Longest broadcast of a goal, world record set by Ilie Dobre (EXCLUSIVE interview)
BUCHAREST, Romania -- Mr. Ilie Dobre, former sport commentator at Radio Romania News (Romania's National State Radio),
now working at prosport.ro, broadcasted a 42.3 seconds-long goal shoat during the football match between Steaua Bucharest - Corvinul Hunedoara, on April 25th, 2026, played at the Steaua Stadium in Bucharest in the Romanian 2nd league (6th stage of the playoffs). setting the new world record for the Longest broadcast of a goal without respiration, according to the World Record Academy.
EXCLUSIVE interview with Ilie Dobre
1) World Record Academy: What are the most important/interesting matches commented (national, international) and what made them special?
Ilie Dobre: Romania-Hungary, 3-0, 2016 European Championship qualifiers, 6 Sept. 2013, Buc. ;Inter Milan -Rapid Buc. 15 Sept. 1995: Spain-Netherlands, 2010 World Cup final, Johannesburg, South Africa
2) favorite players in RO and abroad?
Dobrin, Baratky, Petchovschi, Balaci, Florea Dumitrache, Ion ionescu, Gica Hagi-R0; Pele, Cruyff, Gerd Muller, Cr. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, outside
3) details about your career in Radio. on Radio Romania and later?
I have experienced the greatest professional satisfaction at Radio Romania Actualitati, where I have broadcasted live for approximately 4 decades... I have produced live broadcasts, radio reports, commentaries, etc. I have broadcast live from the biggest sports competitions in the world 10 times, from the final tournaments of the C.M or EC. But also the finals of the European handball cups, etc.
Later, after retirement, in 2018, I also commented live on Radio Antena Satelor, Radio National f.m., Radio Guerilla, Playsport.rosi, currently ProSport.ro.
4) what have you learned from football?
First of all, the spirit of fair play, of selflessness, of giving, of respect among peers, of valuing physical effort, the lesson of life, in general.
5) advice for those who want to follow this career?
A self-respecting sports commentator must, in my opinion, be well-documented, have passion in his blood, experience every match he comments on, know the rules of the game perfectly, be objective, respect the grammar of the (Romanian) language...
6) what are the professional advantages of a career in a single field (experience, contact list, etc.)?
That he practices what he likes, that, in this way, he discovers the beauty of the world, of sporting performances, of the spirit of coexistence, knows firsthand the legends of sports, etc.
7) the most disputed/controversial match commentary/
Portugal-England, 3-2, from Euro 2000; We have not had any controversial commented matches.
8) the match you would have liked to comment on (internal/external)
Dinamo Buc.-F.C.Arges,4-3, 1979; Brazil-Italy, C.M. Mexico 1970 final
9) the latest published books, book in project
Illustrious Personalities of Busteni, Cartea Romaneasca Educational Publishing House, 2018; Between Glory and Hell, Delta Cart Educational Publishing House, 2018; The Cross of the Heroes of the Nation on the Peak of the Bucegi Mountains, Paralela 45 Publishing House, 2020; In project: a new edition of the novel Bloody Paradise
10) opinion about football in RO: new stadiums in Bucharest and around the country, private clubs for children/
In Romania, the quality of performance football has unfortunately decreased a lot. For multiple reasons: due attention was no longer paid to children's and junior centers, to the training of coaches to performance standards; promotion with priority to authentic values; refereeing errors were overlooked too easily; the import of foreign players was exaggerated, without a corresponding value, to the detriment of the local element, etc.
11) opinions about today's journalism, e.g. at Prosport, your colleagues?
Today's journalism, unfortunately, no longer grants the exigency related to the maximum standards of quality and professionalism. It does not always prioritize innate passion, corroborated with professional exigency, with the capitalization of the maximum potential of expression... Today, entertainment news is generally given priority... Colleagues at Prosport generally maintain the standards of professional exigency. They are, as everywhere, reference pens, but, being colleagues, I do not wish to make nominations...
12) How are you seen by your fans at matches? Is the urban legend with tram 41 stopped at the station true?....
The fans have always adored me, forgive my lack of modesty... The appreciations are 97-98 percent superlative! What happened on tram line 41 in September 1995, when I broadcasted the Rapid Milan match from the San Siro Arena, are real! In the next two weeks, there is a football break...
The football competitions from July this year will resume. As will my broadcasts. The first ones will be from the matches of the University of Craiova, and the Champions League preliminaries...
13) Do you still travel?
At the end of August or in September I will be on a new trip to Malta, San Marino, Italy. I have recently been to Banija, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina. I have visited, so far, 111 recognized countries and 6-7 unknown ones (Taiwan, Palestine, etc.)
14} What people are saying about this mew record?
The renowned cardiologist, world-class specialist, Prof. Dr. Ion Tintoiu, from the Central Military Hospital in Bucharest, upon hearing my goal of over 42 hundredths, without breathing, said that... I had unconsciously assumed an unbelievable risk, since I had exceeded the human biological limit approximately 3 times (!!!)!...
Testimonial
"Dobre also revealed how the Germans tried to break his record: "Nobody beat my first record. I don't think I can beat it, I never prepared. I only prepared once, because they tried to unorthodox deprive me of the world record for the breathless goal. The guys from a radio station in Germany, in Munich, gathered a group of about 15 or 20 young people and some were Borussia Dortmund fans and one would have said from the beginning, but they don't prove it in return. Not being in the stadium and they said it was a world record.
"They approved it, it doesn't seem right to me. Who else would shout a goal than a commentator? It doesn't matter that it's friendly. But it's the commentator! I tried to beat him in the stadium, I couldn't. To say more than 30 seconds, no one says more than 25, but 40 or so? They started saying 'Sir, Ilie Dobre has aged, his voice is failing'. I went to the studio and did 52 seconds without breathing, he approved it, saying it's normal for it to be like that. Now they can bring ten groups, because I can't do more than 45 seconds, with a group at all! ", Ilie Dobre told ProSport LIVE.
Related world records:
