Alexi Lalas reveals his USMNT's all-time starting 11 | State of the Union

Alexis Lalas never fails to miss

Would you swap anyone in Alexi Lalas' all-time starting 11?

Not having Tim Howard in net is a disgrace !!

Having followed the USMNT since the mid 80's I've watched the development of the US players over he decades. IMO Lalas has again shown how delusional and biased he is with some of his selections. While all the players mentioned were great players in their era some have no business in an all time Best XI.
1) There is no chance that Meola would have been ahead of Howard or Friedel. Both were significantly better shot stoppers and their distribution was not significantly worse than Tony's.
2) Jeff Agoos was a good player, but I wouldn't have him as one of the best 23 let alone the best XI. I'd go with DMB as the LB.
3) As much as I loved watching Balboa play I don't believe he's a better player than Pope was.
4) Lalas's XI cry's for either a formational change or at the very least a CDM. Jones is by far our best CDM to date. I'd therefore insert Jones...push Reyna to the top of the Diamond and leave Donovan & Tab on the right as a coin toss.
Lastly our current crop of players are going to be pushing their way into the all time best XI in the not too distant future. Reyna Jr. has the talent to overtake his father. The same for Dest overtaking Dolo and I could see Weston challenge for Jones spot and Richards challenge Pope in the future.
The only position(s) our current team does not have a challenger for the best XI is Keeper, Striker, and LB. But even that may change if by the 2026 cycle with Slovina & Gomez.

Feedback for producers: Could you please turn up the volume of voice recording?
May not be an issue for everyone, but the voice audio comes through very quite on my setup vs. other videos.
That being said, enjoying the content. Keep up the good work!

Respectfully Meola would not make my top 3, like everyone else has commented, Keller, Friedel, and Howard in some order. Meola makes the next USMNT goalkeeper cluster with Guzan and Hahnemann.

The logical reason for not having Tim Howard in goal is to get engaging saying how wrong he is. And I’m commenting so Ig it worked

Without even n watching I'm going to guess most of the players come from his 94 World Cup team with a couple of 2002 and 2010 players.

But overall he did aight. I'm good with Reyna, Bocanegra, Pulisic, Donovan, Dempsey and McBride.

He can't put himself back there but he should be. GK is messed up probably Howard first for me because for goal keeper shot blocking is #1, #2 and #3 priority for me, if not Tim then Keller.

While I don't agree with everything Alexi Lalas says, he is a tremendous broadcaster. He's great here and was outstanding at the '22 World Cup. And I like that he's not afraid to take an unpopular stance and say what he thinks. There's too little of that on TV.

A healthy Stu Holden is in that midfield for me, and I’d honestly take guys like Gio Reyna and McKennie before some of Alexi’s picks.

Eddie Pope and John O'Brien both need to be included.

Admittedly, I have a bias towards more recent players due to my age, but starting with Meola is an insta-trigger.

He has turned Meola into Jorge Compos....

Please talk about the awful usmnt jersey leaks in the next episode. I can't believe that's what we're sending the guys to Qatar in. If that ends up being the final design, Nike should be embarrassed.

I would have went Meola (gk), Clavijo (rb), Balboa (cb), Lalas(cb), Beasly (lb), Ramos(rm), Bradley(cdm) Reyna sr (cam), Donovan (LM), Dempsey (st), Winalda (st).

Friedel was miles ahead of Meola, as a fan of Mexici I didn't like the guy because he was fantastic with team USA

Some these players couldn't even play at the current level of World Football, half of my team would come from the current squad. Hysterical Llalas talks about ball possession considering the teams he was on had almost none. Howard was absolutely the best keeper the US has had.

This segment should be at least 5mins longer

When Jozy Altidore is getting an honorable mention, you know you lack depth at the Striker position.

Brad friedel was the best hands down not even close.. At least Tim Howard cmon man. But you can tell he has emotional ties with Toni

To me Kacey Keller is the man

Hercules Gomez! He went to the World Cup!!

Man John harkes was a baller

First time I don’t disagree with Lalas. First time I see him humble. Notable mentions not mentioned were Caliguiri, Harkes, Hugo Perez

This is mostly a team he played with

You lost me right at your very first pick. I'd have three keepers before Meola. Sheeesh.

Kasey Keller should be the GK

Tim Howard is THE keeper for the USA.

This list stinks. Howard, Pope, Beasley GLARING omissions. After that you can make the case for other guys but those 3 specifically over Meola, Balboa and Agoos is a 100% lock

Beasley 💪

Watch the game vs Brazil, even Romario said Keller was one of best goalkeepers he faced. Reyna and Tab Ramos two best players ever..

Alexis you are in that team...so is wynalda and coby jones.. that's it.

The problem with this lineup is that they would lose to our current team.

Pretty much all of these guys are long retired. Everyone is saying that this team “is close” but maybe that’s being a bit optimistic. They need to spend more time playing higher quality teams between WC’s to see how good they are. Doing it every four years is not going to cut it.

Too biased in favor of his era but it's his opinion.

Terrible list. With a few exceptions, our current players are a complete step up in quality from Lalas’s era. Meola was overhyped and bad. Agoos? Come on.

Jeff Agoos? Are you serious….

Eddie Pope!!

Not bad except for GK

Jeff Agoos? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Jeff agoos foh. Cultured left foot for own goal. Also eddie pope rest I agree with it

Freddy Adu, all day, erday. LOL

I should be on that list

The voice audio is way too low compared to the outro. Blasts your ears at the end of every clip please fix

Meola sucks. Remember how he wouldn't catch the ball in that 94 World Cup. He kept batting it down.

I could not even watch the whole segment. Stopped after Agoos

Right out the gate with the bs

Sergino Dest over Cherundulo

No Wondolowski, Will Trapp, and Zardes?

Kinda surprised he didn't put himself in there somewhere with that massive ego of his and his typical delusional takes.

Freddy Adu?

Idk man, Howard, Beasley, Pope not here.... I'm sensing some racial bias

Very Bias

What a horrible 11

Freddie Adu

Agoos was the worst player ever. Totally clueless.

seems about white

My USA WC 1990-2014.
Howard
Cherundolo-Lalas-Bocanegra- Berhalter
J.Jones. Bradley
Reyna (c) Donovan. Beasley
Dempsey.
Friedel,Keller (Meola...uff)-
Sanneh-Pope-Balboa-Caligiuri
Ramos-Mastroeni-O'Brian-Lewis
Wynalda. McBride.

Jeff Agoos? Tony Meola over Tim Howard? Alexis smokes a lot of dope.