He's described some of the biggest sporting moments of the last few decades; Mario Goetze's goal at last year's World Cup, Andres Iniesta making history for Spain in 2010, Zindene Zidane's red card in Berlin four years earlier and Ronaldo's double in Toyko in 2002.
"When you know hundreds of millions are watching, it certainly adds something," says Helm. "You need to make sure you are accurate and convey the sense of occasion. It's been a huge privilege and I've been very fortunate."
But Helm has made his own luck, mainly through hard work and fastidious preparation. He'll spend up to six hours studying for each match, compiling handwritten A4 information sheets that include at least two interesting facts about every player in the match.
"It adds to the commentary and you never know when you might need it," says Helm. "But if I use a fact once, I won't use it again."
It means Helm's a walking encyclopedia of football — with trivia at his fingertips.
"Did you know there are now more headed goals in women's World Cups than men's?" he asks. "How extraordinary is that?"
Helm spent almost a decade in newspapers before joining BBC Radio Leeds. His first big break was being part of the BBC team at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch. He spent a further seven years at BBC Radio Sport before spells at Yorkshire Television and ITV, covering the World Cups between 1982 and 1994. In 2002, he started working for Fifa television and has been their head commentator since then.
He's developed an "almost photographic memory" and can recall the names of his entire high school class and also, unprompted, comes up with eight members of the All Whites starting XI at the 1982 World Cup.
He was a member of the BBC's team (alongside Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Brian Johnston and Desmond Lynman) on the Brain of Sport quiz show, which inadvertently led to Helm ending up in the Guinness Book of Records.
As a warm-up, the host asked him to name all 18 County cricket teams, which he did in seconds. After repeating the feat with all 36 British rugby league teams, Helm was challenged to list all 92 Football League clubs. Helm went from Arsenal to York City in half a minute, and was later officially recorded at 26 seconds, a world record which stands to this day.
"I don't know if anyone has been daft enough to attempt it," laughs Helm.
Helm notes how things have changed in football, mainly due to "anti-media officers".
"In the early 1980s, I could ring the manager of every club in the First Division on a Friday and he would give me the team." says Helm. Not any more.
He met former Derby manager Jim Smith most weeks for a pot of tea and prawn sandwich and enjoyed catching up with the likes of Joe Royle, Graeme Souness and Alex Ferguson.
Times have also changed in the commentary box, with a new generation placing an emphasis on hype and hyperbole.
"Some commentators feel it is their duty to talk over every second of the action," says Helm. "We were taught to let the picture tell the story and embellish the picture. Let the game breathe and lift when something really exciting happens ... even if you have to wait 30 minutes for it."
Helm travels up to seven months of the year. His wife doesn't share his passion for football ("she used to think Manchester United was a bank," he jokes) but she balances his time away with charity work in Africa.
Helm has enjoyed this latest edition of the Under-20 World Cup.
"I love coming to New Zealand — since Christchurch, really. My first [under-20s] was in 2001. Argentina won at home and their team included [Javier] Saviola, Maxi Rodriguez and [Fabricio] Coloccini, all of whom have gone on to great careers. I'm sure there are some here who we will look back and say, 'I saw him in New Zealand'."
