As Lionel Messi's shot crossed the goal line, Telemundo broadcaster Andrés Cantor took a deep breath and unleashed the call.
"Gooooal!" he called out in the Spanish-language broadcast.
Only this time, he couldn't hear himself.
It looked like Egypt was going to eliminate Argentina, the defending World Cup champions, in the Round of 16 last week. Cantor believed Argentina's title reign was coming to an end.
Then, Messi scored the equalizer in the 83rd minute, sending Argentina fans into delirium. Inside the stadium in Atlanta, the crowd erupted, drowning out Cantor's famous call.
"The crowd went so wild, and it was a domed stadium, the crowd noise got into my headset," Cantor told NPR's Scott Simon about the now-viral moment. "I couldn't hear myself while I was yelling goal."
That moment became a defining call of Cantor's 10th World Cup — and one that briefly cost him his voice. When Cantor spoke to NPR for Weekend Edition Saturday, he was still recovering.
Cantor, the longtime Telemundo and NBC play-by-play announcer known for his signature, elongated "Gooooal!" call, has become nearly as recognizable as the tournament itself. His voice has also become part of pop culture, featured on The Simpsons, Muppet's Most Wanted and in national advertising campaigns for brands including Visa and Coors.
This year's tournament, he said, has been unlike any other.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has expanded to 48 teams — up from 32 — and 104 matches spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which made it the largest World Cup ever. Over the last month, Cantor has called games in Vancouver, Canada, Guadalajara, Mexico, and across the U.S.
When Cantor spoke with NPR, he was in Kansas City, Missouri, gearing up to announce Argentina's quarter-final game against Switzerland.
"It's been a long, winding road," he said. "It's been wonderful to see the excitement in all three countries."
Born in Argentina, Cantor said he didn't invent his goal call.
"That's the way I grew up listening to play-by-play on the radio," he said. "Everyone in Latin America yells goal the same way."
Instead, he credits his success to timing. During the 1994 World Cup, the last time the tournament was held in the United States, Cantor's passionate style broke into the American mainstream, introducing many English-speaking audiences to the energy of Spanish-language soccer commentary.
After more than three decades behind the microphone, Cantor finds it difficult to pick his favorite World Cup memory, but Argentina's triumph over France in the 2022 final stands out.
The match came down to a penalty shootout, which Argentina led 3-2 when Gonzalo Montiel stepped up with a chance to win the country's first World Cup title in 36 years. When Montiel buried the penalty kick, Cantor broke down into tears on air.
For Cantor, the moment was emotional not just as a broadcaster, but as an Argentine. "Many soccer fans don't get to witness their countries even playing in the World Cup. But I have been fortunate enough to be around when Argentina won all three."
Argentina won the World Cup in 1978, 1986 and 2022.
When compared to the more laid-back commentary approach of British or American broadcasters, Cantor said his style reflects cultural differences rather than a broadcasting philosophy.
"In Spanish, it's like we have a feel for the game. We're a little bit more vibrant, more enthusiastic, to say the least," he said. "I think it has to do with the way we see soccer in terms of our cultural identity."
And this year, Spanish-language World Cup coverage is reaching a wider audience. According to NBC Sports, nearly half of U.S. viewers who watched World Cup group stage matches chose Telemundo or Peacock's Spanish-language coverage.
The expanding audience is part of a larger shift Cantor has witnessed over the past three decades as soccer has steadily gained a foothold in American sports culture.
When he first covered the sport, TV networks rarely broadcast weekly matches. Today, fans can stream leagues from around the world, and youth soccer participation continues to grow, Cantor said.
As Sunday's World Cup final approaches, Cantor prepares to call another one of the sport's defining moments, and potentially witness Argentina take home another title as they face Spain — something he recognizes he's been fortunate enough to experience throughout his career.
"I always get the best seat in the house," he said. "I'm there for the most important game of this most important tournament around the world."
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