BREAKING NEWS: U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker heads to Saudi Arabia, Pulisic slump continues, Group of Death rankings

Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcast

FOX Sports

Soccer, Sports, News, Sports News

4.2 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 April 2026

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! The show starts with the breaking news that U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker is leaving his current post to move to work with the Saudi Arabian football federation. Alexi and Mosse break down the implications of this as we rapidly approach the World Cup before moving on to U.S. Abroad where Flo Balogun and Ricardo Pepi found the back of the net for Monaco and PSV. Weston McKennie was suspended due to yellow card accumulation and Christian Pulisic’s scoring drought reached 16 games for club and country. Next, Alexi and Mosse preview the midweek quarterfinals in both the Champions League where Real Madrid and Barcelona are looking for 2nd leg turnarounds and the CONCACAF Champions Cup where LAFC is the only MLS side to take a lead into the 2nd leg. The pair roundup the weekend action from MLS before getting into the most difficult groups in the coming World Cup in #AskAlexi. Finally, in One for the Road, Alexi discusses the Americanization of soccer and what is the American soccer identity. Presented by Zillow #Zillow (0:00) Intro (1:39) U.S. Sporting Director Matt Crocker leaves for Saudi Arabia (4:46) U.S. Abroad: Pulisic slump, Balogun & Pepi score(10:23) Emma Hayes as USMNT coach?(21:53) MLS Recap: Sebastian Berhalter bags another assist (25:49) #AskAlexi: Group of Death Rankings(36:27) One For The Road: American Soccer Identity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'll now hand you over to my best man, Eddie.
0:04.0	Wow, wow, wow, second time's a charm, eh, Billy Boy?
0:09.0	Oh God.
0:10.0	Substitution, courtesy of Paddy Power embarrassing Eddie makes way for sensible Samuel.
0:15.0	Cool, that was close.
0:16.0	You might not always pick the right starter, but your sub can still deliver.
0:19.0	Because with Paddy's super sub, your bet rolls over to the player coming on. Panny power. Valid on selected leagues and markets only. Pre-match and in-play bets on qualifying player outcome selections only. T's and Cs and exclusions apply. 18 plus scummelawadware. Dot-Oak. British gas have this thing. We call it home care. We'll fix all sorts and its unlimited repairs. Expert engineers will solve the upset of boilers not boilering or taps that won't wet.
0:42.3	Electrics playing tricks or a pipe that's broke.
0:45.3	We're there for everyone. Even blue furry folk.
0:49.3	Your home won't feel booby-trapped. It'll feel just like new.
0:53.3	British gas taking care of things and looking after you.
0:57.6	T's and C supply excess options available per repair.
1:00.1	Just when I thought the United States Soccer Federation couldn't get any more bat crap crazy, this happens.
1:06.3	Matt Crocker going to Saudi Arabia.
1:08.6	It's a weird and I think bad look for not just the Federation,
1:15.0	but at a time when soccer can't afford to be having his bad looks. It's another unnecessary
1:21.3	own goal, if you will, for U.S. soccer at a time when American soccer, and this team doesn't need it.
1:49.9	Hello, Sunshine. I'm Alexei Lollos and welcome for the State of the Union show.
1:56.7	Presented by Zillow. Someday starts today. This is where we look at the beautiful game on and off the field through the lens of red, white, and blue colored glasses.
2:02.4	This show will be talking, ooh, some insane breaking United States Soccer Federation news.
2:03.3	Let's see.
2:12.0	Flow is rolling, MLS youth movement, arsenal squeaky tight time, oh, group of death, the false profit, Americanization of soccer, and so much more.
	...

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