Alexi Lalas
Encyclopedia
Panayotis Alexander Lalas (born June 1, 1970) is a retired American
soccer player who played mostly as a defender
for the United States national team
in the 1994 FIFA World Cup
. He became the first modern-era American soccer player to play in the Italian
Serie A
.
Following his playing career, Lalas served as President and General Manager
of the San Jose Earthquakes
, New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy
of Major League Soccer
. He was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame
in 2006.
He currently works as an analyst with ESPN
and ABC Sports.
, United States, to a Greek father and an American mother. His father was a professor
who later became the director of Greece's national observatory, while his mother is a writer and poet. His brother, Greg Lalas
, played in MLS with the Tampa Bay Mutiny
and is currently the editor-in-chief of MLSsoccer.com. Lalas is fluent in Spanish.
. While he did not begin playing soccer until he was eleven, he had honed his skills enough to be named the 1987 Michigan High School Player of the Year his senior year. In addition to playing soccer, he was a member and a captain of his state's high school state championship hockey team. Lalas was rated for the Ontario Hockey League Midget draft in 1987, however, was not selected.
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1988 to 1991. During his four seasons at Rutgers, he led the Scarlet Knights
to the NCAA Final Four in 1989 and the National Championship Game
in 1990.
Lalas was named a third team All-American in 1989 and 1990. In 1991, he gained first team All American
recognition and was selected for both the Hermann Trophy
and the Missouri Athletic Club
Player of the Year award. As in high school, Lalas also played hockey in college, leading the team in scoring in 1989.
player Bob McNab
in California. This led to a trial with Arsenal during the winter of 1992. It was determined that Lalas did not have the quality for a first team spot, but did train with and played for the Reserve team before being cut shortly after his arrival in North London.
, Lalas signed with Italian Serie A
club Padova
. While Lalas anchored the team’s defense and scored three goals off set pieces (including against AC Milan & Internazionale), Padova finished the 1994-1995 season at the bottom of the standings. Only after winning a relegation play off on June 10, 1995, did the team ensure its survival in the top ranks for the next season. On June 25, 1995, Major League Soccer
(MLS) signed Lalas to play for one of the new league’s teams. While MLS had intended to begin playing in 1995, it had run into difficulties and so delayed the first season until 1996. In order to allow Lalas to maintain his match fitness, MLS loaned him back to Padova for the 1995-1996 season. Lalas last played for Padova in a home game against Lazio on February 25, 1996.
(MLS) draft in February 1996, the league allocated
high profile players throughout the league’s ten teams. As part of this process, MLS placed Lalas with the New England Revolution
. Lalas was a regular on the Revs backline during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. In November 1997, the Revolution loaned Lalas to Ecuadorian First Division Club Emelec
for a month. He returned to New England at the end of December only to find himself traded to the MetroStars
on February 4, 1998. He spent the 1998 season with the MetroStars before being traded, along with Tony Meola
, to the Kansas City Wizards
for Mark Chung
and Mike Ammann
on January 28, 1999. Lalas spent one season with the Wizards before announcing his retirement on October 10, 1999. Just over a year later, he returned to playing when he signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy
as a discovery player on January 14, 2001. Nearly three years later, he retired again, this time permanently, on January 12, 2004.
, scoring nine goals, with the U.S. National Team
between 1991 and 1998. His first cap came in a 2-2 tie with Mexico
on March 12, 1991 in the 1991 NAFC Championship
. He gained his second cap four days later in a 2-0 win over Canada
. While he started both games, he did not gain another cap until he came on for Fernando Clavijo
in a 2-2 tie with Denmark
on January 30, 1993. His next game, a start, came on March 23, 1993 in a 2-2 tie with El Salvador
. While he became a fixture on the team through the rest of 1993, he did not cement his position as a starter in the U.S. central defense until the beginning of 1994. He went on to start and play all ninety minutes in the four U.S. games of the 1994 FIFA World Cup
and was named an honorable mention All-Star. On June 11, 1995, Lalas flew directly from a relegation playoff game with his club team, Padova
, in order to appear in the second half of a 1995 U.S. Cup
victory over Nigeria
. His contributions to the national team led to his selection as the 1995 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
. While Lalas was on the roster for the U.S. at the 1998 FIFA World Cup
, he never entered a game. His last cap had come in the final U.S. tuneup for the finals, a May 30, 1998 scoreless tie with Scotland
where he was a second half substitute for Earnie Stewart.
, an American soccer club based in Southern California
, primarily made up of celebrities and former pro players.
Lalas was selected as one of three overage players on the U.S. Olympic teams at both the 1992
and 1996 Summer Olympics
.
during the 2000 Summer Olympics
and co-hosted ESPN2
's MLS Extratime
. He also performed in-studio analysis for ESPN
and ABC Sports coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
, and for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. In addition, he provided color commentary
for San Jose Earthquakes
television broadcasts.
