WEBVTT - Andrés Cantor: The Man Behind "Goooool!"

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<v Speaker 1>Andres Cantor has been a sports announcer for almost forty years.

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<v Speaker 1>He's received eight Emmy Awards for his broadcasting and a

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<v Speaker 1>place in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. You know

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<v Speaker 1>his voice that he has watched and announced countless games,

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<v Speaker 1>but there's one moment at the end of the last

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<v Speaker 1>World Cup in Qatar that is seered into his memory.

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<v Speaker 2>Benita Fel football.

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<v Speaker 3>The final was a roller coaster of emotions in itself.

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<v Speaker 3>It took us from Argentina's domination begins the defending world champion,

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<v Speaker 3>to France tying the match real Francia.

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<v Speaker 1>Argentina goes up three to two, then France ties again.

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<v Speaker 1>It's three to three, taking the game all the way

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<v Speaker 1>to panel.

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<v Speaker 3>Kicks by the peak when when the peak age started,

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<v Speaker 3>I was ready to like pass out. What happened in

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<v Speaker 3>guitar with Argentina and Messi winning the World Cup is

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<v Speaker 3>one of my favorite moments.

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<v Speaker 1>If you weren't watching this in real time, maybe you've

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<v Speaker 1>seen the clip on social media. Andres Cantor wearing a

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<v Speaker 1>perfectly pressed baby blue button up shirt, clinging to his

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<v Speaker 1>headset microphone, screaming with joy, his tears barely visible behind

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<v Speaker 1>his round framed glasses as he hugs his fellow announcer.

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<v Speaker 1>I think this video is such a beautiful thing to watch.

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<v Speaker 2>Let me just the moment was my true self.

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<v Speaker 1>Are you a crier? Are you an emotional guy?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 3>I could say I'm emotional. I'm not hard as a

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<v Speaker 3>rock way it comes to shelling tears. So if I

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<v Speaker 3>have to shadow one, I will.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you think about? Soccer makes men who may

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<v Speaker 1>otherwise still be very like raw kiss each other and

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<v Speaker 1>hug each other and celebrate and like cry.

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<v Speaker 2>I call it the magic of soccer.

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<v Speaker 1>From Futuro Studios, I'm Fernande Chavari and this is American Football,

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<v Speaker 1>a show about soccer culture in the US and it's

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<v Speaker 1>underdog roots. I've gotten to do a lot of wonderful

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<v Speaker 1>interviews for this podcast, and I've enjoyed every single one

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<v Speaker 1>of them. But when the video calls started with Argentinian

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<v Speaker 1>announcer Andres Cantor, I kind of had a moment of like, wait,

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<v Speaker 1>what I know that voice. That's the voice that calls

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<v Speaker 1>the games. His voice means soccer to me. We spoke

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<v Speaker 1>a few weeks before the World Cup started, and right

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<v Speaker 1>away when he introduced himself his chill vive put me

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<v Speaker 1>at ease. I think most of our audience knows who

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<v Speaker 1>you are, but if you don't mind introducing yourself, who

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<v Speaker 1>you are and what you're known For sure.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm known for being a good guy, a good dub oh,

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<v Speaker 3>I love that, and yelling gold.

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<v Speaker 1>During his now almost forty year career sportscasting, he has

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<v Speaker 1>cemented himself as the voice of soccer, first calling games

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<v Speaker 1>for Nibcion as far back as nineteen eighty seven and

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<v Speaker 1>then moving over to Telemundo in two thousand. I mean

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<v Speaker 1>his goal call has literally sold as a ringtone on

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<v Speaker 1>Telemundo's website. His charismatic and energetic game narrations have helped

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<v Speaker 1>popularize the sport in the United States, even for those

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<v Speaker 1>who don't speak Spanish, especially in nineteen ninety four, when

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<v Speaker 1>he was an announcer doing the first World Cup hosted

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<v Speaker 1>in the US. David Letterman even brought him on the

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<v Speaker 1>Late Show at the time. Here now to call a

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<v Speaker 1>goal from a World Cup game played yesterday, Please welcome

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<v Speaker 1>univisions Andrea's Cantor Andrea. Two decades later, in twenty fourteen,

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<v Speaker 1>he guest starred in one of the most American shows

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<v Speaker 1>of all times.

