One Year to Go: USMNT Outlook, Players That Will Decide 2026 FIFA World Cup

Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcast

FOX Sports

Soccer, News, Sports, Sports News

4.4 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 11 June 2025

⏱️ 65 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

With just one year until the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup kicks off on home soil, Alexi Lalas, David Mosse, and Rob Stone reunite to break down what success actually means for the USMNT next summer. From past performance stats and future expectations, the crew evaluates how far this team has come since 1994, 2002, and 2014—and how far they still need to go.Alexi opens the show with a look at what's ahead for the team, including a pivotal Gold Cup.A listener chimes in for #AskAlexi, including a classic debate: 1994 vs. 2026? Then, it’s a global check-in with Alexi’s World Cup Power Rankings. Spain tops the list, but who joins them in the top ten? And who are the five players that could define the 2026 tournament?All that, plus a USMNT style-of-play debate and historical FIFA rankings comparisons. Don’t miss this milestone episode. Intro(0:00) What Does Success Look for the USMNT? (3:42)USMNT Style of Play Debate (18:11)USMNT Historical Comparison (25:09)1994 vs Today (30:39)Alexi's Top 10 World Cup Power Rankings (43:13)Players That Will Decide the 2026 FIFA World Cup (51:15) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	And I don't use it lightly.
0:01.1	Like, this is going to be the greatest event, the greatest sporting event this planet has ever seen.
0:05.7	This pessimism and this worry and this angst has permeated.
0:09.4	I think they hear it.
0:10.8	Yes.
0:11.0	And I think that they will react to that.
0:12.5	Bang.
0:12.8	Go, Tyler Adams, come here.
0:14.1	Give me your bicep.
0:15.1	Here's your armband.
0:15.9	It's yours.
0:17.0	It's yours.
0:18.0	It's not yours this week. It's not yours this month. It's yours. That guy back in 1994, I would have been expecting in the summer of 2025, looking towards
0:26.6	the 2026.
0:27.6	Yeah, we're going'm Alexa Lollison. Welcome to the State of the Union podcast.
0:47.9	We look at the beautiful game on and off the field through the lens of red, white, and blue colored glasses.
0:52.2	This show, well, we have a big show. This is a special show.
0:55.7	This is a show to celebrate and look forward,
0:59.0	and I guess maybe even look back,
1:00.7	as we find ourselves one year from the 26 FIFA World Cup.
1:06.5	I can't believe it's one year.
1:07.6	But first, joining me as always, my friend, my colleague,
	...

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