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If you had to create an ideal World Cup starting lineup for the United States men’s national team, who would you choose? Which players would get the nod and which would stay?
That’s how FOX Sports football analyst Alexi Lalas made his list on the latest episode of the “Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union” podcast, explaining why he made some tough decisions, including leaving notable players like Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and DaMarcus Beasley out of the headlines.
Let’s break it all down by each position:
Goalie: Tony Meola
World Cup appearances: 1990, 1994
Mandatory credit: Al Bello /Allsport
Alexi’s opinion: “People won’t agree with me, but I’m going to have Tony Meola because, especially in the modern game, a goalkeeper who can play with his feet. Tony was a man out of time because he was incredible with his feet and he gave us a sense of security there. That was, again, ahead of his time, because we didn’t play often, but when Tony sprayed the ball, his accuracy and his confidence with his feet were amazing. For just a nose over Tim Howard, I’ll take Meola.”
Back right: Tony Sanneh
World Cup appearances: 2002
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Alexi’s opinion: “For those who don’t remember the 2002 World Cup and that wonderful summer, Tony Sanneh was everything you would want in a right-back. He would go up and down and just eat grass and attack and cause all kinds of problems later on, but also with the defensive responsibilities.”
Central defenses: Eddie Pope, Carlos Bocanegra
World Cup appearances: Pope – 1998, 2002; Bocanegra – 2006, 2010
Alexi’s opinion: “Eddie Pope was a legend and a wonderful player in the air and on the ground. He was intelligent, fantastic on the left side. And Carlos Bocanegra, as a long-time captain of the U.S. team, I think there’s a good balance with Pope.”
Left side: Antonée “Jedi” Robinson
World Cup appearances: 2022, 2026 (expected)
Alexi’s opinion: ““I think he’s going to go down as possibly the best left back in the history of the US men’s national team, and I already have him there on that left side.”
Defensive midfielders: Michael Bradley, Weston McKennie
World Cup appearances: Bradley – 2010, 2014; McKennie – 2022, 2026 (expected)
Alexi’s opinion: “I have two defensive midfielders in front of those four defenders, but certainly with opportunities and responsibilities in attack as well, and there will be Michael Bradley and Weston McKennie.
“Bradley, a living legend when it comes to Team USA, just gives us a solid foundation, predictability in the most positive sense. And then McKennie, we’ve talked a lot about how important he is to this national team and how his personality, both on and off the field, is important to a team. That’s why I’ll have him next to Bradley.”
Forwards: Tab Ramos, Landon Donovan, Christian Pulisic
World Cup appearances: Ramos – 1990, 1994, 1998; Donovan – 2002, 2006, 2010; Pulisic – 2022, 2026 (expected)
Alexi’s opinion: “These three are completely interchangeable. And in fact, these three players played multiple positions in the attack and appeared in all kinds of different places: Tab Ramos, Landon, Donovan and Christian Pulisic.”
“People ask me: Who was the best player you’ve played with on Team USA? It was Tab Ramos. Talk about a man out of time. He was in the slums, playing with us. And sometimes I felt bad because he was so far ahead, technically and mentally, of us in terms of the way he thought about the game. It must have been incredibly frustrating playing with us.
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
“Landon Donovan, you know, a little bit underneath, but able to move to the outside where he does a lot of damage, and yes, sometimes he goes up the middle, but again, carte blanche for the three. Christian Pulisic, who we know appears on the left, but he can certainly come in. We’ve seen him in different places, so that trio in the middle can go wherever they want.”
Striker: Brian McBride
World Cup appearances: 2002, 2006
(Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)
Alexi’s opinion: “My country, my kingdom, to Brian McBride, with all due respect to Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi at this time.”
