10 – David Coleman

Coleman helped put BBC Sport on the map. His passion for football helped him to dominate the channel’s coverage for over 40 years.

He was fortunate enough to commentate on six World Cups during his career and he was chosen to replace the legendary Kenneth Wolstenholme as senior football commentator in 1971.

A lead commentator on Match of the Day when the programme began in 1964, Coleman is known for his “One-nil!” phrase and his infectious enthusiasm was clear for all to see when describing that Gordon Banks save from Pele at the 1970 World Cup.

While he was replaced by John Motson in 1979, Coleman covered live matches for another two years before focusing on athletics. Coleman commented on every Olympic Games from 1960 to 2000 before putting the microphone down aged 74.

9 – Alan Parry

Parry started his media career on the radio before taking a commentary role with Match of the Day. However, just four years later he switched to ITV after the chance opened up to become the channel’s second in command.

He stayed at ITV until 1996 before joining to broadcast giants Sky following Euro 96, with Parry taking over the Monday Night Football commentary role. 24 years later, Parry is still at Sky Sport and he is one of their main commentators.

Most people remember Parry for his time at ITV, particularly after his excitement at Roberto Baggio’s solo goal at Italia ’90.

Parry has enjoyed a superb career in the commentary box, covering a number of League Cup finals as well as international fixtures and Champions League encounters.

8 – Jon Champion

Champion is one of the best in the business and he forms one of the best commentary box duos alongside former Scotland international Ally McLeish.

Having now moved to the United States of America, Champion no longer covers the Premier League on these shores but he has enjoyed time with the likes of BBC Sport, ITV Sport and ESPN over the years.

Younger fans will recall Champion commentating at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, while he also saw roles at the 2006, 2010 and 2018 tournaments for various broadcasters.

In addition, Champion’s voice can be heard commenting on several editions of the popular sports video game Pro Evolution Soccer.

7 – Brian Moore

Moore is one of the football commentary originals, with many supporters believing that he was the first man to bring the professional into the public spotlight.

He covered nine FIFA World Cups throughout his illustrious career, while also commentating on more than 20 Cup championship finals. Furthermore, he was behind the microphone for England’s 1966 FIFA World Cup final success.

Sadly no longer with us, Moore will be forever remembered for taking the commentary game to new heights during a thriving period for the football industry.

To this day, he is known for his immaculate description and unrivalled passion while at the microphone. He worked for both BBC and ITV during his career, which is testament to his extensive skillset.

6 – Peter Drury

One of the greatest football commentators around at the moment, Drury has come out with some of the sport’s most memorable quotes in the commentary box.

With an unrivalled ability to enhance the viewing experience through his words, Drury is the Mike Dean of the commentating world. He is box office and football fans love it.

Drury has commentated on some of football’s biggest tournaments, including but not limited to the Premier League, Champions League and FIFA World Cup. Praised for his fair view on the sport, Drury is maturing into a football legend.

His commentary for Siphiwe Tshabalala’s goal at the 2010 World Cup will live long in the memory, as will his incredible commentary following Kostas Manolas’ late winner against Barcelona in the Champions League.

5 – Barry Davies

Davies was a commentator before his time, enthralling viewers with his unique take on the action. Installed as a Match of the Day commentator shortly after, he impressed and held his own on the show for 35 years.

In 1977, Davies was set to commentate on the FA Cup Final but Motson got the gig – which started off a ‘rivalry’ between the two. This battle raged on until Davies stepped away from the commentary box in 2004.

Despite his impact and influence, Davies was only able to commentate on two FA Cup finals in his career. Playing second fiddle to Motson wasn’t easy but that was the position Davies found himself in.

Davies branched out into athletics during his spell at the BBC, including hockey, gymnastics, cycling, beach volleyball and badminton.

4 – Martin Tyler

The face of Sky Sports, Tyler is widely regarded as the current voice of English football – particularly with regards to the Premier League. While some have been critical of his style, he has certainly helped to intensify the drama.

