' award-winning television presenters and former soccer star players and coaches to serve as experts and join the announce teams for relevant matches. The four announce teams and the entire commentary team of experts will be based in Russia throughout the duration of the tournament, with commentators calling the action live from stadiums for the vast majority of games.
Five-time Emmy award winner Andrés Cantor will lead Telemundo Deportes' coverage alongside the network's roster of renowned play-by-play commentators, analysts and soccer experts. Former Mexican National Team and Chivas player Manuel Sol will join Cantor (play-by-play) for at least 14 games during the group stage. Renowned soccer commentator and two-time Emmy award nominee Sammy Sadovnik will serve as play-by-play commentator alongside the analysis of experienced sports analyst with four World Cups and nine CHAMPIONS League finals under his belt Eduardo Biscayart on 12 games throughout the group stage. Copán Álvarez will provide play-by-play alongside the first female analyzing a men's World Cup Viviana Vila. In addition, Erasmo Provenza, who will call his fourth World Cup, will serve as play-by-play commentator alongside former World Cup champion Claudio Borghi.
The team will be joined by soccer experts and special guest analysts who will serve as game analysts and contribute to both pre- and post-game coverage analysis. Experts include Mexican soccer legend, Carlos Hermosillo, as well as one of Uruguay's best soccer players of all time, Diego Forlan; retired Colombian soccer star Juan Pablo Ángel, who represented the Colombian National Team during the qualifiers for the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup; Retired Argentinean soccer player and sports broadcaster, Juan Pablo Sorín; Legendary Peruvian Teófilo "Nene" Cubillas, the all-time leading scorer with 26 goals in 81 matches; Rolando Fonseca, Costa Rica's all-time top goal scorer; Jesus "Chucho" Ramirez, the first coach of a Mexican team to achieve a world soccer championship; and Tab Ramos, the United States U-20 Head Coach. Referee Horacio Elizondo, who is best known for his officiation throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup, will support the commentary teams and analyze all the calls throughout the tournament.
Renowned sports journalists Miguel Gurwitz, who hosted the Emmy Award winning Rio Olympics coverage, and Ana Jurka, host of the #1 late night sports show Titulares y Más, will serve as the official hosts, leading the pre and post-game analysis from Russia and anchoring all the coverage originating from Red Square.
Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, will offer more than 1,500 hours of World Cup coverage from Russia with more than 500 hours on television, including the live broadcast of 56 matches on Telemundo and eight on Universo, and more than 1,000 hours across digital platforms, including the live streaming of all 64 World Cup Russia games via TelemundoDeportes.com, the Telemundo Deportes Vivo App and NBC Sports App in Spanish on mobile, tablets and connected devices.
To supplement coverage of the month-long event, Universo will carry edited encore presentations of each day's games. In addition, Telemundo will deploy the network's top news and sports on-air talent from Un Nuevo Dia, Noticias Telemundo, Al Rojo Vivo and Titulares y Más to report live and on-site from Russia, in addition to the new primetime studio show Viva el Mundial y Más hosted by renowned TV host and actress Jacqueline Bracamontes and Titulares y Más's Karim Mendiburu.
The talent lineup and assignments include:
PLAY-BY-PLAY
Andrés Cantor
- Five-time Emmy Award-winning sports commentator and author of "GOOOAL!"
- One of the most popular soccer voices in the United States
- Currently serves as lead commentator and anchor for Telemundo's exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™
- This will be Cantor's 10th World Cup and his 8th as a play-by-play announcer
Sammy Sadovnik
- Renowned soccer commentator who's part of Telemundo Deportes' team of soccer experts
- Served as commentator for Telemundo's broadcast of FIFA tournaments, including the Women's World Cup and the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017
Copán Álvarez
- Renowned sports journalist who's part of Telemundo Deportes' team of soccer commentators.
