Alexi Lalas is not mad; he’s disappointed.
Love him or hate him , the Fox Soccer analyst will get on his soapbox and deliver a poignant soliloquy. And despite Lalas’ reputation for sparking debate, with some fans finding him the Skip Bayless of soccer analysis, his critiques often prove insightful when the USMNT fails to deliver . And he didn’t hold back on the team’s disappointing Copa América group stage exit, calling it an “incredible failure” on his State of the Union Podcast .
“I cease to be angry because, let’s be honest, this is a Groundhog Day type of thing when we see this team fail to beat, let alone be competitive on a consistent basis with the elites out there,” Lalas says. “I’m not telling you anything you don’t know; it’s not a good day. We’re two years away from the most important summer in American soccer history — the summer of 2026. And the return of the men’s World Cup here (in the United States), as well as the opportunity and the platform that it affords.
“I want to be excited about this team. And I want to be excited about men’s soccer. And I want to be excited about the World Cup in these next two years. And right now, I find myself here on Monday, July 1, not excited about this team going forward. And that sucks. And that hurts. And that should not be. We should be on a rocket right now of excitement.
“And yeah, there’s a little delusion because it’s sports, OK? But I don’t even have that. We should be being propelled by all of this wonderful positivity and energy toward the summer of 2026, and yet, at least, I find myself in the exact opposite position.”
Lalas argued that the American soccer public at large cares about results; they don’t care how you win.
“This is ultimately about winning. And postgame, I talked about how the American soccer culture and the American soccer history is unique,” Lalas added. “And it’s very different. And it is a little apples and oranges when you’re comparing and contrasting with the rest of the world. I know we do it, but that’s just the reality. When it comes to how we play, America — and this is not just American soccer fans — but when (America) tunes in and watch, and if we’re doing things to increase people coming into the tent, whether its World Cups, or anything else, all they care about is winning.
“That’s OK. There is an American-ness to that. Gregg Berhalter and this team will talk about the behind-the-scenes and the dynamic that goes on, the camaraderie, the Kumbaya, and all that kind of stuff. I don’t give a crap about that anymore. I’m not saying it’s not important. I’m not saying it can’t help you be better at winning soccer games. But ultimately, the American public, when it comes to sports in general and when it comes to things in general, wants to see the best. And they want you to win. And they don’t care how you win.
“We’ve talked a lot about style and identity…and so tonight, they played well. But the time for moral victories has come and gone a long time ago. While this, at times it, was a good performance, it wasn’t good enough. You can’t blame MLS. You can’t blame resources and pathways and opportunities because it is night and day…I have no problem with that. I have no problem that this generation has more. But they’re not living up to the agreement. We’ve given you more, so much more. And yet, I don’t think we’ve progressed.”
Lalas’ disappointment should serve as a stark warning to the USMNT.
With the World Cup on American soil just around the corner, the team has much to prove and little time. The clock is ticking, and excuses won’t win games. The American public craves results; anything less than a significant turnaround will leave them, and Lalas deeply disappointed.
[ State of the Union Podcast ]
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