NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
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?
Here’s how FOX Sports football analyst Alexi Lalas put together his list on the latest episode of the “Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union” podcast, explaining why he made some tough choices, including leaving notable players such as Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and DaMarcus Beasley out of the starters.
Let’s break it all down by position:
Goalkeeper: Tony Meola
World Cup appearances: 1990, 1994
Mandatory credit: Al Bello /Allsport
Alexi’s point of view: “People will disagree with me, but I’m going to have Tony Meola because, especially in the modern game, he’s a goalkeeper who can play with his feet. Tony was a man out of time in the sense that he was incredible with his feet and gave us a sense of security out there. It was, again, ahead of its time, because we didn’t play often, but when Tony was swinging the ball, it was amazing how precise and confident he was with his feet. With just a nose on Tim Howard, I’m going with Méola.”
Back: Tony Sanneh
World Cup appearances: 2002
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Alexi’s point of view: “For those who don’t remember the 2002 World Cup and that wonderful summer, Tony Sanneh was everything you want from a right back. Going up and down, eating grass, attacking and causing all kinds of problems in the future, but also with defensive responsibilities.”
Central defenders: Eddie Pope, Carlos Bocanegra
World Cup appearances: Pope – 1998, 2002; Bocanegra – 2006, 2010
Alexi’s point of view: “Eddie Pope was a legend and a wonderful player in the air, on the field. He was smart, just great on the left side. And Carlos Bocanegra, as a longtime captain of Team USA, I think there’s a good balance with Pope.”
Left rear: Antonée “Jedi” Robinson
World Cup appearances: 2022, 2026 (planned)
Alexi’s point of view: “I think he’s probably going to be the best left back in U.S. men’s national team history, and I already have him there on that left side.
Defensive midfielder: Michael Bradley, Weston McKennie
World Cup appearances: Bradley – 2010, 2014; McKennie – 2022, 2026 (expected)
Alexi’s point of view: “I have two defensive midfielders in front of those four defenders, but certainly with opportunities and responsibilities in attack as well, and that will be Michael Bradley and Weston McKennie there.
“Bradley, a living legend as far as Team USA is concerned, just gives us a solid foundation, predictability in the most positive sense of the word. And then McKennie – we’ve talked so much about how important he is to this national team and how his personality, on and off the field, is important to a team. And so I’m going to have him next to Bradley.”
Advantages: Tab Ramos, Landon Donovan, Christian Pulisic
World Cup appearances: Ramos-1990, 1994, 1998; Donovan-2002, 2006, 2010; Pulisic – 2022, 2026 (expected)
Alexi’s point of view: “Those three are completely interchangeable. And in fact, those three players have played multiple positions on offense and shown up in all kinds of different positions: Tab Ramos, Landon, Donovan and Christian Pulisic.”
“People ask me: Who was the best player you played with on the American team? It was Tab Ramos. Talk about a man out of time. That. He was making fun of us while playing with us. And I felt bad sometimes because he was so far, technically and mentally, ahead of us in the way he thought about the game. It must have been incredibly frustrating to play 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 in the middle, but again, carte blanche for the three. Christian Pulisic, who we know, appears on the left, but can certainly come in. We’ve seen him in different spots, so that trio in the middle can go wherever he wants.”
Striker: Brian McBride
World Cup appearances: 2002, 2006
(Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)
Alexi’s point of view: “My country, my kingdom, for one Brian McBride – with all due respect to Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi right now.”
