As thinkpieces and hitpieces continue to dogpile on Fox Sports’ Alexi Lalas, a former teammate of the USMNT veteran is declaring that his services are no longer required by the American public.
Lalas has been a staple of American soccer television for over a decade, but has been long criticized for his takes, his lacking analysis, his occasionally jingoistic belief in US soccer and his brash demeanor.
These characteristics appear to have worn thin on colleagues Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic – who have been seen with expressions of bewilderment or outright disdain on Fox’s coverage of the World Cup.
Beyond his colleagues, foreign and national media have spent much of the tournament teeing off on Lalas for his perceived faults.
While many of those negative opinions could be dismissed as crowd noise or possibly even media elitism, one of Lalas’ former teammates – Eric Wynalda – is joining the calls for his removal from the broadcasts.
‘I think it’s been unwatchable at times,’ Wynalda told John Shrader during an appearance on The Soccer Media Podcast.
A former teammate of Alexi Lalas on and off the air is criticizing his poor analysis
Former USMNT striker Eric Wynalda has branded Lalas as ‘unwatchable’ this World Cup
Lalas and Wynalda previously worked together as broadcasters for Fox
‘Yeah, I think, I mean, I think a lot of people feel that way. I mean, Alexi is, kind of true to the Fox brand, has been told: this is what we need you to do, start a fight, say some things, insult some people, say something outlandish that no one will believe, and we’ll see how many people will click into that.
‘I think the American public has grown up now. I think our community, our soccer community is way too knowledgeable to fall for that anymore.’
Wynalda was a teammate of Lalas’ during the 1994 and 1998 World Cup (Lalas didn’t appear in the latter tournament) and worked with him at ESPN during coverage of the 2006 World Cup.
Wynalda, the former striker, also worked with Lalas for Fox in the past on coverage of the FA Cup, the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League.
Lalas has previously hinted that his on-air personality is accentuated to draw attention.
‘I don’t care if you like me or you don’t. I am as human as I possibly can be with the recognition that, on television, things have to be bigger and bolder,’ he said back in 2024.
