Match of the Day: Steve Wilson on most memorable commentary moments

Brazil’s stunning 2014 World Cup exit and a bizarre Mesut Ozil interview feature in Steve Wilson’s memorable moments

I can’t tell you exactly how many games I’ve commentated on professionally, but my best estimate is around 70-80 a season for 30 years – that’s around 2,500 matches.

There was also 15 years of watching as a fan before that. My first game was Tranmere Rovers v Grimsby in January 1975, aged seven.

My first job as a commentator was for Capital Gold Sport in 1990. After seven years there I joined the BBC, initially on Radio 5 Live and then Match of the Day from 1999-2000.

Over the years I’ve been to 145 stadiums in the UK, and 150 more in 35 countries around the world. There are very few commentators I’ve met who don’t have a train-spotter streak!

Best game I’ve commentated on

It’s really impossible to choose a favourite!

I was there for 5 Live when Manchester United beat Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp in the 1999 Champions League final.

I was in Cardiff in 2006 when Steven Gerrard inspired Liverpool to beat West Ham in the best FA Cup final of modern times.

I also commentated on two unforgettable World Cup semi-finals: Germany 0-2 Italy in 2006 in Dortmund and Brazil 1-7 Germany in 2014 in Belo Horizonte. Then there was Spain 1-5 Netherlands in 2014,Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal in 2011 and far too many others to list.

Best goal I’ve seen live

Roberto Carlos was a regular free-kick taker throughout his career but none matched the beauty of his strike at Le Tournoi

Perhaps the free-kick Roberto Carlos scored for Brazil against France in Lyon’s Stade Gerland in the 1997 Tournoi de France – simply astonishing. I saw Roberto Carlos try many, many times to do it again without ever coming close.

David Beckham’s career-launching goal from inside his own half at Wimbledon in 1996 is worth a mention too.

Best player I’ve seen live

Cristiano Ronaldo was, in my opinion, the best player ever to play in the Premier League – but was at his best after he left England for Real Madrid. I commentated on his hat-trick for Portugal against Spain in the 2018 World Cup, which was very special.

World Cup 2018: Portugal 3-3 Spain highlights

I’ve seen Lionel Messi play live enough times to feel that I must have been unlucky not to see him do anything gob-smackingly astonishing in the flesh.

Other favourites include Gianfranco Zola, Xabi Alonso, Dennis Bergkamp, Gareth Bale, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer etc …..

Most unusual thing I’ve seen live

That feeling when your team are hosting a World Cup and they capitulate in the semi-final

Brazil conceding five goals in 18 minutes. That World Cup semi-final in 2014 was the most extraordinary game I have ever seen, or that I am likely to see.

I had researched and absorbed so many facts for that game, but it never crossed my mind to find out when Brazil had last conceded seven at home.

For all the drama, it was quite a hard game to commentate on. In a semi-final you want the tension to last to the final seconds if possible, but long before half-time there was no tension – simply disbelief. Fans will never sing “It’s just like watching Brazil” in quite the same way.

Most awkward post-match interview

When interviews go wrong…

Am I allowed a pre-match interview?

I was asked by Arsenal to give them advance notice of my questions for Mesut Ozil’s first broadcast interview in English – a very brief three-question chat before a Premier League game at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal’s press office wanted to be sure that he had time to prepare and practice some coherent answers, hence the unusual request for prior notice of my questions.

Unfortunately it turned out that Ozil had coached himself to be word perfect in the questions – not the answers!