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<v Speaker 2>And contor. You know that is increct usage. I have

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<v Speaker 2>no control. This job has taken It's all.

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<v Speaker 3>I always say that sometime as I end up my

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<v Speaker 3>broadcast feeling as tired as the players have run fifteen

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<v Speaker 3>miles on a match.

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<v Speaker 1>Listening to Cantor during a game is like watching a

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<v Speaker 1>virtuoso jazz artist freestyle NonStop for ninety minutes or more.

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<v Speaker 1>And much like a musician, Cantor needs to protect his

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<v Speaker 1>instrument when you are calling these games back to back

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<v Speaker 1>to back. How do you sort of reset or recharge

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<v Speaker 1>your voice.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm supposed to do all the things singers do, which

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<v Speaker 3>is rest the mind, rest the soul, rest my body,

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<v Speaker 3>which you try to get us many hours of sleep.

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<v Speaker 3>The recommendation is before and after.

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<v Speaker 1>Silence, So okay, no talking before or after sports casting,

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<v Speaker 1>which actually can be kind of hard, especially after.

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<v Speaker 3>The game, because obviously somebody will go for an interview.

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<v Speaker 3>We have a production meeting, and then you go out

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<v Speaker 3>and keep on talking, and you go out to dinner

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<v Speaker 3>and the surrogance, Oh, I listen to your goal, but

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<v Speaker 3>you said it was a penalty. It was a penalty,

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<v Speaker 3>and so I jump be rude and say I can't

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<v Speaker 3>speak well.

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<v Speaker 1>He makes all of this look so effortless. It takes

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<v Speaker 1>a ton of preparation and pure talent, especially because.

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<v Speaker 3>I hate scripted material I add live. You know, some

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<v Speaker 3>producers fight me because I do not like using teleprompter.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you do?

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<v Speaker 1>What does it look like?

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<v Speaker 2>So you're going to reveal trade secrets? Please?

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<v Speaker 1>I just have so many questions about your process.

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<v Speaker 3>It is easier around the World Cups than it is

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<v Speaker 3>on a regular weekend where you know, let's say I'm

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<v Speaker 3>calling the Premier League for Telemundo. Right before I would

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<v Speaker 3>tell you I will go watch tape. Now, with all

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<v Speaker 3>the resources that we have at our disposed of, it's

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<v Speaker 3>much much easier now, I tell you, I'll go on

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<v Speaker 3>YouTube and find the game of Burnley, the last weekend's game,

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<v Speaker 3>and I study how they play. I study the characteristics

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<v Speaker 3>of the players. If Smith has long hair, if Johnson

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<v Speaker 3>uses like a wristband that I got to identify him

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<v Speaker 3>by not even looking at his shirt number. So there

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<v Speaker 3>are little tricks that I use to try to identify

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<v Speaker 3>the players. Come the World Cup, it's pretty much the

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<v Speaker 3>same process. I will give you one of the games

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<v Speaker 3>that I have Germany against Kurasau. Germany, I could probably

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<v Speaker 3>go like this, close my eyes and I will have

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<v Speaker 3>a sense of who has the ball. Kurrasau I haven't

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<v Speaker 3>seen yet. I'm in the process of compiling all their information.

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<v Speaker 3>They're playing the World Cup for the first time in history.

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<v Speaker 3>Is the smallest country to participate in a World Cup.

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<v Speaker 1>He's a bit old school about how he likes his research.

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<v Speaker 3>I still like to write my notes and have them

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<v Speaker 3>on paper, even though I could have him electronically on

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<v Speaker 3>a tablet. I take my sharpiece. I use different colors

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<v Speaker 3>for the team lineup that I have in front of me.

