It's rather rare for active professional footballers to work as a co-commentator on games. It's rarer when the games they're working on are at the World Cup. It's even rarer when they end up co-commentating on their club teammate at the World Cup.
However, that exact situation has now happened, with Everton winger Andros Townsend on microphone duties for ITV during Senegal's final Group A clash against Ecuador. His club teammate Idrissa Gana Gueye started the game for the African nation, creating an unusual situation in which Townsend had to discuss the midfielder's performance with lead commentator Seb Hutchinson.
Everton winger Andros Townsend has played for Tottenham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace among others. He first appeared as a pundit on ITV during the 2014 World Cup when he was ruled out of the tournament through injury.
Now 31, he has played 13 times for England - but, with his international career seemingly over, he took up co-commentary work at World Cup 2022, impressing with his insight during games.
The Englishman did find time to make a joke about Gueye during the game, too, when the Senegalese midfielder missed a good opportunity in the opening minutes. Senegal entered the game needing a win, while a draw would've seen Ecuador progress to the knockout stages.
While an unlikely situation, this isn't the first time an active player has commentated on his teammates.
At the 1994 World Cup in USA, Niall Quinn commentated for Irish TV on the Republic of Ireland games, the big striker deemed not fit enough by his club, Manchester City, to play following a long layoff with injury during the season.
Obviously, Quinn knew the squad well, but it also included his Man City teammate Alan Kernaghan, too.
Punditry work by players at football's major tournament is slightly more common, with players such as Cesc Fabregas, Rio Ferdinand and Jordan Nobbs all working games despite still being a professional footballer.
Jordan Nobbs worked as a pundit for BBC at both the 2019 Women's World Cup and the 2022 Women's Euros, covering games because she was injured for both tournaments. Meanwhile, Fabregas talked about games at the 2018 tournament while still a Chelsea player, and Ferdinand worked at the 2014 World Cup between his time at Manchester United and a spell at QPR.