Football fans across the country will recall Tyler’s epic commentary after Sergio Aguero’s sensational goal against Queens Park Rangers to clinch Manchester City’s first Premier League title.

Rivalling the likes of Drury, Jim Beglin and Alan Smith, Tyler has been the standout football commentator for most of his career and he will go down in history as an all-time great.

With limitations on his work on the international stage compared to some of his peers, Tyler just misses out on a place in the top three in our football commentator rankings.

3 – Kenneth Wolstenholme

“Some of the fans are on the pitch… they think it’s all over… it is now!” will go down as one of football’s greatest quotes and Kenneth Wolstenholme’s name will be forever associated to England’s World Cup triumph in 1966.

While those lines defined Wolstenholme’s career to some extent, the commentator had been around for a good 15 years before that. In fact, he covered the FA Cup final for BBC every year between 1951 and 1971.

In addition, Wolstenholme worked on a number of European Cup finals in the late 1960s, including wins for Celtic and Manchester United.

Wolstenholme left the BBC in 1971 but reappeared in the 1990s on Channel 4, covering Football Italia. He will be remembered forever as a football icon.

2 – Clive Tyldesley

Part of ITV’s commentary team for decades, Tyldesley is a football legend. If you are asked to name the first football commentator that springs to mind, Tyldesley would be a popular suggestion.

Tyldesley has won numerous awards for his role as a commentator over the years, including the Royal Television Society Sports Commentator of the Year on four occasions.

Like Champion, Tyldesley has also been part of a sports video game – with EA Sports asking him to do the commentary voiceover on some of their games for a period of time.

Unfortunately, his relationship with ITV turned sour in 2020 after the channel made the shock move to part ways with Tyldesley. Still, that does his standing in our list of the top 10 football commentators no harm at all.

1 – John Motson

Motson started his career in the commentary box in 1971 and he is one of the most senior and experienced football commentators around – covering around 2000 matches on TV and radio.

While he retired from live commentary in 2008, Motson continued to do a lot of highlight packages and Match of the Day specials for BBC. However, he sent shockwaves around the football world when announcing he would return to work with TalkSport in 2017.

Motson was the voice of a generation, with football fans around the world listening to his iconic tones week in, week out. He is undoubtedly one of the very best commentators in the history of football.

Often using subtle, understating language to describe the action, his impact on the football commentary world will live long in the memory.

10 – Bill Parcells

Parcells led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl triumphs during his spell with the team – an impressive feat given it was his first NFL head coach role.

Following a short break, Parcells returned to the NFL and took the New England Patriots from one of the worst teams to Super Bowl competitors in just three years.

Nicknamed ‘The Big Tuna’, Parcells also enjoyed success at the New York Jets but fell short in his stints at the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.

However, his man management skills were unrivalled in his era and the ability to transform players from perennial underachievers to challengers was his greatest trait.

9 – Tom Landry

Landry sits fourth in all-time wins by an NFL head coach and that is enough to secure a spot in our rankings. In terms of NFL legends, Landry is right up there.

Having thrived as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants for five years, Landry was appointed as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys – a position he held for 29 seasons.

Landry kept the Cowboys competitive throughout his tenure, leading his teams to a winning record in 20 consecutive years during his head coaching stint.

A two-time Super Bowl champion, Landry’s longevity and consistency at the highest level is enough to give him the edge over many of his peers.

8 – George Halas

Second on the NFL all-time wins list, Halas is the only head coach to win an NFL title in four different decades – a record that is unlikely to be matched.

Halas won his first NFL title in 1921 and his final championship in 1963, a record that shows his unique ability to adapt throughout various eras of football.

He leaves a long-lasting legacy in the sport, with many recognising Halas as the first head coach in NFL history to study film of opposing teams.

Halas became the first head coach to lead a team to a 13-0 regular season record but the Chicago Bears fell short in the playoffs, scuppering their hopes of a perfect campaign.

7 – Joe Gibbs

Gibbs spent his entire 16-year NFL head coach career at Washington, leading the team to four Super Bowl matches, including three victories, from 1982-1991.

