2026 World Cup: Adani Admits, “Sometimes I Don’t Even Know What I’m Saying”
Controversy continues over Lele Adani’s commentary. In the closing minutes of the match between England and Argentina—with the Albiceleste managing to come back from Gordon’s goal thanks to strikes by Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez— got so carried away that he lost his voice, sparking a wave of far from kind comments directed at him from fans and industry insiders.
The former defender, speaking on “Notti Mondiali” on Rai1, admitted: “These things really move me; the words just come out on their own and are driven by emotion. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m saying: it’s the tears that soccer brings out in me. It’s an emotion I love to share with all of Italy.”
Wednesday’s incident was not an isolated one. Earlier in this 2026 World Cup, Adani had already made headlines during the Argentina-Cape Verde match in the round of 16, when, after Messi’s goal, he let loose with a comment that immediately went viral: “What was the cooling break for? To hydrate number ten! Now Vozinha can say he, too, gave up a goal to the greatest player soccer has ever given us!”
On that occasion, it was his colleague Alberto Rimedio who toned things down with a line that has since become famous in its own right: “And since any other words would be superfluous, let’s just enjoy the replay in silence,” sparking laughter and solidarity on social media toward the lead commentator.
Fans aren’t the only ones divided over him. The media has also been sharply divided: *La Repubblica* accused Adani of turning public broadcasting into “Tele Buenos Aires,” while *Il Fatto Quotidiano* referred to “Adani out of control.” Former RAI commentator Carlo Nesti, interviewed by Fanpage, declared: “During the broadcast, he becomes a disruptive force. And above all, he doesn’t just raise his voice—he screams. I was taught in school the difference between raising one’s voice and screaming. And the way he screams is annoying.”
A voice that stands out from the crowd—and in some ways surprising—is that of television critic Aldo Grasso, who had already come to the former defender’s defense in *Corriere della Sera* during the tournament: “This is why I love Lele Adani (who isn’t a sports commentator): he’s passionate, visionary, and polarizing. As a commentator, he transforms technical analysis into a Homeric series of epic and emotional insights.” Grasso had included Adani among the few truly recognizable voices of the World Cup, in a television landscape that, in his view, has lost its familiarity.
