- [Narrator] If you've ever been within earshot
of a Spanish soccer broadcast, (audience cheering)
you've probably heard this yell.
(yelling in foreign language)
(audience cheering) (audience applauding)
The reflexive, pulse-pounding howl
that either lifts your spirits,
(audience cheering) or drags it down.
- [Andrés] It brings out a lot of emotion,
because it's the most important,
and perhaps decisive, play of the game.
- [Narrator] The goal call
is an undeniable staple of soccer,
and no one knows this more
than Telemundo play-by-play announcer, Andrés Cantor.
(inhaling loudly)
(yelling)
This is the story of the voice
that took the U.S. by storm.
Decades before Cantor even got close to a mic,
he was living in Argentina
looking for a big break on the pitch.
- I actually wanted to play soccer professionally.
I tried out in the minor leagues, then, I came to the U.S.
Played high school, played college,
and the joke is that here in the U.S.,
the professional league wasn't around,
so I didn't have anywhere to go,
and I decided to the next best thing,
which is broadcasting.
- [Narrator] Fast-forward a few years later.
- [Andrés] I got the call from Univision,
they asked me to do play-by-play.
- [Narrator] Cantor's lively commentary was infectious.
- [Andrés] I'm really, really passionate about soccer,
and I think that transcends into my broadcast,
and they hired me within 48 hours.
♪ Soccer, yeah ♪
- [Narrator] As Cantor did more and more broadcasts,
soccer was becoming mainstream in the U.S.
Hitting a fever pitch in 1994,
when it hosted the World Cup.
(whistle blowing)
- I had the opportunity of calling all matches
of that World Cup, and that created a lot of pressure
on myself. (whistle blowing)
- [Narrator] But Cantor never buckled under the pressure,
and started attracting new fans.
(announcer yelling in foreign language)
- [Andrés] And I remember
that after the first couple of games,
my work started getting attention.
- [Narrator] The way he called the games
was unlike anything many English-speaking Americans
had heard before, especially when someone scored.
- Goal!
(whistle blowing)
Well, basically, in Latin America
we always have called the goal call the same way.
Here in the U.S., I just was very lucky to be in a position
where I helped popularized a little bit the game
through my broadcast.
- [Narrator] Though Cantor didn't invent
the goal battle cry he certainly perfected it,
and soccer fans, old and new alike, couldn't get enough.
- Please welcome Univision's Andrés Cantor.
Andrés! (dramatic music)
(audience applauding and cheering)
- I was very fortunate, after 1994,
that my career received so much attention.
No!
I started doing many endorsements for different companies
and had cameo appearances in television shows.
I have no control!
This job has taken its toll!
(upbeat music)
- [Narrator] But despite these opportunities,
Cantor hasn't lost sight of why he's still doing this
30 years later.
- I mean, soccer has been my life since
I can remember, really.
I really feel very passionate about the game,
and I bring on that passion from
the minute the whistle blows to the end of the game.