June 25, 2026, 4:39 p.m. ET
If you have been watching this World Cup in English, you have been seeing a lot of Alexi Lalas. You have also likely been seeing a lot of Alexi Lalas hate, whether that’s from his Fox studio colleagues or the written media.
Lalas is once again serving as Fox’s lead studio analyst, a role he has occupied since joining the network in 2015.
The 56-year-old became a U.S. men’s national team icon during his playing days. With a hard-nosed style and signature long red hair and goatee, Lalas won fans across the country and became one of the team’s most recognizable faces.
After his retirement, Lalas has transitioned into television, where he has often been a lightning rod for criticism.
This World Cup has introduced a new dynamic, with some of Lalas’s own Fox team — namely, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahmiovic — joining in with some of the outside critics.
So why is Lalas such a magnet for critics? Let’s explore.
Why is Alexi Lalas controversial?
Lalas, by his own admission isn’t just on TV to provide soccer analysis — he is looking to entertain.
“I’m in the entertainment business. I am a performer,” he told The Athletic in 2024. “When you say that, sometimes people cringe. By no means am I saying that I can’t be authentic and genuine. But I recognize the way I say something is as important as what I say.
“When I go on TV, I put on a costume and when that red light goes on, I don’t want people changing the channel. I don’t care if you like me or you don’t. I am as human as I possibly can be with the recognition that, on television, things have to be bigger and bolder.”
In response to some of the criticism, Fox analyst Stu Holden defended Lalas this week, saying “too much is being made” of his alleged feud with Henry and Ibrahimovic.
“Off-camera, these guys are all great professionals. They all get along. And I think they understand, again, that this is TV,” Holden said on The Sports Media Podcast.
“And I think honestly, too much is being made of the Alexi thing. But probably, secretly, I haven’t even talked to Alexi about it, I’m sure he’s enjoying this an element because it is a role and a character that he plays, and we’re just seeing it in a way with two people he’s never really had that interaction with.”
Alexi Lalas political views
Lalas has also been under the spotlight due to his political views. Namely, he is an unabashed supporter of Donald Trump.
“I am a proud registered Republican,” he told The Athletic last year. “I certainly lean to the right. I voted for Donald Trump multiple times, proudly, and I am happy in terms of the direction of the country (and) the things he is doing. It is not without obvious pushback and angst and I can understand and respect that.”
Though soccer is still a liberal-coded sport in America, Lalas told Politico last year that he has plenty of right-leaning supporters within the sport.
“I think as the soccer pyramid grows out, there is a whole lot more diversity when it comes to political thought out there,” he said. “It’s been fun and amazing to me to see the support that I have had. It shouldn’t be a stigma for anyone out there.”