- Played a valuable role as play-by-play and studio commentator for Telemundo Deportes' extensive soccer coverage
Erasmo Provenza
- Currently serves as Telemundo's KDEN sports anchor in Denver
- Has more than 12 years of experience as a soccer narrator for radio and television, including previous World Cups, such as Germany in 2006, South AFRICA in 2010 and Brazil in 2014
- Joins Telemundo Deportes team in Russia as play-by-play commentator
GAME ANALYSTS
Manuel Sol
- Former Chivas and Mexican National Team midfielder star
- Has 15 years of soccer experience, playing with several league teams and as part of the Mexico National Team roster for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the 1998 Gold Cup and the 1998 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
- Currently serves as soccer analyst alongside Andres Cantor for Telemundo Deportes, and this 2018 FIFA World Cup™
Eduardo Biscayart
- Experienced sports commentator with four World Cups and nine CHAMPIONS League finals under his belt, among several other international soccer tournaments
- Joins the Telemundo Deportes team in Russia as an analyst for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ alongside Sammy Sadovnik
Claudio Borghi
- A World Cup champion having played alongside Maradona when the Argentina team won the 1986 FIFA World Cup™
- Previously served as guest analyst for Telemundo's coverage of the FIFA Confederations Cup
- Chilean-Argentine manager and former soccer attacking midfielder returns to the Telemundo Deportes team for Russia 2018 alongside Copan Alvarez
Viviana Vila
- Argentine sports journalist covering soccer for radio and television in her native Argentina since 1999
- Will serve as analyst for select matches during the tournament joining Telemundo Deportes' renowned team of play-by-play commentators and analysts such as Copan Alvarez and Tab Ramos
- First woman to ever provide in-match commentary for a FIFA Men's World Cup in the U.S.
SOCCER EXPERTS
Carlos Hermosillo
- Renowned former soccer star and one of the all-time scorers for the Mexican national team
- A key member of Telemundo Deportes' soccer commentators
- Co-hosts "Titulares y Más" on the weekends along Gurwitz
Diego Forlán
- Uruguayan professional soccer player who currently plays for Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee
- Regarded as one of the greatest Uruguayan players of all time
- Participated in three FIFA World Cups, including the 2010 tournament where Uruguay came in fourth place and he received the Golden Ball as the best player
Juan Pablo Ángel
- Retired Colombian soccer star best known for playing with popular clubs around the world including Premier League's Aston Villa, Atletico Nacional, River Plate and Red Bulls
- Was part of Colombia's National Team during the qualifiers for the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup
- Will provide commentary during the Colombia matches joining Telemundo Deportes' play-by-play commentators and analysts
Juan Pablo Sorín
- Argentinean former soccer player and sports broadcaster
- Represented the Argentina national team at two FIFA World Cups, and was the captain of Argentine side at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
Teófilo "Nene" Cubillas
- Former soccer star considered one of Peru's greatest players and the country's all-time leading scorer with 26 goals in 81 matches
- Represented Peru in three FIFA World Cups, including the 1970 and 1978 tournaments
- As the last Peruvian Super Star featured in a World Cup 36 years ago, Cubillas will provide commentary during the Peru matches, highlighting the few good story of this year's squad and their qualification
Rolando Fonseca
- Costa Rica's national team's all-time top goal scorer, widely known among Mexican soccer fans for ending Mexico's 20-year undefeated streak at Azteca stadium in international play back in 2001, after scoring a penalty kick
- Played for Liga MX's Pachuca
Jesús "Chucho" Ramirez
- Former Mexican soccer player, following his professional career took on the challenge of coaching
- Served as manager of the Mexico National Team and won the U-17 World Cup in 2005, becoming the first coach of a Mexican team to achieve a world soccer championship
- First coach to win a FIFA World Championship (U17, 2005)
- Will provide commentary during the Mexico and Japan matches joining Telemundo Deportes' play-by-play commentators and analysts
Tab Ramos
- Former American soccer player currently serves as head coach of the United States U-20 team and US Soccer Federation's Youth Technical Director
- Played as a midfielder in Spain, Mexico, and the United States over his thirteen-year professional career
- Participated in three FIFA World Cups with the USMNT
Horacio Elizondo
- Former international football referee best known for his officiation throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup including the epic final where he gave Zidane a red card after he head-butted Materazzi in the chest following a verbal dispute
- Will be on deck for every match to help analyze calls of the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Telemundo Deportes, one of the leading providers of Spanish-language sports content in the United States, is home to two of the world's most popular sporting events: the FIFA World Cup™ through 2026 and the Summer Olympic Games through 2032. It is also the home of the FIFA Club World Cup until at least 2018. In addition, Telemundo Deportes broadcasts the FIFA World Cup™ CONCACAF qualifying matches for most of the region, including the Mexico and USA national teams' away matches, and the Premier League. Telemundo Deportes is also home to Boxeo Telemundo Ford, the #1 boxing program in Spanish, and Titulares y Más, the #1 sports news, entertainment and commentary show in Spanish, among other recognized sports properties.
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