Drury is the narrator of the Messi fairy tale - Trendingknowledgelive

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Drury is the narrator of the Messi fairy tale

trendingknowledgelive
24 Jun, 2023

 Drury is the narrator of the Messi fairy tale

Messi
Messi(Twitter)

Do you know John Arlott?

For those who don't know him, the beginning of this text is for them. This respectable person, born in Hampshire, England, was once a policeman. Not for four to six months or two to three years, but for a whole 12 years. Alongside his police profession, he had two more identities, like two additional roles. Arlott was a journalist, worked for The Guardian, The Observer, and was also a poet. He also had a stint in politics, participating in two national elections in the United Kingdom. However, he was best known for his cricket commentary, which earned him the title of a commentator.


He started with radio and continued until the era of colorful television for 34 years. He described hundreds of matches and thousands of hours of play. According to the renowned English commentator, Ian Botham, there has never been, nor will there ever be, a commentator like Arlott in cricket. And according to former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, John Major, the name of the person who gave personality to cricket is Arlott.


Arlott left this world in 1991. Even though more than three decades have passed, Arlott still returns to the cricket field, in discussions. It is not said that he has spent billions of moments in commentary, but Arlott is remembered the most for just 16 words.


It is said that the most famous, most distinctive, and most discussed commentary in cricket is the 16 words spoken by Arlott—a moment that described the end of Sir Don Bradman's career on August 14, 1948, at Kennington Oval, against Eric Hollies' ball, resulting in a score of zero. Arlott, in astonishment, expressed those words as follows: "Hollies bowls... Bradman, bowled Hollies, naught... Bowled Hollies, naught!"


As many times as the story of Bradman's mythical career's farewell unfolds, Arlott keeps coming back, repeating those words.


"Peter Drury's career is not as big as Arlo White's. He hasn't walked on various professional paths. After graduating from university, he worked as an accountant for several months. However, amidst all this non-mill, there are two significant similarities. Both are English and excel as sports commentators in their respective professions. Both have become famous by providing commentary in cricket and football at different times. But the big difference lies elsewhere. Just like Arlo has joined forces with Bradman, Drury has teamed up with Lionel Messi.


In Messi's career, which includes 7 Ballon d'Or awards and 4 Champions League titles, the most remarkable achievement was winning the World Cup as an Argentine. On December 18, 2022, in Qatar's soil, that unforgettable moment of Messi's world victory was beautifully portrayed by words used by the artist who creates timeless scenes in the minds of viewers, Peter Drury.


Those European club football regular viewers have known Drury for a long time. His career as a commentator started in 1990 through BBC Radio. He appeared on television around eight years later. Starting from the English Premier League and continuing with the Champions League and Euros, he hasn't wasted much time speaking into the microphone of one big stage after another.


Remember the 2010 FIFA World Cup. That iconic moment perhaps revolved around Spain's World Cup victory. But the beginning was something bigger than winning the World Cup, at least for the Africans. In the opening match on June 11, Drury was commentating when South Africa scored their first goal against Mexico. The first African World Cup, and the first goal, belonged to South Africa, as if dancing throughout Africa. In that moment, Drury exclaimed, 'Sabalala... Goal for South Africa... Goal for all Africa... Goal for the whole of Africa!'


Birthday wishes to Messi.

Think about the 2010 FIFA World Cup. That moment may have been about Spain's World Cup victory. But the beginning was something bigger than winning the World Cup, at least for the Africans. In the opening match on June 11, South Africa scored their first goal against Mexico, and Drury was there commentating. It was the first World Cup in Africa, and the first goal belonged to South Africa, as if celebrating the whole of Africa. In that moment, Drury exclaimed, 'Sabalala... Goal for South Africa... Goal for all Africa... Goal for the whole of Africa!'"


In that interview given a decade after the match, Drury himself said that among all the commentaries he had given, this one was his favorite. However, Drury's iconic commentary moments are still ringing in the ears of the viewers and listeners. Remember the last moments of the 2011-12 Premier League season. Manchester City clinched the league title after 44 years with Sergio Aguero's goal just two minutes before the final whistle. Those two words of Drury, "Staggering, just staggering," are one of the best moments in Premier League history.


On the path to knocking out Barcelona in the Champions League, after Roma's goal, that poetic commentary resonated, "From the ashes of their own destruction, Roma have risen! Manolas, the Greek God of Rome. It wasn't supposed to happen, it couldn't happen, but it has happened...!"


Such memorable commentary moments have been scattered and intertwined in the history of the Champions League. Ronaldo's hat-trick against Wolfsburg, Mario Gotze's decisive goal in the extra time of the 2014 World Cup final, Croatia reaching the final for the first time, Messi's magical dribbling in El Clasico, Morocco's first appearance in the semi-final, and many other moments like these.


But amidst all the imprints left on football history, Drury will be remembered more for his poetic commentary on Messi, which was greatly celebrated due to the 2014 World Cup final. With Gotze's goal, Germany took a 1-0 lead. In the 123rd minute of the match, Argentina got a free kick just outside Germany's box. It was the last chance to bring equality or save Messi's World Cup dream.


Messi prepared to take the free kick. In that tense moment, Drury said, "Rosario's little boy, representing every boy in the world with Messi written on their back... in anticipation of a cascade of light." But Messi couldn't make it. The ball hit the crossbar. In Drury's voice, there was a sigh, "No, no, no, no, it's gone away!"


Messi couldn't win the World Cup that day in MaracanΓ£. He achieved it eight years later in Qatar. Even the moment of Messi's failure, like the failure to score, resonated in Drury's voice. Just when Mantiel's shot hit the net against France in the Tiberium, what he said lost its sweetness in translation. But efforts can still be made— "Argentina, Champions of the World! Once again! Finally!" Then those memorable lines, "Santa Fe, that little boy from Rosario has just put his foot in heaven! He has reached a supernova that belongs to him alone. This is his moment of crowning achievement..."


After a long journey of disappointment and shattered dreams, if there is a story of Argentina winning the World Cup 36 years later, it would be a tale of Messi, but the storyteller of that tale would be Peter Drury!

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