At 91 years old, Enrique Macaya Márquez is still walking the halls of FIFA World Cup media centres — and turning heads wherever he goes. The Argentine broadcasting icon is attending his 18th consecutive FIFA World Cup™ in 2026, a record no other journalist in the world can match.

His extraordinary journey began at Sweden 1958, when a 23-year-old Macaya Márquez arrived as a special correspondent for Radio El Mundo, dispatched to cover a tournament that would introduce a 17-year-old Pelé to the world and cement Brazil's place in footballing history. Nearly seven decades on, he now commentates for DSPORTS Radio — and his passion for the game has not dimmed.

A living record

In Dallas, Texas, the reverence for Macaya Márquez — known simply as "Macaya" back home in Argentina — is unmistakable. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni personally requested a photograph with him following a pre-match press conference ahead of Argentina's group-stage clash against Jordan.

A delegation of FIFA Legends that included World Cup winners Ubaldo Fillol, Mario Kempes, Oscar Ruggeri, and Sergio Batista paid tribute to him in the days before that fixture. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also acknowledged Macaya Márquez's milestone presence in his opening remarks at the tournament. Four years ago, FIFA and the International Sports Press Association jointly honoured him for a distinguished career in sports journalism.

What has — and hasn't — changed

Macaya Márquez draws a clear line between the eager young reporter who first arrived in Sweden and the seasoned broadcaster he has become. "You become more seasoned, you have more experience, you handle things in a different way," he said. "Technology helps provide different interpretations, but those interpretations still require a journalist's knowledge."

On the game itself, he is equally precise. "One thing that never changes is that mistakes are costly and that success is sometimes rewarded excessively," he noted. "Ball control has improved, but the greatest change has been the speed and athleticism of the players — more so than the speed of the ball itself."

That evolution, he argues, demands more from the journalists who cover it. "It requires journalists to be better prepared and use the technology available so that we can better substantiate our opinions."

A guiding philosophy

Across his career, Macaya Márquez has resisted the urge to speak in absolutes — a trait he regards as central to his credibility. "I've always been cautious about talking in absolutes. I have never lost sight of the subject I'm assessing, whether that's a match or a footballer," he explained. "People appreciate my approach in a field where everyone has an opinion and often expresses it with absolute certainty."

He is equally reluctant to rank the greatest players he has witnessed at the World Cup. "I have seen so many extraordinary players of different eras and in different circumstances showing their mettle; it's impossible to apply a single yardstick to determine who's the greatest."

Yet one memory towers above all others when he looks back on 18 editions of the tournament. "When Argentina won the World Cup — obviously," he said without hesitation. "When your own national team are crowned the winners, you can't help but partake in the celebration. It makes you happy, because you spent your whole life hoping to witness them winning the World Cup."

At peace with an unrivalled career, Macaya Márquez summed up his state of mind simply: "I am happy, content and at peace."