ESPN Studio Hosts and Analysts for UEFA EURO 2016

Photos of ESPN UEFA EURO 2016 Studio Team:

• Hosts Bob Ley (English) and Jorge Ramos (Spanish) to Lead ESPN Studio Coverage
• Three FIFA World Cup Champions – Mario Kempes (1978), Frank Lebeouf (1998) and Mauro Camoranesi (2006)
• ESPN FIFA World Cup Analysts Michael Ballack, Roberto Martinez, Steve McManaman and Other Notables Return

Award-winning studio host Bob Ley and leading soccer host/commentator Jorge Ramos will anchor ESPN’s month-long English and Spanish-language studio presentation of the UEFA European Football Championship 2016™ in France this summer. The tournament will be played in 10 cities, beginning Friday, June 10 through Sunday July 10.

ESPN’s coverage of EURO 2016 will feature most of the same hosts and analysts responsible for the company’s critically-acclaimed presentation of FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

Ley leads a team of English-language studio hosts that includes Mike Tirico — his last assignment for ESPN before joining NBC Sports, as well as UK-based sports presenters Steve Bower and Alison Bender.

English-language studio analysts include former German National Team captain Michael Ballack, former Scottish National Team defender Craig Burley, former U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper and Soccer Hall of Famer Kasey Keller, 1998 FIFA World Cup champion and former French National Team defender Frank Leboeuf, former Everton FC manager and FA Cup-winning coach Roberto Martinez, former Argentina National Team player Santiago Solari, and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and former U.S. Women’s National Team striker Abby Wambach. ESPN’s lead soccer analyst Taylor Twellman and former England National Team player Steve McManaman, who will call matches with Ian Darke, will also appear in-studio. ESPN match commentators for EURO 2016.

Highlights:

• ESPN’s English-language studio programming – 30-minute pre-game show, halftime, post-game and SportsCenter segments – will originate from France;
• ESPN Deportes’ comprehensive coverage includes a 30-minute pre-game edition of Fuera de Juego, a halftime show, in-between match programming, and a two-hour TV exclusive presentation of Jorge Ramos y Su Banda, immediately following the last match of the day;
• Recently retired Wambach, one of America’s most-successful soccer players, will make her television debut as a soccer pundit;

Ramos, affectionately known as “el relator de las Americas” (commentator of the Americas), will lead a team of veteran Spanish-speaking soccer hosts on ESPN Deportes. He will also anchor the daily ESPN Deportes soccer program Jorge Ramos y Su Banda throughout the tournament. Other Spanish-language studio hosts include Andres Agulla (based in Paris); Carolina Guillen and Tony Cherchi, who’ll join Ramos to host daily editions of Fuera de Juego.

ESPN Deportes will feature a cast of veteran soccer analysts led by two FIFA World Cup champions – Mario Kempes (1978) and Mauro Camoranesi (2006). Other Spanish-language studio analysts include: Barak Fever, Richard Mendez, Ricardo Ortiz, Alex Pareja, Hernan Pereyra, Rafael Puente del Rio and Jose del Valle. Former Mexican National Team player Jose Antonio Noriega, who will call matches in-country with play-by-play commentator Fernando Palomo, who will also make periodic studio appearances in France.

ESPN Deportes will provide comprehensive coverage every match day beginning with a 30-minute pre-game edition of Fuera de Juego, a halftime show, in-between match programming, and a two-hour TV exclusive presentation of Jorge Ramos y Su Banda immediately following the last match of the day.

ESPN and UEFA EURO 2016

ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes Radio will combine to carry more than 200 hours of live coverage of UEFA EURO 2016 including all 51 matches live on the English-language networks and 45 on ESPN Deportes, the most comprehensive presentation to-date of the European Football Championship in the United States.

ESPN3 Surround will deliver exclusive content throughout EURO 2016, offering a companion experience to complement the matches on television with four different streams for each match – a Spider Cam feed, a Spider Cam triple-box feed, Tactical Cam, and Tactical Cam triple-box feed – offering fans alternate camera angles, experiences and stories around the game.

