Fans are amazed to discover Sky Sports icon Martin Tyler now works for TNT Sports… with some describing his commentary for Porto against Shakhtar Donetsk as ‘a fever dream’
Fans watching Porto’s Champions League match with Shakhtar Donetsk were surprised when they realized who was behind the commentary.
It appears some football fans were unaware that legendary commentator Martin Tyler, who left Sky Sports after 33 years at the end of last season, has not retired.
Social media was filled with amazement when viewers realized that Tyler was the voice of TNT Sports’ match coverage.
“Wait, Martin Tyler works for TNT Sports now,” one fan wrote on X.
“Am I dreaming of a fever or is Martin Tyler actually commentating for TNT Sports,” added a second.
Famed football commentator Martin Tyler still covers some of the sport’s biggest games.
“Since when does Martin Tyler commentate on TNT?” wrote a third fan.
Tyler has no immediate desire to retire and hang up the microphone and is now busy with other work away from Sky.
But not everyone was impressed that Taylor, widely seen as the voice of the Premier League at Sky, has turned into a low-key Champions League performer.
One disappointed viewer wrote: “Sad to see (hear) Martin Tyler on commentary for a game that absolutely no one will watch in Champions League MD6.”
Another added: “Martin Tyler flew out to Porto against Shakhtar, what happened to the beautiful game?”
Tyler’s track record speaks for itself: before his departure, he was the lead commentator on Sky Sports’ flagship weekend show Super Sunday.
He has also featured prominently in other programmes, covering global events such as the Champions League, World Cup and European Championship for broadcasters in the US and Australia.
Taylor commentated on the Porto-Shakhtar game in the Champions League for TNT Sports.
While his latest comment may not have attracted much attention on paper, the match was full of drama.
In the first half of the Group H match in Portugal, Porto took the lead thanks to Galeno’s goal in the ninth minute before Shakhtar controversially equalized in rather bizarre circumstances.
As Porto defend, Shakhtar’s Oleksandr Zubkov finds himself with a long ball after a blistering run down the right flank, leaving him with a man to beat to get into the goal.
However, as Zubkov dribbles against his defender, the footage shows the linesman raising his offside flag, causing many of Porto’s players to slow down before referee Istvan Kovac signals play to continue.
This confusion then allows Zubkov to break into the penalty area unopposed, send the ball across the goal, and Daniil Sikan knocks the ball into the net to level the score.