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<v Speaker 3>I use a yellow highlighter to mark whenever the player

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<v Speaker 3>is given a yellow card. I take my old fashioned chronometer. Really,

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<v Speaker 3>I know, it's kind of my luggy charm.

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<v Speaker 2>I skill have my old chrona with me.

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<v Speaker 1>He drinks a ton of water. But food that's a

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<v Speaker 1>whole other story.

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<v Speaker 3>I usually don't eat my cut off. It is probably

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<v Speaker 3>like four or five hours before a match. I will

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<v Speaker 3>not have even a bite. I'll wait until everything is.

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<v Speaker 2>Done to me.

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<v Speaker 1>And no matter how many decades he's been calling.

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<v Speaker 3>Games, there's always that sense of a potential embarrassment on

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<v Speaker 3>national television. It doesn't really matter whether you're a rookie

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<v Speaker 3>or a forty year pro. Anything can happen on live TV.

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<v Speaker 3>Anything that you say, anything that you miss say, anything

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<v Speaker 3>that you miss pronounce, anything that you miss interpret, any

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<v Speaker 3>players you identified wrongly. When you're surrounded by sixty thousand

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<v Speaker 3>yelling fans, producer talking to me in my ear, the

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<v Speaker 3>emotions of the game and the fast pace of the

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<v Speaker 3>sport itself, you really have to work your mind to

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<v Speaker 3>make sure that everything comes out the way you want

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<v Speaker 3>it to be. So it's taxing on the mind.

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<v Speaker 1>So now we know how real pro does this, but

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<v Speaker 1>how exactly did he get into this in the first place.

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<v Speaker 2>As a matter of fact, I did not want to

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<v Speaker 2>become an announcer.

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<v Speaker 1>That's coming up after the break. It's American football and

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<v Speaker 1>Fernande Charvari. Growing up in Argentina in the nineteen sixties

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<v Speaker 1>andres Cantor couldn't escape soccer.

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<v Speaker 3>The first gift that every kid got was a soccer ball,

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<v Speaker 3>So that was probably my first memory, digging a ball

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<v Speaker 3>when I was probably four years old, five years old.

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<v Speaker 3>In Argentina, there's social clubs where you go every weekend

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<v Speaker 3>and spend time, and all I was played football.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you ever think about playing professionally?

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<v Speaker 2>I did.

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<v Speaker 3>I tried out in Argentina when I was twelve thirteen.

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<v Speaker 3>I last I think it was no more than ten minutes,

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<v Speaker 3>and they took me off. But there were so many

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<v Speaker 3>kids trying out at the youth level, and I obviously

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<v Speaker 3>had the dream yes of playing professional, but I wasn't

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<v Speaker 3>good enough to make it to the pros.

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<v Speaker 1>And when he wasn't playing soccer, he was listening to

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<v Speaker 1>matches on the radio to one guy, in particular, his

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<v Speaker 1>version of Andres Cantor.

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<v Speaker 3>There was one gentleman, the best broadcaster at the time,

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<v Speaker 3>that had ninety percent share of the audience. Everyone listened

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<v Speaker 3>to him, called Jose Maria Munos. So I guess I

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<v Speaker 3>got his rhythms in my years, you know, for life,

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<v Speaker 3>because we all listened to him and his broadcast and

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<v Speaker 3>his way of calling games.

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<v Speaker 1>What did he sound like?

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<v Speaker 3>He was always very, very energetic during his play by

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<v Speaker 3>play in his broadcast, And.

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<v Speaker 1>While Cantor would listen to Munos on the radio, he

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<v Speaker 1>would sit down and write.

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<v Speaker 3>I sat in front of my dad typewriter and wrote

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<v Speaker 3>the game report just for.

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<v Speaker 2>My own sake for fun. For fun, Yeah, I have.

