Lead play-by-play commentator Ian Darke and Steve McManaman will call the Germany vs. Argentina final with reporter Jeremy Schaap on ESPN. All three were on conference call with the media today to preview the match.
McManaman was one of the famous “Spice Boys” during his days at Merseyside. The former attacking midfielder was a huge star during the 1990s at Anfield.
He made history by becoming the first player without first team experience to play for the England Under-21 team. He signed as a professional with Liverpool FC in 1990 and after making 364 appearances for the club, McMananan transferred to Real Madrid in July 1999. He became just the second English player to ever play for the Spanish team. After four years with Real Madrid, he went back to the English Premier League and signed with Manchester City in 2003.
Following his retirement from professional soccer in 2005, Steve McManaman embarked on a new career in television as a commentator, providing analysis for ITV during the 2005 Champions League Final, for ESPN Star Sports in Singapore in 2006, and for Setanta Sports.
Here’s what Steve McManaman said on the call today in previewing the final:
“the two best teams have got through. if you look at all the knockout phases at the group stages, all the best teams in the game, whether it be on penalties or whether it is last?minute goals, … I think the Germans are without a doubt a team that’s been strong, very professional. They’ve looked organized, and they’re in the right place.
Argentina in the last couple of games …made sure they didn’t lose the game. They weren’t as exciting as a team … very professional in getting the job done, and they got the result yesterday on penalties, although it wasn’t a great game yesterday … I hope that the final is better than it was four years ago. I hope that … it’s a wonderful final … For me the overriding factor is the two best teams have rightly made it to the final, and it should be interesting.”
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