, franchise owned at the time by Anschutz Entertainment Group
(AEG). In 2005, he got transferred within the AEG organization as a reward for trading the rights to Landon Donovan
's contract, becoming the president and GM of the MetroStars
. Lalas oversaw the club's transition to Red Bull New York
, as AEG sold the club to the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH
.
In April 2006, he resigned from that position to take over the Galaxy, also owned by AEG. During his Galaxy GM tenure, Lalas was one of the individuals who was given credit for bringing soccer superstar David Beckham
to the Galaxy's roster. On August 11, 2008 Lalas was fired as Galaxy GM.
during their 1998 European tour. Also in 1998, Lalas released his solo album Ginger and his single Goodnight Moon on the CMC International
records label. Since the release of Ginger, Lalas has released three solo albums—the most recent, a downloadable only album called So It Goes in September 2010.
|1996||rowspan="2"|New England Revolution
||rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer
||25||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997||30||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998||MetroStars
||Major League Soccer
||25||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999||Kansas City Wizards||Major League Soccer
||30||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001||rowspan="3"|Los Angeles Galaxy
||rowspan="3"|Major League Soccer
||11||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002||26||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003||22||1||||||||||||||||
169||16||||||||||||||||
169||16||||||||||||||||
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who played mostly as a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for the United States national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
. He became the first modern-era American soccer player to play in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
.
Following his playing career, Lalas served as President and General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. He was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
in 2006.
He currently works as an analyst with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and ABC Sports.
Personal life
Lalas was born in Birmingham, MichiganBirmingham, Michigan
Birmingham is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan and an affluent suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103...
, United States, to a Greek father and an American mother. His father was a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
who later became the director of Greece's national observatory, while his mother is a writer and poet. His brother, Greg Lalas
Greg Lalas
Greg Lalas is a retired American soccer defender and the editor-in-chief of MLSsoccer.com. Perhaps best known as the brother of Alexi Lalas, he was previously site director of Goal.com, co-host of the twice-weekly internet show ExtraTime Radio on MLSsoccer.com,and the weekly podcast Waiting for...
, played in MLS with the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
and is currently the editor-in-chief of MLSsoccer.com. Lalas is fluent in Spanish.
High school
Lalas attended Cranbrook Kingswood School in Bloomfield Hills, MichiganBloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
. While he did not begin playing soccer until he was eleven, he had honed his skills enough to be named the 1987 Michigan High School Player of the Year his senior year. In addition to playing soccer, he was a member and a captain of his state's high school state championship hockey team. Lalas was rated for the Ontario Hockey League Midget draft in 1987, however, was not selected.
College
Lalas attended Rutgers UniversityRutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1988 to 1991. During his four seasons at Rutgers, he led the Scarlet Knights
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey...
to the NCAA Final Four in 1989 and the National Championship Game
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
in 1990.
Lalas was named a third team All-American in 1989 and 1990. In 1991, he gained first team All American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
recognition and was selected for both the Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
and the Missouri Athletic Club
Missouri Athletic Club
The Missouri Athletic Club , founded in 1903, is a traditional gentlemen's club and athletic club in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri, USA, with a separate athletic campus in the St. Louis County suburb of Town and Country. The MAC awards the annual Hermann Trophy, the highest award in American...
Player of the Year award. As in high school, Lalas also played hockey in college, leading the team in scoring in 1989.
Arsenal
After college and the 1992 Olympics, Lalas trained with former ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
player Bob McNab
Bob McNab
Robert "Bob" McNab is an English former footballer.McNab started out at his local club, Huddersfield Town, playing nearly seventy times in three seasons...
in California. This led to a trial with Arsenal during the winter of 1992. It was determined that Lalas did not have the quality for a first team spot, but did train with and played for the Reserve team before being cut shortly after his arrival in North London.
Padova
Following the 1994 FIFA World Cup1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, Lalas signed with Italian Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
club Padova
Calcio Padova
Calcio Padova is an Italian football club, based in Padua, Veneto. The club was founded in 1910. Padova is playing in Serie B, having last been in Serie A in 1996...
. While Lalas anchored the team’s defense and scored three goals off set pieces (including against AC Milan & Internazionale), Padova finished the 1994-1995 season at the bottom of the standings. Only after winning a relegation play off on June 10, 1995, did the team ensure its survival in the top ranks for the next season. On June 25, 1995, Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) signed Lalas to play for one of the new league’s teams. While MLS had intended to begin playing in 1995, it had run into difficulties and so delayed the first season until 1996. In order to allow Lalas to maintain his match fitness, MLS loaned him back to Padova for the 1995-1996 season. Lalas last played for Padova in a home game against Lazio on February 25, 1996.