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<v Speaker 3>I guess acute observation of what I've seen, and I

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<v Speaker 3>started reading the game pretty much better than any any

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<v Speaker 3>kid my age. But I never thought for a minute

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<v Speaker 3>I would end up doing TV and radio, which is.

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<v Speaker 2>Unbelievable, crazy, do you think. Yeah, as a matter of fact,

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<v Speaker 2>I did not want to become an announcer. I liked writing.

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<v Speaker 1>When he first moved to southern California as a teenager,

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<v Speaker 1>he wasn't exactly.

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<v Speaker 3>Thrilled Sacramento, California. It's a very big and vibrant city now,

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<v Speaker 3>but back in the seventies it was very, very different

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<v Speaker 3>than Buenos Aires, and I suffered a lot because I

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<v Speaker 3>was pretty much miserable that first year. I was missing

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<v Speaker 3>absolutely everything that I have in Buenos Aires.

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<v Speaker 1>His parents, who were both doctors, eventually moved the family

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<v Speaker 1>to Los Angeles. So the second move is to la

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<v Speaker 1>bigger city, more soccer, maybe.

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<v Speaker 2>A little bit more soccer. Yes.

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<v Speaker 3>I started playing in my high school team in my

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<v Speaker 3>senior year San Marino High School. I was bragg We

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<v Speaker 3>reached the final CIF for the first time in history

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<v Speaker 3>when I was there, so it was a fine year.

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<v Speaker 2>I made some new friends in the.

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<v Speaker 1>Team, and just like when he was a child back

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<v Speaker 1>in Argentina, writing was a constant. He was the editor

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<v Speaker 1>of sports pages for his high school newspaper. He got

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<v Speaker 1>a journalism degree from usc without taking a single broadcast class.

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<v Speaker 1>Mind blown, and one day he went from writing to

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<v Speaker 1>using his voice.

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<v Speaker 3>Since I was covering as a writer many sporting events

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<v Speaker 3>in Los Angeles, many of the biggest fights of boxing's

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<v Speaker 3>history in Las Vegas, etc.

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<v Speaker 2>I coincided with a lot.

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<v Speaker 3>Of American media, and one day in February of nineteen

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<v Speaker 3>eighty seven, I get asked if I could come into

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<v Speaker 3>Univision Studios for an audition because they were looking for

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<v Speaker 3>either a soccer commentator or a soccer play by play announcer.

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<v Speaker 2>I had a lucky.

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<v Speaker 3>Break and probably within a week, I get a call

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<v Speaker 3>from cor Hilary, whom I pretty much owe my career

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<v Speaker 3>two and say you're hired.

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<v Speaker 1>Coming up. I wrap up my conversation with Andres Cantor

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<v Speaker 1>by talking about some of his all time favorite soccer

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<v Speaker 1>moments and his impressions about the twenty twenty six FIFA

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<v Speaker 1>Men's World Cup. We'll be right back. It's American football

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<v Speaker 1>and Fernando Charvari. I couldn't not ask andres Cantor about

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<v Speaker 1>his favorite soccer moments. First one was in the seventies.

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<v Speaker 3>I was again in Argentina and watched Argentina when it

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<v Speaker 3>first woke up in nineteen. In seventy Argentina Canonndo.

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<v Speaker 1>His second favorite would later be called the goal of

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<v Speaker 1>the Century.

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<v Speaker 3>I was already working for a Girafico magazine of Argentina

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<v Speaker 3>in nineteen eighty six, and so my biggest idol, Diego Maradona,

0:16:23.080 --> 0:16:28.280
<v Speaker 3>lift the trophy and score the most beautiful goal in

0:16:28.320 --> 0:16:35.720
<v Speaker 3>the history of the World Cup against England.

