Zlatan is Here, USA vs. Belgium Preview, and the Jesse Marsch Controversy

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! In today’s show, we dive deep into the coming window for the USA that will feature matches vs both Belgium and Portugal. Alexi gives his starting XI prediction for the first match vs Belgium and him and Mosse break down what they hope to see from the USMNT in this window. After, Alexi and Mosse go through all the UEFA and inter-confederation play-off matches that will determine what nations earn the last open spots in the coming World Cup. In #AskAlexi, in honor of the NCAA tournament, Alexi and Mosse highlight soccer players who excelled at other sports, including basketball, before touching on the AFCON final situation, and the recently announced MLS Sprint Season in 2027. In One for the Road, Alexi shares his thoughts on the Jesse Marsch and USA soccer situation.Presented by Zillow #Zillow USA-Belgium preview: (7:44)UEFA World Cup Playoffs: (15:57)Inter-Confederation Playoffs: (25:21)Brazil vs France, Griezmann to MLS: (28:03)#AskAlexi: (35:23)One For The Road: (45:55)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Alexi Lalas, David Mosse, Stu Holden & John Strong as they guys react to the penultimate roster release ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The U.S. will face Portugal and Belgium in Atlanta next weekend. What are your burning questions ahead of this crucial window? We dive into potential position changes for players, who to start up top for both matches, and who is missing on this roster. Reyna vs Luna, Noahkai Banks drama, Pepi to Fulham, Freese & Balgun to start both games and so much more. Presented by @Zillow #Zillow Intro (0:00)Goalkeepers: Freese to start both matches? (5:02)Defenders: Noahkai Banks Duel-National Drama (10:40)Midfielders: Luna still a lock to make final roster? (25:20)Forwards: What to do up top at striker? (36:58)What does a successful window look like? (41:30)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Lalas and David Moss are back with a new episode of State of the Union! In today’s episode, the pair break down the USA dropping its new Stars and Stripes jerseys that will feature in this summer’s World Cup. Will they go down as all-time classics? Alexi says their legacy will be determined by how the teams play in them. Afterwards, Alexi and Mosse bounce around Europe, touching on Folarin Balogun scoring AGAIN for Monaco, Tanner Tessmann getting a start at center back for Lyon, and Malik Tillman and Leverkusen getting a draw vs Bayern. We then get some injury updates on Tyler Adams and Sergiño Dest and whether or not their current injuries will keep them out of World Cup action. We then hit on MLS where Sebastian Berhalter and Vancouver gave James Rodriguez and Minnesota a rude welcome to MLS, Josh Sargent made his league debut, and Diego Luna finally returned from injury. In #AskAlexi, we ponder who should actually be taking set pieces for the USA and in One For The Road, Alexi gives his power rankings of the top 10 fan bases in the World Cup. Presented by @Zillow #Zillow Intro (0:00)The Waldo Rebellion: Rating the latest U.S. kits (3:08)U.S. Abroad: Balogun stays hot, Tessmann at CB? (9:43)Gio vs Diego: Who gets a roster spot? (29:00)Sebastian Berhalter or Christian Pulisic for set pieces + Weah at CB? (35:24)Alexi’s Top 10 Fan Bases at the 2026 FIFA World Cup sponsored by Lay’s (48:48) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! It was the first matchday of the UCL knockout rounds and the games did not disappoint. Alexi and Mosse break down Fede Valverde and Real Madrid running Manchester City off the pitch, PSG breaking it open late vs Chelsea, Tottenham’s absolute nightmare vs Atletico Madrid, Bodø/Glimt continuing their Cinderella run and more! Afterwards, Alexi and Mosse look ahead to the weekend in MLS where James Rodriguez looks set to make his league debut vs Thomas Muller, Michael Bradley and his NYRB squad travel to Toronto where we may see Josh Sargent make his MLS debut as well plus a potential Cavan Sullivan sighting for Philadelphia. In #AskAlexi, Alexi does an unboxing of a classic USA jersey and unveils a melodic secret and in One for the Road, Alexi and Mosse discuss the reports that Noahkai Banks will not be called up for the USA in the March window. Presented by Zillow #Zillow UCL Round of 16 matchday 1 breakdown: (3:11)MLS weekend preview: (21:44)#AskAlexi USA denim jerseys: (27:25)The Masked Singer reveal (32:59)One for the Road (39:17) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse have a hot off the presses State of the Union Podcast presented by Zillow for your viewing and listening pleasure. Before the the duo dives into the busy weekend abroad for Americans, they addresses the reports tying Mauricio Pochettino to Real Madrid for next season.Up next, the red, white and blue strikers were bagging goals all over Europe as Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright all got on the scoresheet. How would you split up the key minutes in the March Window? Elsewhere, Sergino Dest went down with an injury. How worried are we under 100 days until the World Cup?In #AskAlexi Alexi and Mosse dive into the center back depth chart and the best soccer and sports movies ever. Intro (0:00)Pochettino to Real Madrid? (3:14)U.S. Abroad: Dest hurt and McKennie vs Pulisic (6:20)MLS Recap: Berhalter a roster lock? (30:07)#AskAlexi: CB depth & Best Soccer Movies (40:18)One For the Road: Carli Lloyd… the skiing