The 10 Best Football Commentators

We have been blessed with a wealth of dynamic people behind the mic in football. A football commentator can transform even the dullest of matches into a gripping drama unfolding beneath our very eyes. The passion and vivid descriptions of the match can live long in the memory and become part of footballing folklore or as questions in a pub quiz. Famous utterances such as “they think it’s all over…it is now” when England won the World Cup at Wembley in 1966 has become etched in the minds of many English football fans and has gone down as one of the most popular and famous pieces of commentaries in world football. Football commentators have become synonymous with some of the most enthralling and exciting games in history. Here, then, are possibly the 10 best and most renowned men behind the mic:

1) John Motson

Motty has been a pivotal part of the BBC’s football coverage since the 1960s and, along with his sheepskin coat and peaked cap, is instantly the most recognisible voice in football. Motson has brought unrivalled passion and professionalism to the art of commentating, having described the action from FA Cup finals to World Cup finals from 1970 right through to the present day. Football will never be quite the same whenever Motty decides to hang up his mic.

2) Brian Moore

The late Brian Moore worked as a commentator for ITV for many years and had a certain charm and charisma in his voice. Always very calm and reassured, Moore gave a sense of collectiveness to proceedings while at the same time generating excitement and keeping the audience captivated.

3) Kenneth Wolstenholme

Wolstenholme was a pioneer in football commentary throughout the 1950s and 1960s, arguably reaching his peak in the 1966 World Cup with his now legendary descriptions of how the final unfolded. 

4) Martin Tyler

Tyler has been the voice of Sky Sports football since their coverage began in 1992. Quick, intelligent, and possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of the game, Tyler has brought joy to many football fans around the globe with his unique style of analysing the action. 

5) David Coleman

Although more often associated with athletics, Coleman was a football commentator with the BBC back in the 1960s and 1970s. Coleman has produced some of the most well known lines, such as “goals pay the rent and Keegan gets his share”, and contributed to some of the most memorable goals scored during that period. 

6) Peter Brackley

Brackley is perhaps most famously remembered for being the commentator during Channel 4’s brief live coverage of Serie A games that began back in 1992. 

7) Clive Tyldsley

Tyldsley has taken over the mantle as the chief commentator for ITV’s football commentary and has displayed a style that blends enthusiasm with wit and a clear love of the game.

8) Alan Parry

Parry was also a big part of the BBC commentary team back in the 1970s and 1980s before switching to Sky Sports in the 1990s, using all his experience to help build Sky’s football coverage into the success it has become.

9) Alan Green

Watching football is often more enjoyable than listening to radio commentary but BBC Radio 5 Live’s Alan Green’s highly charged and no holds barred approach can make you feel like you are right there at the heart of the action.

10) John Champion

Champion is a very experienced commentator who has previously worked with the BBC and now plies his trade with ESPN.