Alexi Lalas brutally criticised the USMNT after a shocking Nations League loss to Trinidad and Tobago.
The former USMNT player labelled the 2-1 loss as a concerning indicator of the team’s overall quality.
Despite advancing to the Nations League semifinals with a 4-2 aggregate win, Lalas questioned the team’s depth beyond elite players.
He highlighted their vulnerability when key individuals are unavailable.
Also, he challenged the notion that the team is as formidable as perceived.
This led to a broader conversation about realistic expectations for the upcoming 2026 World Cup and the Copa America.
Expectations
While giving his opinion on his State of the Union podcast, he said: “We as an American soccer community leading up to 2026 may have to come to terms with this team, when all is said and done, might not be as good as we thought.
“I know that’s a difficult thing to hear.
“It is a difficult thing to say given all of the talent we have, all of the pathways, all of the success and let’s be honest, all the expectation we have for this group.
“Is that unfair? Or is that lowering expectations going to hurt this group going forward?”
Star players Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams were absent in the recent defeat to Trinidad & Tobago.
This prompted Lalas to raise concerns about the lack of depth of this team and insisted that there must be serious questions asked before the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup.
Mediocracy
“I will say that all of the talk of the depth and all of the talk of all of this talent.
“I think we are finding out now on multiple occasions that once we get past those elite players, or as has happened in this window – some of those players aren’t available, we become very mediocre very quickly,” he said.
“Does it mean we can’t beat great teams?
“Does it mean we can’t have great moments? No.
“But this whole foundation has been built on winning a World Cup, on the premise that these players are so much better and there are so many more of them.
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“Not saying I yet believe this, but it is a question that needs to be asked if our expectations are out of whack with what the reality is when it comes to this team.
“It’s an important conversation to have leading up to next summer and 2026.”