legend? (54:02) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! We kick off the show discussing the Milan Derby coming this weekend and if Christian Pulisic and AC Milan can save their season before giving Yunus Musah some props for goals in back-to-back games for Atalanta. We then go to Spain where Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad booked their spots in the Copa Del Rey final before diving into the latest rumors surrounding Tyler Adams, who is being linked to Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea. We run through some midweek action in the Premier League where Arsenal secured all three points while City drew and preview the weekend’s FA Cup action including Wrexham squaring off with Chelsea. In #AskAlexi, we debate who the greatest pure goal scorer is in USMNT history and in One For The Road, Alexi has some thoughts about the corner kick controversy surrounding the game right now. Presented by Zillow #Zillow A Milan Derby to decide Serie A? (2:48)The Copa Del Rey final is set (11:22)Tyler Adams’ next club (17:40)MLS weekend preview (28:29)#AskAlexi (36:48)One for the Road (43:18) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union Presented by Zillow. Someday Starts Today. We are officially 100 days out from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ and we’re talking all things USA. Alexi sat down with USMNT legend Brian McBride to talk about the striker options for the national team, what made the 2002 group that reached the quarterfinals so special, his infamous 2006 bloody nose incident and much more. Afterwards, Alexi and Mosse debate whether Tim Ream should pass the torch to Noahkai Banks for a starting center back spot and touch on the possibility that Banks might switch to the German national team. In #AskAlexi, the pair discuss if Italy can survive the playoffs and finally return to the World Cup and in One for the Road, Alexi gives us his top ten power rankings for teams in this summer’s tournament. Intro (0:00)Brian McBride: Who starts up top for the U.S. & more (2:52)U.S. Abroad: Banks vs Ream, Balogun & Wright keep scoring (28:43)Alexi's U.S. Starting XI Prediction (42:48)#AskAlexi: Italy misses again + Iran at the World Cup (47:27)One For The Road: World Cup Top 10 Power Rankings (54:26) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stu Holden and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! Stu and Mosse break down a wild two days of Champions League action that saw Weston McKennie score again but Juve’s comeback fall just short, Johnny Cardoso bagging his first goal for Atletico Madrid in a 4-1 win, Bodø/Glimt keeping their Cinderella run alive by shocking Inter at the San Siro, Real Madrid and Vini Jr. getting the last word over Benfica and much more. After, the pair preview some major matches in the Premier League this weekend and four huge derbies across Europe including Der Klassiker and The Old Firm. In #AskAlexi, Stu and Mosse discuss another former MLS manager being sacked in Europe and what that means about the overall quality of our domestic coaches and we wrap up in One For The Road with an MLS weekend lookahead. Intro: (0:00)A wild Champions League week (2:21)Weston and Juventus came so close (10:25)Can Pulisic and Milan find their groove again? (29:34)Derby Day in Europe! (33:26)#AskAlexi (43:59)One For The Road (52:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! The pair discuss both Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi finding the back of the net this weekend for Monaco and PSV, Tyler Adams making his long-awaited return for Bournemouth, and the struggles continuing for Juventus and AC Milan. They then come back stateside where MLS began its 31st season with a bang, a huge meeting between LAFC and Inter Miami at the LA Coliseum in front over 75K fans that the Black and Gold ran away with 3-0. Michael Bradley’s tenure as NYRB manager got off to a strong start, while Matt Turner’s New England Revolution career started with a 4-1 loss to Nashville. In #AskAlexi, the question is posed whether or not the USA will produce multiple world class soccer players and in One for the Road, Alexi wonders what US Soccer can learn from the gold medal winning US hockey teams. Intro (0:00)U.S. Abroad: Balogun & Pepi score, Adams is BACK (4:05)MLS Recap: Michael Bradley wins debut, Javier Aguirre slights MLS, Messi is mad (15:08)#AskAlexi: When will U.S. Men's soccer producer worldwide stars? (32:07)One For The Road: U.S. Hockey is Golden: What can USMNT learn? (39:48) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! The duo starts the show with their preview for the 2026 MLS season and debate if any club can dethrone Inter Miami. After, they dive into the week’s Champions League action, including Folarin Balogun’s brace vs PSG, Juventus losing again despite another McKennie assist and Bodø/Glimt toppling Inter Milan. Then, they break down Christian Pulisic starting on the bench again in Milan’s draw vs Como and Arsenal dropping points to last place Wolves. In #AskAlexi, the question is posed whether or not Jurgen Klinsmann and Gregg Berhalter were good managers just at the wrong time for the USMNT, and to finish in One For The Road, Alexi gives his top 5 MLS jersey power rankings. Intro: (0:00)2026 MLS Season Preview (3:50)UCL Recap: Vini Jr goal overshadowed by racism (16:10)#AskAlexi: U.S. ID & Berhalter vs. Klinsmann (42:34)One For The Road: MLS Jersey Power Rankings (54:55) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices