The 91-year-old Argentine is covering his 18th FIFA World Cup™
Since Sweden 1958, he has never missed an edition of the global football bonanza
“I am happy, content and at peace,” Macaya Márquez said
As Enrique Macaya Márquez walks through the media centre at Dallas Stadium, he attracts admiring glances from those around. He has been revered for many years not only by his fellow Argentinian journalists, but the entire football community. Known as “Macaya” in his homeland, he is covering his 18th consecutive FIFA World Cup™ – an all-time record.
His first World Cup assignment was at Sweden 1958. At just 23 years old, he was sent to report on the match between Austria and Brazil, a team that would go on to captivate the world, in no small part thanks to the 17-year-old prodigy Pelé. At the time, Márquez was a special correspondent for Radio El Mundo. Today, at the age of 91, he is a commentator on DSPORTS Radio.
Nearly seven decades later, Macaya Márquez can still trace a direct line back to the eager young journalist who covered his first World Cup in Sweden. “Yes, I very much keep the memory of that young journalist alive. I continue to be interested in everything, and the foundation hasn’t changed – knowledge rather than curiosity,” he said.
The level of anxiety has changed though: “It feels different. […] You become more seasoned, you have more experience, you handle things in a different way [... ] And as for the work itself, technology helps provide different interpretations, but those interpretations still require a journalist’s knowledge.”
In Dallas, Texas, everyone wants a photo with Macaya Márquez. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni himself asked for one after the official pre-match press conference ahead of Argentina’s group-stage fixture against Jordan.
In the run-up to that match, Márquez received a heartfelt tribute from fellow countrymen among the FIFA Legends, including World Cup winners from 1978 and 1986 – Ubaldo Fillol, Mario Kempes, Oscar Ruggeri and Sergio Batista.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino also highlighted Macaya Márquez’s presence at this year’s global showpiece during his opening remarks. At the last edition of the tournament four years ago, the Argentinian journalist was among the media professionals honoured by FIFA and the International Sports Press Association for a distinguished career.
Macaya Márquez, who has also worked as a television commentator in Argentina, said he feels “happy, content and at peace” with his career. He is clear about the guiding principle that has shaped his work: “I’ve always been cautious about talking in absolutes. I have never lost sight of the subject I’m assessing, whether that’s a match or a footballer. It’s very satisfying; people appreciate my approach in a field where everyone has an opinion and often expresses it with absolute certainty, perhaps even a closed mind, as if things couldn’t be any other way.”
His trademark clarity and illuminating insight allow him to assess the aspects of the game that have changed and those that have remained the same across his countless World Cup assignments. “One thing that never changes is that mistakes are costly and that success is sometimes rewarded excessively. Ball control has improved but the greatest change has been the speed and athleticism of the players, more so than the speed of the ball itself,” he explained.
“It’s a reflection of how the game has developed, and it requires journalists to be better prepared and use the technology available so that we can better substantiate our opinions,” he added.
Macaya Márquez prefers not to rank the greatest footballers he has seen at the World Cup. “I have seen so many extraordinary players of different eras and in different circumstances showing their mettle; it’s impossible to apply a single yardstick to determine who’s the greatest.”
There is, however, one thing he is unequivocal about; the first memory that comes to mind when reflecting on the 18 editions of the FIFA World Cup he has covered is “when Argentina won the World Cup obviously”.
“Of course, your broadcasts, your work, your personal performance are also important. There are many things, but when your own national team are crowned the winners, you can’t help but partake in the celebration. It makes you happy, because you spent your whole life hoping to witness them winning the World Cup.”