GGOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! Honestly when you think of ‘soccer’ and ‘goal call’, chances are you immediately go to the prolonged scream that you hear from Mexican, South American and European soccer commentators. However broadcasters who cover soccer on a regular basis know that these fleeting moments in a sports that frequently produced 0-0 results are absolutely imperative to get right.
The MLS has produced a fantastic article detailing the thought process and strategy of some of the league’s top broadcasters in how they handle a goal call. It breaks down cliche catch phrases, cultural interpretations and other fascinating insights into a truly global sport that other broadcasters who cover more regional hockey or football…may not consider.
There is no more spectacular or emotionally charged moment during the 90 minutes of a soccer game than when the ball hits the back of the net.
It’s no wonder then that many soccer announcers put more thought into their words uttered in the immediate aftermath of a goal than any other moment in a game. And in many MLS matches, as in many soccer cultures around the world, a goal is the trigger for a familiar phrase on the game’s broadcast.
For D.C. United fans, it’s veteran play-by-play man Dave Johnson’s signature “it’s in the net!” For Max Bretos, formerly of FOX and ESPN and today the television voice of LAFC, it’s a particular extended version of “yeah!” Perhaps the most iconic is the lengthy “gooooollllll” intonation of Andres Cantor, the legendary Spanish-language broadcaster, which has spawned legions of copycats, tributes and derivations.
To read the full story, click here.
