Long-time BBC soccer commentator John Motson, voice of 'Match of the Day,' dies at 77

The world of soccer lost a titan Thursday.

Long-time soccer commentator John Motson, who spent more than 50 years covering matches for the BBC, died Thursday. Motson was 77.

The BBC cited a statement from the Motson family to confirm the news of his death. "It is with great sadness we announce that John Motson OBE died peacefully in his sleep today," the family statement read.

For his service to sports broadcasting, Motson was appointed an officer of the order of the British Empire in 2001 and was honored in 2018 at the British Academy Film and Television Awards for making an "outstanding contribution to sports broadcasting."

Here's everything you need to know about the death of John Motson:

Who was John Motson?

Motson, per the BBC, spent 50 years with the network and provided broadcast commentary for almost 2,500 matches. He covered 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, 29 FA Cups and more than 200 England matches. He got his start with the BBC in 1968 as a radio sports reporter. Then, in 1971, Motson broke through and gained renown for his role on "Match of the Day," which is a weekly highlights show.

He became the lead commentator for major soccer broadcasts for the BBC from 1979 until 2008. Motson was known for wearing sheepskin coats and was revered for his abundant knowledge of the sport and its history. He had retired from the BBC in 2018.

What were some of John Motson's most famous calls?

Motson gave voice to some of the most iconic moments in soccer over the last half century, most notably to ones in England.

During the 2006 World Cup Final, when Italy toppled France, 5-3 in penalty kicks, Motson relayed the moment when Les Bleus star midfielder Zinedine Zidane was sent off with a red card for headbutting Italian defender Marco Materazzi.

"And the referee has gone across now with his hand in his pocket," Motson said during the broadcast. "He's been told about it. He's off, it's red, it's Zidane! You can't excuse that – Zidane's career ends in disgrace!"

What have others said about the death of John Motson

Tributes have poured in all over from the world of soccer.

"John Motson was the voice of a footballing generation –steering us through the twists and turns of FA Cup runs, the highs and lows of World Cups and, of course, Saturday nights on Match of the Day," BBC director-general Tim Davie said Thursday in a statement. "Like all the greats behind the mic, John had the right words, at the right time, for all the big moments."

Gary Lineker, Motson's long-time colleague on "Match of the Day," said he was "deeply saddened" by the news.

Several clubs in the Premier League also paid tribute, including first-place Arsenal, which said Motson "was synonymous with so many of the beautiful game's most incredible moments."

Former Liverpool player and current analyst Jamie Carragher said Motson was "an absolute legend of the game."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Motson, long-time BBC soccer commentator, dies at 77