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If you were to create an ideal World Cup starting lineup for the U.S. men’s national team, who would you pick? Which players would get the nod and which ones would be left?
Here’s how FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas made his list on the latest episode of “Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union” podcast, explaining why he made some tough choices – including leaving notable players such as Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and DaMarcus Beasley off the starters.
Let’s break it all down by each position:
Goalkeeper: Tony Meola
World Cup appearances: 1990, 1994
Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport
Alexi’s Take: “People are going to disagree with me, but I am going to have Tony Meola because, especially in the modern game, a goalkeeper that can play with his feet. Tony was a man out of time in that he was incredible with his feet and gave us a sense of security back there. That was, again, ahead of its time, because we didn’t often play, but when Tony would spray the ball, it was amazing about his accuracy and his confidence with his feet. By just a nose over Tim Howard, I’m going with Meola.”
Right back: Tony Sanneh
World Cup appearances: 2002
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Alexi’s Take: “For those that don’t remember right back in the 2002 World Cup and that wonderful summer, Tony Sanneh was everything and anything that you would want from a right back. Getting up and down and just eating up grass and attacking and causing all sorts of problems going forward, but also with the defensive responsibilities.”
Center backs: Eddie Pope, Carlos Bocanegra
World Cup appearances: Pope – 1998, 2002; Bocanegra – 2006, 2010
Alexi’s Take: “Eddie Pope was a legend and wonderful player in the air, on the ground. He was smart, just great on the left-hand side. And Carlos Bocanegra, as the longtime captain for the U.S. team, I think it’s a good balance there with Pope.”
Left back: Antonee “Jedi” Robinson
World Cup appearances: 2022, 2026 (expected)
Alexi’s Take: “I think he’s going to go down as arguably the best left back in U.S. men’s national team history, and I already have him there on that left-hand side.”
Defensive Midfielders: Michael Bradley, Weston McKennie
World Cup appearances: Bradley – 2010, 2014; McKennie – 2022, 2026 (expected)
Alexi’s Take: “I have two defensive midfielders in front of that back four, but certainly with opportunities and responsibilities in the attack too, and that’s going to be Michael Bradley and Weston McKennie there.
“Bradley, a living legend when it comes to the U.S. team just gives us a solid foundation, a predictability in the most positive sense there. And then McKennie — we’ve talked so much about and how important he is to this national team, and how his personality, both on and off the field, is important to a team. And so I’m gonna have him next to Bradley.”
Forwards: Tab Ramos, Landon Donovan, Christian Pulisic
World Cup appearances: Ramos – 1990, 1994, 1998; Donovan – 2002, 2006, 2010; Pulisic – 2022, 2026 (expected)
Alexi’s Take: “These three are completely interchangeable. And as a matter of fact, all three of these players played multiple positions in the attack and showed up all sorts of different places: Tab Ramos, Landon, Donovan and Christian Pulisic.”
“People ask me: Who was the best player you ever played with on the U.S. team? It was Tab Ramos. Talk about a man out of time. It. He was slumming it, playing with us. And I felt bad at times because he was so far, technically and mentally ahead of us in terms of the way he thought about the game. Must have been incredibly frustrating to play with us.
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
“Landon Donovan, you know, kind of underneath, but able to move out wide where he does a lot of damage, and yes, at times going in the middle, but again, carte blanche for all three. Christian Pulisic, who we know shows up out wide left, but certainly can come in. We’ve seen him in different places, so that that threesome in the middle there can go wherever they want.”
Striker: Brian McBride
World Cup appearances: 2002, 2006
(Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)
Alexi’s Take: “My country, my kingdom, for a Brian McBride — with all due respect to Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi right now.”