World Jun 27, 2026 · 1 min read

‘You’re history itself!’: how Arab World Cup commentators fuel fans’ passions

Arabic’s rich history of poetry lends itself well to ‘beautiful commentary that … sounds like a love letter to football’Even before Cristiano Ronaldo’s close-range shot had hit the back of net, the commentator had begun shouting. “Allllllllaaaaaaah!!!!” exclaimed Amer al-Khudhiri, an Omani football...

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The Guardian
by William Christou in Beirut
‘You’re history itself!’: how Arab World Cup commentators fuel fans’ passions

Arabic’s rich history of poetry lends itself well to ‘beautiful commentary that … sounds like a love letter to football’

Even before Cristiano Ronaldo’s close-range shot had hit the back of net, the commentator had begun shouting. “Allllllllaaaaaaah!!!!” exclaimed Amer al-Khudhiri, an Omani football announcer for BeIN Sports, as the Portugal star scored his first goal of the 2026 World Cup against Uzbekistan on Tuesday.

He took a deep breath and then began his soliloquy. “I knew you were coming for revenge. I knew you would answer everyone, the world, the World Cup, the doubters, those who have lost their memory,” al-Khudhiri said. “Oh history, put Ronaldo here as Portgual’s all-time top scorer, through all its history. Allah, Allah, Allah!”

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This article was originally published by The Guardian and written by William Christou in Beirut.

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