RTÉ commentator Darragh Maloney is preparing to cover a World Cup Final, an experience he describes as a career highlight. The expansive nature of the tournament, hosted across North America, has presented unique logistical challenges and kept him thousands of miles from his family.
Maloney departed to cover the expanded 48-team World Cup on June 11, leaving behind his wife Louise and their three children. The distance meant he missed his son Jack's final Leaving Cert exams. "It was a stressful couple of weeks, but he’ll get his results, and hopefully we’ll find out what’s happened next," Maloney told the Irish Mail on Sunday. Despite the separation, he has maintained close contact with his family throughout the tournament.
Covering the World Cup has involved extensive travel between cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston. "The distances here are just vast," Maloney observed, contrasting the experience with the more compact geography of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. "It’s a very different experience to Qatar. The whole country there is the size of county Louth. Here it’s just from one side of the country to the other."
Amidst the demanding schedule of match coverage and preparation, Maloney made a point to visit Dealey Plaza in Dallas, the site of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. "I always wanted to see the Plaza," he revealed. "The hotel was maybe a 40-minute walk away from it. There was nobody else there. It was a very quiet, sort of eerie place I always wanted to see."
This trip marked one of Maloney's first significant explorations of the United States, having only visited three times prior to this assignment. He expressed a desire to see more of the country.
Maloney has covered 13 World Cup matches for RTÉ, working alongside former Irish soccer players Ray Houghton and Ronnie Whelan. He reflected on the disappointment of Ireland's absence from the tournament, particularly after narrowly losing to Czechia in the qualifying semi-finals, a match he later covered.
The tournament has also seen its share of controversy, including Donald Trump's intervention to have US striker Folarin Balogun's red card ban lifted. Maloney noted the intense media scrutiny placed on Balogun following the incident.
Looking ahead to the World Cup Final, Maloney discussed the potential matchup between Spain and Argentina, acknowledging both Spain's logical strength and Argentina's resilient 'mentality monsters'. He also highlighted the emerging talent of Lamine Yamal, drawing parallels to Lionel Messi's career trajectory.
This World Cup marks Maloney's second time commentating on a final, a feat that continues to inspire a sense of wonder reminiscent of his childhood. "The first one I properly remember was 1982 in Spain... I just remember thinking, ‘this is amazing’," he recalled. "To do a second one is just incredible, really."