0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:46.880
<v Speaker 1>They're both Argentina moments, Ohio. And then there's also the

0:16:46.880 --> 0:16:49.080
<v Speaker 1>one that we started the episode with when he got

0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:53.600
<v Speaker 1>super emotional watching Argentina win in twenty twenty two but

0:16:53.720 --> 0:16:55.800
<v Speaker 1>taking Argentina out of the equation.

0:16:56.280 --> 0:17:00.160
<v Speaker 3>I remember one of my goals, London Donovan's goal for

0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:04.560
<v Speaker 3>the US against our years in South Africa, twenty ten,

0:17:05.400 --> 0:17:09.119
<v Speaker 3>last minute extra time. The US was being eliminated of

0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:13.800
<v Speaker 3>group face, which was a big embarrassment, and he scored

0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:29.160
<v Speaker 3>on a counter attack and I left it all out.

0:17:29.560 --> 0:17:32.960
<v Speaker 3>Five years later, I was very lucky enough to see

0:17:33.040 --> 0:17:37.520
<v Speaker 3>Carly Lloyd score a hat trick in the FIFA Women's

0:17:37.600 --> 0:17:43.359
<v Speaker 3>World Cup Final in Vancouver, and the third goal was

0:17:43.480 --> 0:17:48.240
<v Speaker 3>from midfield, and I always say that that was probably one,

0:17:48.400 --> 0:17:52.359
<v Speaker 3>regardless of gender, one of the greatest World Cup final

0:17:52.400 --> 0:18:08.960
<v Speaker 3>goals of all times. So the Talvivel Country, Vanuatra Sdo,

0:18:09.720 --> 0:18:10.960
<v Speaker 3>Ronald Taku.

0:18:11.359 --> 0:18:12.480
<v Speaker 2>And King Semi.

0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:18.479
<v Speaker 1>During our hour long conversation, I think I made it

0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:22.560
<v Speaker 1>pretty clear that I love to talk about logistics and process,

0:18:22.920 --> 0:18:25.120
<v Speaker 1>so I was curious about what his day to day

0:18:25.119 --> 0:18:27.920
<v Speaker 1>will look like for this World Cup because for the

0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:31.480
<v Speaker 1>first time ever in the almost one hundred years of

0:18:31.560 --> 0:18:37.080
<v Speaker 1>World Cups, this time there are three host countries, three

0:18:37.359 --> 0:18:38.360
<v Speaker 1>big countries.

0:18:38.880 --> 0:18:42.680
<v Speaker 3>Kata was beautiful because I slept in the same hotel room,

0:18:42.800 --> 0:18:47.160
<v Speaker 3>same bed for forty days. Now I get to go

0:18:47.280 --> 0:18:50.399
<v Speaker 3>to eight different cities in all three countries that are

0:18:50.400 --> 0:18:53.800
<v Speaker 3>hosting the World Cup. So I get call a game,

0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:58.080
<v Speaker 3>hop on a plane repeat. I go from LA to

0:18:58.160 --> 0:19:03.480
<v Speaker 3>Houston to Vancouver to Dallas to Kansas to Miami to Alakata.

0:19:04.040 --> 0:19:05.280
<v Speaker 1>Are you a really good packer?

0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:07.479
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I'm used to it.

0:19:07.800 --> 0:19:12.640
<v Speaker 3>I usually take whatever it's necessary, and I've learned that

0:19:12.920 --> 0:19:16.360
<v Speaker 3>if I forget something there's always somewhere where I can

0:19:16.400 --> 0:19:18.320
<v Speaker 3>buy whatever I forgot if I need to.

0:19:21.400 --> 0:19:23.639
<v Speaker 1>If you've been keeping up with this podcast series, you

0:19:23.720 --> 0:19:26.439
<v Speaker 1>know that this World Cup is widely regarded in the

0:19:26.560 --> 0:19:31.160
<v Speaker 1>US as a consequential one for many, many reasons. Here's

0:19:31.200 --> 0:19:33.879
<v Speaker 1>what Soccer Start tap Ramos told me in an earlier

0:19:33.920 --> 0:19:37.320
<v Speaker 1>episode in nineteen ninety four. I feel like it was

0:19:37.359 --> 0:19:40.920
<v Speaker 1>sort of the birth of soccer here. Twenty twenty six

0:19:41.000 --> 0:19:43.360
<v Speaker 1>has to be the World Cup that makes soccer permanent,

0:19:43.680 --> 0:19:44.960
<v Speaker 1>and Cantor agrees.

0:19:46.920 --> 0:19:50.680
<v Speaker 3>Back in nineteen ninety four, I knew that soccer had

0:19:50.680 --> 0:19:53.040
<v Speaker 3>to make it in America. So we depend on the

0:19:53.080 --> 0:19:57.639
<v Speaker 3>World Cup being popular among the general margo for people

0:19:57.680 --> 0:19:59.840
<v Speaker 3>that had never seen.

0:19:59.600 --> 0:20:01.200
<v Speaker 2>A soccer imagine their lives, etc.

0:20:02.400 --> 0:20:05.400
<v Speaker 3>But as much as I said the nineteen ninety four

0:20:06.480 --> 0:20:09.400
<v Speaker 3>we need to have a good World Cup in all

0:20:09.480 --> 0:20:13.359
<v Speaker 3>sense of the word for the sport to explode.

0:20:13.080 --> 0:20:15.640
<v Speaker 2>Definitely now in.

0:20:14.960 --> 0:20:19.840
<v Speaker 3>This World Cup will solidify the fandom of people that

0:20:19.880 --> 0:20:24.159
<v Speaker 3>are going to be either new to the sport or

0:20:24.240 --> 0:20:28.680
<v Speaker 3>that I already watched the sport, and will solidify their

0:20:28.720 --> 0:20:29.840
<v Speaker 3>loyalties to Orguin.

0:20:31.080 --> 0:20:33.199
<v Speaker 1>On top of the pressure of this World Cup to

0:20:33.400 --> 0:20:37.000
<v Speaker 1>finally take soccer out of its underdog status in the US.

0:20:37.720 --> 0:20:42.600
<v Speaker 1>It's also happening during a particularly volatile period in geopolitics.

0:20:42.960 --> 0:20:45.880
<v Speaker 1>Whereas the typical attitude of host countries has been one

0:20:45.920 --> 0:20:50.800
<v Speaker 1>of open embrace, the Trump administration stands has been overly hostile,

0:20:51.359 --> 0:20:54.960
<v Speaker 1>throwing four qualified nations on a visa band list and

0:20:55.119 --> 0:20:58.960
<v Speaker 1>others on a soft blocklist. It caused a kind of

0:20:59.080 --> 0:21:03.479
<v Speaker 1>dark miasthma tainting for many a tournament they feel should

0:21:03.520 --> 0:21:08.280
<v Speaker 1>just be a positive global celebration. As historian Jonathan Wilson

0:21:08.320 --> 0:21:12.800
<v Speaker 1>said in our first episode, I think this is a

0:21:12.840 --> 0:21:16.840
<v Speaker 1>World Cup that people approach you in trepidation even with

0:21:16.960 --> 0:21:21.119
<v Speaker 1>this backdrop, andres Cantor is optimistic about the future of

0:21:21.200 --> 0:21:22.560
<v Speaker 1>soccer in the US.

0:21:22.840 --> 0:21:27.080
<v Speaker 3>Politics aside. It's a different country altogether. It's definitely not

0:21:27.119 --> 0:21:30.240
<v Speaker 3>the same as it was in nineteen ninety four. The

0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:33.160
<v Speaker 3>biggest difference, I would say is fandom. If you would

0:21:33.240 --> 0:21:36.399
<v Speaker 3>pull one hundred people in nineteen ninety four about do

0:21:36.440 --> 0:21:39.840
<v Speaker 3>you know what the World Cup is? Probably seventy would

0:21:39.880 --> 0:21:42.800
<v Speaker 3>say I have no idea, And if you do the

0:21:42.880 --> 0:21:43.680
<v Speaker 3>same now.

