The only thing more dramatic than Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2022 victory over France on Sunday was Telemundo broadcaster Andrés Cantor’s euphoric on-air reaction to it.
The famous Argentine-American soccer announcer, known for his trademark “GOOOOOOOL!” exclamations, couldn’t hold back the emotion (not even a little bit) after Argentina secured its 4-2 victory in a penalty shootout.
“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!” Cantor bellowed, embracing his colleague as he continued, nearly in tears: “ARGENTINA CAMPEÓN DEL MUNDO! ARGENTINA CAMPEÓN DEL MUNDO!” ― meaning Argentina, world champions.
Cantor was born in Argentina and moved to the U.S. as a teenager in the 1970s. Over the following decades, his colorful sportscasting saw him rise to fame among English and Spanish-speaking American audiences. He featured in several commercials, made appearances on the “Late Show” in the 1990s and even voiced himself on an episode of the “Simpsons.” He’s been working at Telemundo for more than 20 years.
In an interview in 2020, Cantor spoke about how his lifelong passion for soccer started during his early years in Buenos Aires.
“I played in the recess in my schools. I played on the weekends. I played in the streets. I played in clubs. I played everywhere I could,” he told WBUR.
The announcer has been covering the World Cup since 1990 ― four years after Argentina’s last finals victory. His son, Nico Cantor, also a sportscaster, said he was delighted to see his father “happy as he was in 1986.”