Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcast

The GOAT has hung up his international boots. Alexi Lalas and David Mosse dive into the greatest international career in history as Lionel Messi calls it quits for Argentina. The duo poses the questions: Will we ever see another Messi & without Ronaldo… would we have seen Messi reach these heights? Alexi also power ranks Messi’s all-time moments on the world’s biggest stage.

Elsewhere in MLS, Cavan Sullivan and Neil Pierre keep scoring, Chucky Lozano got on the scoresheet in the loss to San Diego and should we be talking up Brian Schwake more for the national team?

In U.S. Abroad, Yunus Musah and Sergiño Dest continued their comeback tours, while Jurgen Klopp looks to poach NNoahkai Banks. Do we like Everton as a landing spot for Folarin Balogun?

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Intro3:44 - Will we ever see another Messi?11:24 - Power Ranking Messi’s Moments17:02 - Cavan Sullivan continues to star20:20 - Should Brian Schwake get a callup from Mauricio Pochettino?26:31 - Panic Button on Chris Richards?29:43 - Folarin Balogun to Everton39:02 - Musah and Dest comeback tours44:39 - #AskAlexi: How does the U.S. produce a Rodri?49:55 - One For The Road: U.S. Soccer nears takeover of U.S. Youth Soccer63:17 - Every Messi FIFA World Cup Goal
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Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are joined by the legendary Rebecca Lowe to go behind the curtain on the 2026 FIFA World Cup studio production alongside Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović! Rebecca breaks down her favorite memories from this summer, the English perspective on American players, managers and owners in the EPL and what it was like to act on the set ofTed Lasso. Then, Alexi and Mosse preview a packed U.S. weekend abroad—featuring Yunus Musah, Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman, and Noahkai Banks—and ask the big question: Who is truly the face of the USMNT right now?Finally, in #AskAlexi, the guys analyze Chris Richards at Crystal Palace and wrap up with a review of the IndyCar Freedom 250 in D.C.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Intro3:24 - Rebecca Lowe joins the show & hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup14:11 - Rebecca Lowe on Arsenal repeat title bid18:29 - Rebecca Lowe on Americans in EPL + growth of game in USA33:11 - U.S. Abroad: Malik Tillman the new face of USMNT?42:10 - U.S. Abroad: Is Yunus Musah BACK?52:38 - MLS should get more credit for player development56:50 - #AskAlexi: Breaking Down Chris Richards’ start to EPL season65:00 - One For The Road: Freedom 250 recap
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Stu Holden and David Mosse dive into all things red, white and blue soccer. Up first, Stu gives his take on Mauricio Pochettino staying through the 2030 World Cup. What is up next for the leadership of U.S. Soccer? The duo then dives into a packed weekend of Americans abroad. Will Folarin Balogun make the jump to EPL or LaLiga? Elsewhere, Gianluca Busio and Tim Weah captained their sides while Yunus Musah made his long awaited return to the starting XI at AC Milan. In #AskAlexi, Mosse and Stu dive into the wunderkind, Cavan Sullivan. Is he the next Christian Pulisic? To wrap the show, the guys recap the MLS weekend where Josh Sargent and Co. topped Messi and Miami + MLS looking into expanding the playoffs. Is B.J. Callaghan a USA coaching candidate of the future?

CHAPTERS:0:00 - Intro3:50 - What is next for Mauricio Pochettino this cycle?15:01 - Flo Balogun and Barcelona18:44 - Captain Tim Weah & leadership missing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup23:46 - Yunus Musah BACK?28:08 - Who is the face of this USMNT?31:00 - Pepi and Dest score, too good for PSV?33:07 - USA in EPL: Chris Richards and Tyler Adams adapt to new roles52:23 - #AskAlexi: Cavan Sullivan the next Christian Pulisic? 65:00 - One For The Road: MLS Playoff expansion
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Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! Today, Alexi and Mosse deep dive on all the Americans playing in Europe and give their predictions for the major leagues. Will Pulisic bounce back with Milan, what does McKennie have in store for an encore, how will Zavier Gozo fit in at Crystal Palace, will Flo Balogun bag 20+ goals and much more. After breaking down each league, Alexi gives his predictions for the USMNT MVP in Europe, the “now or never” USA player, and a darkhorse candidate for USA players currently in Europe that will definitely surprise you. We then touch on MLS, including Breel Embolo’s move to Atlanta United falling through and trying to figure out the best path forward with Cavan Sullivan and the national team. In #AskAlexi, we discuss what things soccer could take from American football style broadcasts and what potential rule changes we’d like to see implemented in MLS and in One for the Road, Alexi breaks down some of the key differences between football and futbol.

CHAPTERS:

(0:00): Intro(2:28): EPL Preview: Haji Wright out for multiple weeks(17:41): Serie A Preview: Pulisic back, can Weston continue his form?(22:18): La Liga Preview: Johnny Cardoso stuck on the bench for Atleti(27:56): Ligue 1 Preview: Can Folarin Balogun reach 20 goals?(37:00): Rapid fire predictions for USMNT players in Europe(30:10): Folarin Balogun to Barcelona? (50:05): #AskAlexi: The Americanization of soccer(56:24): One for the Road: Football vs Futbol
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Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! Today, we start the show with some burning questions about USMNT players in Europe: Will Pulisic regain his form at Milan, when we will next see a GK starting in the top 5 leagues, what CB can make a name for himself and more. After, we get into Arsenal dominating Manchester City in the Community Shield and what that means, if anything, for both teams going forward. We then get into the Leagues Cup quarterfinals bracket before touching on some MLS action that saw USA youngsters Adri Mehmeti and Cavan Sullivan keep making noise. In #AskAlexi, Mosse and Alexi answer questions about when Pochettino should be calling up our youth talent to the senior squad and what the 2028 Olympics roster could look like. In One for the Road, Alexi discusses his on-air persona vs his real life persona and we end the show with Alexi giving Mosse a big surprise.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Intro2:56 - Burning U.S. Soccer Questions heading into the European Season7:57 - Christian Pulisic bounce-back at AC Milan?11:15 - CB depth an issue?13:33 - Where are the goalkeepers in Europe?15:56 - Middlesborough USMNT trio to EPL?19:15 - Arsenal trounce Manchester City in Community Shield27:39 - MLS Recap: Messi and Miami routed & more39:20 - #AskAlexi: USA Youth Movement problem for Pochettino, Olympics vs Copa America49:52 - One For The Road: Does Alexi believe everything he says?
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