0:21:43.480 --> 0:21:47.800
<v Speaker 2>It's probably the opposite. Thirty would know and seventy would know.

0:21:48.880 --> 0:21:51.880
<v Speaker 3>Way back in nineteen ninety four, nobody could watch more

0:21:51.920 --> 0:21:55.879
<v Speaker 3>than one game per weekend on television, the ones that

0:21:55.920 --> 0:21:59.000
<v Speaker 3>we were calling on Univision, So the fandom is that

0:21:59.119 --> 0:22:05.720
<v Speaker 3>much greater. I'll quote Billy Joel in Piano Man, hopefully

0:22:05.800 --> 0:22:09.840
<v Speaker 3>we will all forget life for a while during the

0:22:09.840 --> 0:22:13.879
<v Speaker 3>thirty nine days of competition and then hoping that the

0:22:14.320 --> 0:22:15.960
<v Speaker 3>world's problems get fixed.

0:22:25.040 --> 0:22:27.600
<v Speaker 1>At the risk of sounding Pollyanna, this is something that

0:22:27.640 --> 0:22:30.560
<v Speaker 1>I talked about in episode one, the escape that the

0:22:30.600 --> 0:22:34.280
<v Speaker 1>World Cup provides for so many of us, and its

0:22:34.320 --> 0:22:39.760
<v Speaker 1>significance here in the US for immigrants and kits of immigrants. Well,

0:22:39.760 --> 0:22:41.720
<v Speaker 1>my last question is a bit of a personal one.

0:22:42.240 --> 0:22:45.080
<v Speaker 1>Soccer to me, I don't know the stads. I can't

0:22:45.080 --> 0:22:47.320
<v Speaker 1>tell you know who plays one during the weekend. But

0:22:47.359 --> 0:22:50.320
<v Speaker 1>when the World Cup happens, I go nuts and I

0:22:50.359 --> 0:22:52.960
<v Speaker 1>go hard and I get really into it. And my

0:22:53.080 --> 0:22:55.520
<v Speaker 1>dad was always the connection to soccer for me since

0:22:55.520 --> 0:22:58.160
<v Speaker 1>I was little, and this is the first World Cup

0:22:58.200 --> 0:23:00.720
<v Speaker 1>that I'm going to experience it with him. This is

0:23:00.760 --> 0:23:03.680
<v Speaker 1>the first one since his passing. So there's a lot

0:23:03.680 --> 0:23:07.439
<v Speaker 1>of connection to soccer that is beyond the sport, that

0:23:07.560 --> 0:23:11.119
<v Speaker 1>is about family, that it's about connection. So I'm just

0:23:11.240 --> 0:23:14.600
<v Speaker 1>curious who's the person that sort of does that for you.

0:23:14.600 --> 0:23:18.000
<v Speaker 3>You asked me before if I am emotional, and I

0:23:18.040 --> 0:23:20.320
<v Speaker 3>got emotional here in your story, and I know.

0:23:20.359 --> 0:23:23.960
<v Speaker 2>That you will when you hear me he got.

0:23:27.400 --> 0:23:32.200
<v Speaker 3>A lot of things will go through your mind and

0:23:32.240 --> 0:23:35.000
<v Speaker 3>they're all going to be beautiful memories. I have no

0:23:35.119 --> 0:23:41.840
<v Speaker 3>doubt where that Mexican Jersey proud. Think about your dad

0:23:41.880 --> 0:23:47.800
<v Speaker 3>and think about who you are and what your dad

0:23:48.600 --> 0:23:53.320
<v Speaker 3>allowed you to become. If I may say, you know

0:23:53.440 --> 0:23:58.600
<v Speaker 3>my two beautiful kids, my wife, and you know. When

0:23:58.720 --> 0:24:01.720
<v Speaker 3>Argentina won the World Up in twenty twenty two, obviously

0:24:02.080 --> 0:24:04.639
<v Speaker 3>I got a big hug from my son. Actually he

0:24:04.800 --> 0:24:06.879
<v Speaker 3>was pitch sided and I don't know how he found

0:24:06.880 --> 0:24:10.119
<v Speaker 3>me at the presentation studio and we hugged and cried.

