Matches played by the Spanish national team always generate debate and differing opinions, but if there's one element that manages to unite the majority of fans on social media, it's Juan Carlos Rivero's broadcast on TVE. His style of commentary, far from going unnoticed, has become a regular phenomenon during important matches. Yesterday, in the Nations League final against Portugal, Rivero was once again in the spotlight, although not precisely for his brilliance at the microphone.
the confusion with the names, the main event of the night
The clash between Spain and Portugal promised intense emotions and great anticipation, but there was one detail that drew the attention of many fans: the number of times the TVE commentator confused Lamine Yamal with Nico Williams. This confusion, which isn't new in Rivero's broadcasts, sparked a wave of criticism and comments on Twitter. The social network was filled with messages, many of them ranging from outrage to resignation, wondering if what happened had been one of the commentator's worst nights.
Some comments made ironic remarks about Rivero's performance: "Maybe yesterday was one of Juan Carlos Rivero's worst commentaries or is it just me? He was in error mode, at many points in the match he confused Nico with Lamine and made mistakes with players." Other users, in a more humorous tone, pointed out that "the best part of the night was Juan Carlos Rivero confusing Leao with Nico and almost calling Cucurella 'Cockroach'." The general feeling was that the commentator kept making mistakes, causing disbelief among viewers.
twitter erupts: from confusion to meme
The broadcast quickly became a trending topic on Twitter, with dozens of messages recounting Juan Carlos Rivero's mistakes throughout the match. Some pointed out that "Rivero calling a pass to Nico when he'd already been substituted and it was on the right wing seems unbelievable to me, by the way," while others couldn't believe the constant confusion: "Rivero was saying the names at random... calling Lamine Nico and Nico Zubimendi... it's unbelievable."
The confusion was such that some fans even joked about the possibility that the commentator was doing it on purpose: "I don't even know how many times Juan Carlos Rivero has called Lamine Nico... and now he calls Nico Lamine when Nico isn't even on the field anymore. He must be doing it on purpose." Despite the high stakes of the match, many people's attention ended up focused on the broadcast, to the point that one fan stated: "The best thing about this night of soccer is that I've learned where all the players who played in the final play. You're terrible, Juan Carlos Rivero. You mentioned Nico Williams when he wasn't on the field. This man is a shame. Everyone's laughing."
The criticism of Juan Carlos Rivero for his mistakes in commentary isn't new. For years, his name has appeared in memes and comments every time an important match of the Spanish national team is played. What happened yesterday was just another example of a problem that, far from being corrected, seems to have gotten worse.
"What Juan Carlos Rivero did in the Portugal-Spain match broadcast, constantly confusing Nico and Lamine, is unbelievable, and the worst part is that after Nico was substituted and Lamine touched the ball, he confused him with Nico. In short, one disaster after another," summarized a user on Twitter, reflecting the general sentiment of the community.
It should be remembered that, for better or worse, RTVE will be responsible for broadcasting the matches of the next World Cup, which will be held in the summer of 2026.