At 91 and covering his 18th World Cup, Enrique Macaya Marquez is football’s living archive

BUENOS AIRES – Everyone wants a piece of Enrique Macaya Marquez. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni made sure to stop for a photo with the veteran broadcaster after a press conference ahead of the World Cup group-stage match against Jordan. And it’s easy to see why. Macaya – as he’s known across Latin America – carries nearly seven decades of World Cup history in his voice. At 91 years old, he is covering his 18th consecutive World Cup, an unbroken streak that began in 1958 when a 17-year-old prodigy named Pelé burst onto the global stage. Macaya was just 24 when his editors sent him to Sweden for that tournament. One of his first assignments was to watch Pelé’s Brazil take on Austria. But the image that first burned into his memory was something else entirely: Argentina’s 6-1 humiliation by Czechoslovakia, a match still referred to as the “Disaster of Sweden.” “It remains etched in my memory as a tremendous thrashing for the Argentine national football team,” Macaya says. “We knew almost nothing about Czechoslovakia. We had no information, no data, and they surprised us.” Nearly seven decades later, Macaya has witnessed football transform beyond recognition. He has reported on Pelé, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and countless other greats. Television went digital, statistics became instantaneous, and the World Cup ballooned into a global spectacle. But one trait has stayed constant: Macaya never rushes to judgment. That measured approach shaped his view when Scaloni was surprisingly handed the Argentina job in 2018. “I didn’t have high hopes,” admits Macaya, now a commentator for DSPORTS Radio. “I didn’t know him.” Scaloni went on to win the Copa América, the Finalissima, and the 2022 World Cup – turning what many called a gamble into one of football’s greatest redemption stories. For Macaya, watching that unfold only reinforced a core belief: “You can’t pass judgment without a much deeper, more complete understanding of the person being judged.” Now Argentina are back in a World Cup semifinal, facing old rivals England on Wednesday (20:00 BST) in a match that will be broadcast live on broadcaster One and iPlayer. Macaya believes the defending champions have every chance to repeat their 2022 glory. “If we’re talking about what is possible, about the future, I believe Argentina is capable of winning,” he says. When asked to name his favorite Argentine player, there is no hesitation: “Clearly, it’s Messi.” But the inevitable GOAT question – Messi or Maradona? – draws a knowing smile. “There’s no way to measure players throughout history. Times have changed. Opponents have changed. Every player is unique. I can say who I personally liked, but that doesn’t mean I believe that player was the best in history.” The same nuance applies to comparing Pelé’s 1970 Brazil with Maradona’s 1986 Argentina. “There is no way to compare them. The style is completely different.” For Macaya, defeats carry as much weight as victories. “There are many memorable matches. Negative results are also part of that memory.” But naturally, World Cup titles stand above all. “Winning the World Cup is my favorite memory, and in Maradona’s case, I think the trophy had finally given him the answer he sought his entire life: to be a world champion.” As for his own future, after nearly 70 years on the beat, Macaya admits he will eventually step away. “I’m going to retire at some point,” he says. But not before writing one more chapter of his remarkable story.