I’m not a soccer guy, so I’m not going to pronounce judgment here. However the reactions on Twitter suggest that this is a quality lineup.

From ESPN:

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ESPN has announced the hosts and analysts for ESPN FC on TV, the company’s new global soccer news and information program.  An extension of the popular ESPNFC.com digital brand, the year-round television show will debut Sunday, August 11, at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT), on ESPN2.

ESPN FC Press Pass host Dan Thomas, formerly with Real Madrid FC television, and SportsCenter anchor Max Bretos, will split hosting duties while a rotation of 23 veteran soccer pundits and contributors from the U.S., the United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain, Argentina and others, will be regularly featured.

Hosts:

·         Dan Thomas – Joined ESPN in 2010 as a presenter for ESPN FC Press Pass, ESPN International’s English-language program for global football.  Thomas is a former sports broadcasting prodigy who, at 15 years old, parlayed his passion into his first job at BBC Radio Cornwall, United Kingdom, reading local football, rugby and cricket scores.  After graduating from Solent University in Southampton in 2002, Thomas began hosting “Saints Alive,” the weekly show on Southampton FC.  In 2005, he moved to Madrid, Spain, for the launch of Real Madrid TV, where he served as the outlet’s lead presenter until his move to ESPN.

·         Max Bretos – SportsCenter anchor who joined ESPN in 2010 to host the network’s flagship news and information program.  Bretos came to ESPN from FOX Soccer, where he served as studio host and match commentator for several leagues including Major League Soccer.  Since joining ESPN, he has served as host of MLS Cup coverage on ESPN – hosting the network’s critically acclaimed coverage of David Beckham’s last match in the league (MLS Cup 2012). Bretos’ role on ESPN FC will be in addition to his regular SportsCenter duties.

Analysts/contributors:

·         Roger Bennett – ESPNFC.com columnist and Grantland’s “Men In Blazers” podcast co-host, Bennett covers international and domestic soccer in the United States.

·         Craig Burley – 1998 FIFA World Cup player for Scotland and former Chelsea FC midfielder, he is relocating his family from United Kingdom to the United States to serve primarily as an analyst for ESPN FC on TV.

·         Ian Darke – ESPN’s lead soccer play-by-play commentator.

·         Adrian Healey – ESPN’s play-by-play commentator for MLS.

·         Shaka Hislop – Former Premier League and Trinidad & Tobago National Team goalkeeper, Hislop made history as the starting goalkeeper on Trinidad & Tobago’s only FIFA World Cup team in 2006.

·         Raphael Honigstein – An accomplished German football journalist and author currently based in London, Honigstein’s work has been published widely in both English and German media, and he also appears on several football television programs in Europe. He will contribute insight on German football.

·         Kasey Keller – Former U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper and three-time US Soccer Athlete of the year, Keller played 609 professional matches in four countries – Spain, England, Germany and USA. He is studio analyst for MLS and U.S. Men’s National Team matches on ESPN.

·         Alexi Lalas – Former U.S. Men’s National Team player who played in the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, Lalas is ESPN’s lead soccer studio analyst.  He is the first U.S. player to have played in the Italian Serie A – returning in 1996 to help launch MLS and was a team executive for three teams.

·         Frank Leboeuf – 1998 FIFA World Cup champion and French National Team player, Leboeuf played mostly for Chelsea in a 17-year professional career.

·         Sid Lowe – An international soccer journalist and columnist based Madrid, Spain, who covers Spanish football for top-line English-language media across the world.

·         Gabriele Marcotti – One of global soccer’s leading journalists, Marcotti is an author and expert on Italian, as well as European football.  He joined ESPN in July 2012 for the launch of ESPNFC.com, the company’s global soccer digital hub.

·         Paul Mariner – Former England National Team player, Mariner played 18 years in English football.  He became a coach in the United States working with two MLS teams – New England Revolution and Toronto FC.

·         Steve McManaman – One of England’s most decorated footballers and former national team player, McManaman spent nine years with Liverpool FC (1990-1999) and five with Real Madrid FC (1999-2003), becoming the first English footballer to win a Champions League title with a foreign club in 2000.

·         Alejandro Moreno – Former Venezuelan National team player and three-time MLS Cup champion, Moreno serves as match analyst for Mexican National Team and Liga Bancomer MX matches on ESPN networks.

·         Steve Nicol – Former Scotland National Team player, Nicol played professional soccer for 22 seasons highlighted by 13 years with Liverpool FC (1981-1994). He later moved into coaching and led the New England Revolution to it most-successful era in Major League Soccer.

·         José Antonio “Tato” Noriega – ESPN Deportes and ESPN International soccer studio analyst, Tato Noriega is a former Mexican National Team player, who spent 20 years with several clubs in Mexico’s Liga Bancomer MX.

·         Fernando Palomo – Play-by-play commentator for Mexican National Team matches on ESPN (El Tri on ESPN).

·         Derek Rae – ESPN International’s soccer play-by-play commentator currently based in the United Kingdom.

·         Stewart Robson – Former Arsenal FC player, Robson played 14 years of top-flight professional football in England.

·         Tommy Smyth – One of ESPN International’s English language match and studio analyst, Smyth’s hard-hitting punditry and ability to insightfully predict outcomes of matches before they are played have made him popular among soccer fans in and outside the United States.

·         Santiago Solari – Argentine retired professional footballer, Solari played for Atletico Madrid (1999-2000), Real Madrid (2000-2005), Inter Milan (2005-2008) and others, in a career that spanned 15 seasons.

·         Taylor Twellman – One of the most prolific goal-scorers in MLS history, Twellman is lead soccer analyst for the league and U.S. Men’s National Team matches on ESPN.  He began his professional career with three years (1999-2002) in the German Bundesliga playing with 1860 Munich.

·         Peter Walton – Former professional referee in English football, Walton is general manager of the Professional Referees Organization (PRO) in North America.