ESPN soccer analyst Taylor Twellman on how he’s prepped for covering the World Cup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYrETHJNT-I

ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman was in the prime of his soccer career before the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was coming off an MVP season in Major League Soccer, in which he scored a league-best 17 goals.

He should have been on the United States team that competed in the World Cup in Germany, but it wasn’t meant to be. He just missed the cut for the 23-man roster.

By the time the next World Cup came around in 2010, Twellman had suffered seven concussions and was forced to retire from the game at the age of 30.

While he was unable to make it to the sport’s biggest event as a player, he has as a broadcaster.

Now ESPN’s lead MLS and U.S. Men’s National Team match analyst, Twellman – covering his first World Cup – is working both matches and in studio in Brazil this month. Tonight, he and Ian Darke will work one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament: USA versus Ghana (6 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Natal.

Twellman recently spoke with Front Row (see video above) about his preparations for World Cup, the camaraderie that exists among ESPN’s commentator team, and the matches he’s looking forward to most.

For more on Twellman, the Baltimore Sun has a profile today on the former University of Maryland standout.

Video produced by Josh Lander and Bill Hofheimer