0:24:10.359 --> 0:24:11.240
<v Speaker 1>Oh that's amazing.

0:24:11.440 --> 0:24:22.720
<v Speaker 3>With a video that also went very very viral. I'm

0:24:22.760 --> 0:24:25.800
<v Speaker 3>going to close by saying that I am the luckiest

0:24:25.840 --> 0:24:31.800
<v Speaker 3>person in the world because I worked doing what I

0:24:31.800 --> 0:24:36.280
<v Speaker 3>love the most. I've been given the best seat in

0:24:36.320 --> 0:24:39.639
<v Speaker 3>the house for the last forty years. They paid me

0:24:39.720 --> 0:24:43.119
<v Speaker 3>for it, and I've been very lucky to be surrounded

0:24:43.160 --> 0:24:46.760
<v Speaker 3>by great professionals and a great family that has allowed

0:24:46.760 --> 0:24:50.840
<v Speaker 3>me to do what I do. So every time, and

0:24:51.320 --> 0:24:55.080
<v Speaker 3>believe me, this is true. Every time I walk onto

0:24:55.160 --> 0:24:59.680
<v Speaker 3>a broadcast booth at the stadium, being the first game

0:24:59.760 --> 0:25:04.200
<v Speaker 3>or the final, I'll just go. I'll pinch myself, even

0:25:04.240 --> 0:25:08.200
<v Speaker 3>though it's something that it's part of my regular job,

0:25:08.560 --> 0:25:13.640
<v Speaker 3>but I will still pinch myself and say how lucky I.

0:25:13.600 --> 0:25:16.800
<v Speaker 1>Am, and I am thank you so much for sharing

0:25:16.800 --> 0:25:37.480
<v Speaker 1>that with us. American Football is produced by Futudo Studios

0:25:37.520 --> 0:25:42.000
<v Speaker 1>in collaboration with Iheart'smichael Tura podcast network. I'm your host

0:25:42.200 --> 0:25:46.280
<v Speaker 1>Fernande Charvari. This episode was produced by Levi Sharp. It

0:25:46.359 --> 0:25:49.320
<v Speaker 1>was edited by our senior editor Rebecca Vara and Me.

0:25:50.080 --> 0:25:53.679
<v Speaker 1>Fact checking by Roxanna Guire, mixing by Brandon Krugel at

0:25:53.720 --> 0:25:58.560
<v Speaker 1>Multitude Productions. Victoria Strada is our production manager. Legal review

0:25:58.640 --> 0:26:03.000
<v Speaker 1>by Jonathan Fisher at Legal Arts, Andres Cavalero is also

0:26:03.080 --> 0:26:06.479
<v Speaker 1>part of our production team. Our executive producers are Marlon

0:26:06.520 --> 0:26:10.560
<v Speaker 1>Bishop and Maria Garcia at Futuro Studios. Executive producers at

0:26:10.600 --> 0:26:14.560
<v Speaker 1>iHeart are Leo Gomes and Arlene Santana. Futura Media was

0:26:14.600 --> 0:26:18.480
<v Speaker 1>founded by Maria Inojosa. You can listen to more episodes

0:26:18.520 --> 0:26:22.520
<v Speaker 1>of American football on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or

0:26:22.640 --> 0:26:25.320
<v Speaker 1>wherever you get your shows. And if you like it,

0:26:25.760 --> 0:26:28.680
<v Speaker 1>please give us a rating and a review. It will

0:26:28.720 --> 0:26:31.600
<v Speaker 1>help other people find us. Thanks for listening.