The ZDF provided a big surprise even before the European Championship finale.
Béla Réthy does not comment on the final.
Mainz / London - The final of the European Championship * has been decided.
The hosts England will face Italy at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday.
The British prevailed against Denmark in a memorable match and a controversial penalty in extra time on Wednesday evening.
The game was commented on by Béla Réthy on ZDF *, for the reporter legend it was the last appearance at this EM *.
European Championship final 2021: Surprise at ZDF - Béla Réthy will not comment on the final
ZDF will broadcast the European Championship final between England * and Italy * on Sunday evening.
The broadcaster has now decided on the commentator for the game.
To the great surprise, it will not be Béla Réthy's figurehead.
The decision was therefore made between the remaining ZDF commentators Oliver Schmidt, Martin Schneider and Claudia Neumann.
Oliver Schmidt won the race.
The 49-year-old will comment on the final, as ZDF sports director Thomas Fuhrmann confirmed.
For Schmidt, it is the premiere of a final at a soccer tournament.
The sports reporter made his first big outing for the second at the 2010 World Cup. Sandro Wagner will be at his side as a co-commentator.
The Unterhaching coach has so far been convincing alongside Réthy, but was absent from the semifinals for health reasons.
ZDF: Reporter legend Béla Réthy has been commenting on all major finals for 25 years
Commentator Béla Réthy was considered the favorite for the European Championship final in London.
The decision in favor of Schmidt should also be seen as a pointer to the future.
Réthy's last tournament for ZDF is the 2022 World Cup next year.
The 64-year-old will then go into well-deserved retirement.
Several generations of footballers grew up in Germany with Réthy's distinctive voice.
Since 1996 he has commented on all the finals at World and European Championships broadcast by ZDF, including the German European Championship title in 1996, the last final at the 2018 World Cup and the legendary 7-1 in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals against Brazil.
Réthy was born to Hungarian parents in Vienna and spent the first eleven years of his life in Sao Paulo, after which he grew up in the Rhine-Main area.
But Réthy does not have summer vacation yet. At the Olympic Games in Tokyo he commented on the opening ceremony on July 23rd. The German team is qualified for the Olympic soccer tournament and surprised with a special campaign to announce the squad.
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