Andrés Cantor's top calls from the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered and met all expectations, with 104 games full of energy, emotion, athletic prowess and stadiums full of colorful, intense crowds cheering for their national teams.
One big part of the allure of the tournament was the play-by-play performance of legendary Telemundo broadcaster Andrés Cantor.
He is one of the most recognizable voices in soccer, with his likeness appearing in commercials and even “The Simpsons.”
Cantor followed his native Argentina and the United States, his adoptive homeland, throughout the World Cup, as well as a couple of Canada and Brazil games and the debut of Curaçao.
Here’s a list of some of Cantor’s best goal calls during the World Cup.
7. First USMNT goal in the opener against Paraguay
The first goal for the U.S. men’s national team came after an amazing play on the left side by American forward Christian Pulisic and a ball misplayed by Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla, who beat his own goalie.
The USMNT had its best performance of the tournament with a 4-1 win, destroying the Paraguayan defense, one of the best in South America.
6. Curaçao scores its first goal in World Cup history
Curaçao made it to the World Cup for the first time in its history, and Livano Comenencia scored for the tiny Caribbean island in the 21st minute of its opener against powerful Germany.
In the end, the four-time world champions crushed Curacao 7-1, but the joy and the emotion of that first goal was one of the moments to remember from this World Cup.
5. Lionel Messi kicks off the scoring in Argentina’s opener vs. Algeria
The 2022 world champions had their first match against Algeria. It was a tough one until Lionel Messi grabbed a ball in the center lane and delivered a left-footed scorcher that beat goalie Luca Zidane, the first of three goals from Messi in the game.
Messi, who turned 39 years old on June 24, went on to score eight goals in the tournament, second only to France’s Kilian Mbappé, who scored 10. Throughout his career, the Argentinian has scored 21 goals in six World Cups.
4. Folarin Balogun puts the UMSNT on the board against Bosnia and Herzegovina
Forward Folarin Bolagun scored the last of his three goals in the World Cup against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the first half of the USMNT’s game in the first knockout round was about to expire.
The USMNT won 2-0, but the game will be remembered forever as Balogun was sent off in the second half. After the game, President Donald Trump asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to reconsider the one match suspension of the U.S player, and Balogun was allowed to play against Belgium in the Round of 16.
3. Ferrán Torres scores to secure World Cup title for Spain
The Spanish team had a near perfect tournament that ended with seven wins and one tie, a surprising one in its first game against tiny Cape Verde.
“La Roja” overpowered Argentina in the final game and a goal by Ferrán Torres in extra time was enough to allow the Spaniards to lift the World Cup trophy for the second time in history.
2. Enzo Fernández seals Argentina’s comeback victory over Egypt
In the round of 16, the powerful Argentinian team had been surprised by Egypt and was trailing 2-0 with a little more than 10 minutes left of regular time.
Led by Messi, Argentina scored three goals, the last one by Enzo Fernández in stoppage time, to advance to the next round of the tournament.
Cantor’s call of Messi’s equalizer against Egypt was equally thrilling.
1. Lautaro Martínez’s header stuns England in the semifinals
In an epic game, reminiscent of the one played at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico City, Argentina came back to beat England with two goals near the end of the match.
Enzo Fernández tied the game with a shot from outside the penalty area in the 85th minute, and Lautaro Martínez’s header sealed the victory for Argentina in the 92nd. Both on assists by Messi to send the team to its second straight World Cup final.
And finally, it was not in this World Cup, but how can we forget Cantor’s goal call that went viral after Gonzalo Montiel scored the decisive goal in the penalty shootout to allow Argentina to beat France and win its third World Cup in 2022 in Qatar?
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
From breaking news and local politics to art exhibitions, live music, high school sports, small businesses, and cultural events, we celebrate the people and places that make Connecticut unique.