MLS
Prior to the inaugural Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) draft in February 1996, the league allocated
1996 MLS Inaugural Allocations
The Major League Soccer Inaugural Allocations were signed by the league in 1996 and distributed to the ten initial teams prior to the beginning of the first MLS season...
high profile players throughout the league’s ten teams. As part of this process, MLS placed Lalas with the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. Lalas was a regular on the Revs backline during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. In November 1997, the Revolution loaned Lalas to Ecuadorian First Division Club Emelec
Club Sport Emelec
Club Sport Emelec is a Ecuadorian sports club based in Guayaquil that is best known for their professional football team. The football team plays in the Ecuadorian Serie A, the highest level of professional football in the country....
for a month. He returned to New England at the end of December only to find himself traded to the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
on February 4, 1998. He spent the 1998 season with the MetroStars before being traded, along with Tony Meola
Tony Meola
Antonio Michael "Tony" Meola is an American former soccer goalkeeper who played for the United States national team at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, and from 1996 to 2006 played in Major League Soccer, the U.S. top soccer division, where he obtained multiple honors...
, to the Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
for Mark Chung
Mark Chung
Mark Chung is a former American soccer midfielder who, after a season in the Continental Indoor Soccer League, played ten seasons in Major League Soccer. He also earned twenty-four caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team.-Youth and college:Chung was born in Toronto to Chinese...
and Mike Ammann
Mike Ammann
Mike Ammann is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in England and Major League Soccer.-Youth:...
on January 28, 1999. Lalas spent one season with the Wizards before announcing his retirement on October 10, 1999. Just over a year later, he returned to playing when he signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
as a discovery player on January 14, 2001. Nearly three years later, he retired again, this time permanently, on January 12, 2004.
National team
Lalas earned 96 capsCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
, scoring nine goals, with the U.S. National Team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
between 1991 and 1998. His first cap came in a 2-2 tie with Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
on March 12, 1991 in the 1991 NAFC Championship
NAFC Championship
The NAFC Championship was a football tournament for teams in the area of North America between the years of 1947 and 1949...
. He gained his second cap four days later in a 2-0 win over Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
. While he started both games, he did not gain another cap until he came on for Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo is a retired American soccer football defender and former head coach of the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. He played three seasons in the American Soccer League, two in the North American Soccer League and ten in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
in a 2-2 tie with Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
on January 30, 1993. His next game, a start, came on March 23, 1993 in a 2-2 tie with El Salvador
El Salvador national football team
El Salvador's national football team represents El Salvador in international football and is sanctioned by the Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol . In 1899, Santa Ana and San Salvador met for the first hosted football game in El Salvador...
. While he became a fixture on the team through the rest of 1993, he did not cement his position as a starter in the U.S. central defense until the beginning of 1994. He went on to start and play all ninety minutes in the four U.S. games of the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
and was named an honorable mention All-Star. On June 11, 1995, Lalas flew directly from a relegation playoff game with his club team, Padova
Calcio Padova
Calcio Padova is an Italian football club, based in Padua, Veneto. The club was founded in 1910. Padova is playing in Serie B, having last been in Serie A in 1996...
, in order to appear in the second half of a 1995 U.S. Cup
1995 U.S. Cup
The 1995 U.S. Cup was a four nation invitational tournament organized by the United States Soccer Federation in June 1995. USSF began the U.S. Cup in 1992 and it was played annually until 2000, except for the World Cup years of 1994 and 1998. The cup used a round-robin format in which the team...
victory over Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
. His contributions to the national team led to his selection as the 1995 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...
. While Lalas was on the roster for the U.S. at the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, he never entered a game. His last cap had come in the final U.S. tuneup for the finals, a May 30, 1998 scoreless tie with Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
where he was a second half substitute for Earnie Stewart.
| Alexi Lalas international goals | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | May 8, 1993 | Miami, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
1–2 | Loss | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 2. | June 9, 1993 | Foxboro Foxboro Foxboro or Foxborough may refer to:Places*Foxborough, Massachusetts, a town in Norfolk County** Foxboro *Foxboro, Ontario, a community in Hastings County*Foxboro, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Douglas CountyOther... , United States |
2–0 | Win | US Cup | |
| 3. | July 17, 1993 | Dallas, United States | 1–0 | Win | 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup -Group B:---------------------Bracket:-Semifinals:-----Third place match:-Final:-Top scorers:11 goals Zaguinho5 goals Luis Miguel Salvador4 goals Eduardo Bennett3 goals Juan Arnoldo Cayasso Octavio Mora... |
|
| 4. | November 7, 1993 | Fullerton Fullerton -Locations:Australia* Fullerton Cove, New South WalesCanada* Cape Fullerton, NunavutUnited States* Fullerton, California, a city in Orange County... , United States |
1–0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 5. | January 29, 1994 | Seattle, United States | 1–1 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 6. | July 14, 1995 | Paysandú Paysandú -Transportation:The city is served by Tydeo Larre Borges International Airport.-Climate:Paysandú has a humid subtropical climate, described by the Köppen climate classification as Cfa. