“I knew it was going to be hard as soon as he told me what was going on,” Bernstein said. “But I said to him, ‘How do you not go on this journey?’ It’s a chance to see the world. I was honored to come along.”

Bernstein signed a part-time contract with Fox (he said his title was associate producer), and he is essentially Johnson’s right-hand man: tutor, counselor, study guide preparer, fact checker.

They spent much of their first flight to Europe more than a year ago wading through a five-page memo produced by Sky Sports on soccer’s murky offside law. They muddled through the first few broadcasts with Bernstein continually sliding pieces of paper in front of Johnson as prompts. They sat with the famed English broadcaster Martin Tyler last month, watching the Real Madrid-Dortmund second leg semifinal match from a hotel in Barcelona.

That evening, both men said, was important in Johnson’s development. Tyler was gracious in answering Johnson’s questions about calling a game, and Bernstein said he recalled Johnson asking Tyler where he focused his eyes during corner kicks. Tyler said he quickly identified who was taking the kick, but then looked away from the ball and scanned the penalty area, looking particularly for players who might be trying to time a run and sweep in at the near post.

About two weeks later, Wigan won the F.A. Cup final with a stunning 91st-minute goal by midfielder Ben Watson, who sprinted to the near post, met a looping corner kick and headed the ball into the net. Johnson, clearly prepared for the possibility, delivered a dramatic, ecstatic call that met the gravity of the moment. For Johnson, and everyone who has helped him, it was rewarding.

“He’s really impressed me with his retention,” said Jamie Trecker, a senior editor at FoxSoccer.com who has worked with Johnson here and at other game sites. “A lot of people have criticized him because he doesn’t speak with an English accent. He would get a fairer shake if people actually listened to what he was saying.”