Andres Cantor was there on Nov. 19, 1989, the day that American soccer changed forever. Paul Caligiuri's Shot Heard Round the World hit the back of the net that night in Trinidad & Tobago, and Cantor was one of only a few reporters covering a game that nobody ever anticipated would ever be so impactful.
"We have made great strides," Cantor tells GOAL. "I remember we were only a handful of reporters in Trinidad in 1989 when Caligiuri scored the goal that secured passage to Italy. I think we were no more than, I would say, 10, and I was the only Spanish-speaking journalist, most likely, covering for a Hispanic outlet at the time."
In the 35 years since, Cantor hasn't just had a front-row seat to American soccer's biggest moments, he's witnessed nearly every bit of U.S. soccer history of this modern era. The Argentine-American announcer has covered legends while becoming a legend in his own right, with his famous goal call transcending the sport altogether.
For those who consume the game in Spanish, Cantor's voice has provided the soundtrack to their fandom. He's called World Cups and Olympic games. He's covered American soccer and beyond. His emotional reaction to his beloved Argentina's World Cup triumph in Qatar went viral as the world watched on as one of the game's most beloved figures was in tears for his home country's big moment.
Still, for all the growth in Argentina, it's the rise of American soccer that might just mean the most these days. He's been there from the beginning, and is now preparing for the return of the World Cup to American soil. And he is proud of the role he's played.
"I think we have grown, all of us that have helped in our capacity with the small things that we have done throughout the years to help grow the game," he says. "I think all of us have helped to grow the game. You wouldn't be talking to me if the game was not as popular as it is. GOAL USA wouldn't exist if that wasn't the case. All of us who worked on our side of whatever we do within soccer for so, so many years, are being rewarded, quote, unquote. It gives me a great deal of joy."
The legendary Telemundo commentator discusses the changes in the American game, and Mauricio Pochettino's role in that evolution, in the latest edition of Mic’d Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL US taps into the perspectives of broadcasters, analysts, and pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and beyond.
NOTE: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity