USMNT Players With the MOST to Prove in Europe, Should Luna Stay in MLS?

Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcast

FOX Sports

Soccer, News, Sports, Sports News

4.4 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 7 August 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

With the European season kicking off soon, Alexi Lalas and David Mosse break down the top five USMNT players with the most to prove across Europe. Sergiño Dest and Folarin Balogun are back from injury and looking to make statements, while Tim Weah kicks off a new chapter at Marseille. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just a year away on home soil, the pressure is on for these American stars to deliver. The guys also react to Diego Luna landing on the front page of the New York Times, and Don Garber’s response.Then, it’s all about the chaos in the Leagues Cup: Max Arfsten steps up to keep Columbus alive, LAFC survives thanks to a David Martínez brace, and Messi looks to sit out against Pumas. To close out the show, Alexi and Mosse discuss Chicago’s omission from the 2026 World Cup host cities and share some football stories out of Ecuador. Intro (0:00)Which USMNT Player Has the Most to Prove in Europe? (4:23)EFL Championship kicks off (16:47)Over the Luna: Diego should stay in MLS? (18:59)Leagues Cup madness (22:37)Max Arfsten clutch for Columbus, LAFC survives (24:25)Why is Chicago not hosting in 2026? (27:17)One for the Road: Wild Stories Out of Ecuador (37:56) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by SimplySafe.
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0:25.6	UK. I still think Balagan is the center forward in the pool that offers the highest ceiling.
0:33.7	Everyone screams and yells about the players. There's's too many games, and they're all tired.
0:37.8	If you told me he's not even in the U.S. squad in 26, I'll believe that.
0:42.1	But there's also a world in which he's the best player.
0:45.1	The reason why people are talking about you isn't because of anything that you have done in Europe.
0:50.5	It's literally because of everything that you have done in Major League Soccer.
1:09.6	Yeah. It's literally because of everything that you have done in Major League Soccer. Hello, Sunshine. I'm Alex Wallace and Lowe.
1:12.1	The State of the Union podcast.
1:13.3	We look at the beautiful game on and off the field through the lens of red, white, and blue colored glasses.
1:17.7	This show will be talking Americans in Europe with something to prove,
1:21.9	leagues cup wackiness, fake soccer news, straight to PKs, over the Luna, Ecuador Tales, conspiracy, and so much more. But first joining me as always my friend, my colleague, my guiding lights, David Mossy, a soccer savant and a Fox Soccer researcher and writer extraordinaire. Mossie, how are you doing on this? What do we got here? Wednesday, August 6th in the year 2025. I'm doing well. Jampack show today. Yeah, we had all sorts of stuff and interesting stuff. We're going to bob and weave all over the map on and off the field. But we like to think that we have something good here on tap when it comes to the state of the union, each and every time, but certainly today is the case. Have you watched your scene or read anything you want to let the folks know about?
2:01.9	Yes, I watched this a few days ago, but as I mentioned on Monday, I was going to have to spread
2:05.9	things out over a couple pods. So I did watch that Son of Sam documentary on Netflix, a series of
2:13.6	interviews that were done with David Berkowitz from prison, and then they used that as a jumping off
2:17.4	point to reflect back on his crimes. He was the serial killer who terrorized New York
	...

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