Brief bios – English language studio team:

• Ballack: One of Germany’s legendary players, Ballack played pivotal roles in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and as captain of the 2006 World Cup team. He debuted as an analyst on ESPN during UEFA EURO 2012 and was a part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup;
• Bender: UK-based football presenter and reporter, Bender has more than 15 years of experience covering the English Premier League;
• Bower: UK-based football journalist, commentator and presenter, Bower has worked for Sky Sports, BBC, Setanta, ESPN UK, NBC Sports, and more. EURO 2016 marks his debut on ESPN in the U.S.;
• Burley: Former Scottish international and Chelsea midfielder, Burley has become one of the sport’s most candid television pundits. He is a regular panelist on ESPN FC on TV;
• Keller: Former U.S. National Team goalkeeper, Keller played professionally in three top European leagues – English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and German Bundesliga;
• Leboeuf: 1998 FIFA World Cup champion and UEFA EURO 2000 winner, Leboeuf is an ESPN FC on TV panelist;
• Ley: Award-wining anchor for ESPN’s Outside the Lines, Ley received the Honorary All-America Award by the National Soccer Coaches of America for his contributions to the sport in 1999. Now ESPN’s preeminent soccer host, Ley returns to France where he served as lead play-by-play commentator for ESPN’s presentation of the 1998 FIFA World Cup;
• Martinez: Former manager of Everton FC and the 2013 FA Cup-winning manager with Wigan Athletic, Martinez debuted on ESPN during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. UEFA EURO 2016 will be his fourth top-tier soccer event for the company;
• Solari: Former Argentina National Team midfielder who played for three top-tier clubs in Europe – Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid and F.C. Internazionale Milano, Solari, who is fluent in English and Spanish, will work his third straight ESPN global soccer event in France;
• Tirico: One of the industry’s most versatile sports commentators, Tirico was the play-by-play voice for Monday Night Football for 10 seasons. He has also covered a variety of global championship events, including Wimbledon, the US Open, The Open Championship and the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments;
• Wambach: A 14-year player for the U.S. Women’s National Team, Wambach retired from international soccer in 2015 with a record 184 goals. UEFA EURO 2016 marks her debut as a soccer pundit.

Brief bios – Spanish language studio team:

• Agulla: Known for his versatility, Agulla covers a number of sports for the network including soccer. Since joining ESPN in 2003, Agulla has called hundreds of matches and serves as co-host of Fuera de Juego;
• Camoranesi: Born in Argentina and from Italian descent, he was part of the National Italian soccer team that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Camoranesi also played in Mexico, Uruguay and Argentina, and is a veteran soccer analyst;
• Cherchi: Has served as anchor of SportsCenter and Futbol Center, as well as soccer analyst for the German soccer league Bundesliga;
• del Valle: Co-host and analyst for Jorge Ramos y Su Banda. He is also a regular contributor for ESPN Deportes.com and ESPN Deportes’ magazine “La Revista”;
• Fever: European soccer expert who serves as analyst for Fuera de Juego, Fútbol Picante and Raza Deportiva.
• Guillén: After her 2004 ESPN debut, Guillen has grown to become one of the most versatile female commentators in Spanish-language media. She serves as co-host for Fuera de Juego and as host for ESPN Deportes Radio’s New York 1050 AM show Zona ESPN NY;
• Kempes: 1978 FIFA World Cup champion and golden boot winner with Argentina’s National Team, Kempes has been with ESPN Deportes since 2004;
• Mendez: Joined ESPN in 2006 as a soccer commentator and one of the analysts of Fuera de Juego. Mendez regularly contributes to ESPNDeportes.com and serves as play-by-play commentator for international soccer matches;
• Noriega: The former Mexican National Team player is a color commentator for ESPN Deportes and ESPN International covering international soccer including the UEFA Champions League;
• Ortiz: A highly versatile Spanish-language television sports commentator who joined ESPN Deportes fulltime in 2011 as the Spanish-language play-by-play commentator for myriad sports;
• Palomo: A lead European soccer play-by-play commentator on ESPN Deportes, Palomo’s experience includes commentating on the 2014 FIFA World Cup in English;
• Pareja: A licensed “UEFA A” coach and soccer journalist, Pareja serves as analyst of UEFA Champions League and international soccer;
• Pereyra: Co-host of ESPN Deportes’ Jorge Ramos y Su Banda talk show, Pereyra has worked alongside Jorge Ramos as a Spanish-language match co-commentator on radio and television over a series of marquee events;
• Puente del Rio: A former striker, he served as Chief Operating Officer for the Guadalajara club Chivas and currently appears on ESPN Deportes;
• Ramos: One of the most renowned soccer commentators in Hispanic media, Ramos has served as Spanish-language play-by-play commentator for more than 3,300 matches and has covered every FIFA World Cup since Mexico 1986.

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