To this day, Gibbs is the only coach in NFL history to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks. The Washington legend ended his career with a 154-94 regular season record.

The NFC was competitive during the era but Gibbs’ Washington side featured in more Super Bowls than any of their rivals during their epic 10-year stretch.

Washington had some close contests with the likes of the San Francisco 49ers during the era but Gibbs was a key reason for his team’s success. With only one or two negatives on his record, the Gibbs tenure was phenomenal.

6 – Chuck Noll

Noll was one of the key figures during Pittsburgh Steelers’ dynasty era in the 1970s, helping to turn a struggling team into an NFL powerhouse in the space of three years.

Having finished 1-13 in his first season in charge, Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl just two years later before winning three more Super Bowl titles in the next five seasons.
To this day, Noll’s Steelers are the only team to win back-to-back Super Bowls twice. His head coaching style was simple yet effective – and that is why it worked.

Pittsburgh’s 1974 NFL draft class was unbelievable and Noll was pivotal in their selections during that event. His final 12 years were disappointing but Noll left a winning legacy in the city.

5 – Don Shula

Shula has more regular season wins (328) and total wins (347) than any other head coach in NFL history. In 33 seasons as an NFL coach, he had 31 winning seasons – a sensational feat.

To this day, his 1972 Miami Dolphins team are the only team in NFL history to finish the season with a perfect record.

When Shula arrived at Miami, the Dolphins had won just 15 games in four years. In his first six years, Miami posted a 75-19-1 record with three AFC titles and back-to-back Super Bowls.

Shula modernised the NFL, with an offensive mindset focusing primarily on success in the passing game. His teams were incredible and his impact helped NFL replace baseball as the top sport in the United States.

4 – Paul Brown

The sixth-winningest NFL head coach, Brown was pivotal in the formation of the Cleveland Browns in 1946. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Cleveland enjoyed early success under Brown before joining the NFL in 1950 and they were crowned NFL champions in their inaugural season after posting a 12-2 record.

Unfortunately, things turned sour for Brown in 1962 after he was relieved of his duties. The Browns won their fourth NFL title in 1964 while Brown was appointed head coach of the newly formed Cincinnati Bengals in 1968.

Brown was a central figure in Cleveland’s early years and he was a mentor for 49ers legend Bill Walsh – who served as his offensive coordinator in Cincinnati.

3 – Bill Walsh

While Walsh failed to hit 100 regular season wins mark, he left a major impact on the sport after inventing the West Coast offence during his tenure at the San Francisco 49ers.

With Joe Montana under center, Walsh transformed the passing game during the 1980s and his influence can be seen throughout the National Football League in the modern era.

The 1984 team is one of the best in NFL history. The 49ers became the first team to win 15 regular season games before trouncing the Miami Dolphins in the Super Bowl.

He may be a tad fortunate to rank so high on this list given his lack of longevity but in terms of his influence on the sport, Walsh leads the way.

2 – Vince Lombardi

There’s a reason why the Super Bowl winners are awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy. One of the greatest head coaches in NFL history, Lombardi was a man before his time.

The only head coach to win five titles in a seven-year period, Lombardi led the Green Bay Packers to unprecedented levels of success during his nine seasons at Lambeau Field.

Preparation was Lombardi’s thing – he had every player ready to go. A pioneer of the sport, Lombardi was the first NFL coach to draft African American players in the first round.

Lombardi finished his career with a .738 regular season winning percentage while his Green Bay side went 9-1 during the postseason.

1 – Bill Belichick

Now up to third in NFL head coach most wins charts, Belichick is our choice for the greatest coach in NFL history – though he has been helped by legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

With nine conference titles and six Super Bowl titles, Belichick is the most decorated head coach in football, with the New England Patriots posting 19 consecutive winning seasons under his stewardship.

With a .721 postseason win ratio, Belichick has a superb record and he has led the Patriots to eight successive appearances in the AFC Championship Game.

Belichick has built the NFL’s greatest dynasty at New England, with the failure to record the perfect season in 2007 the only blemish on his impeccable record.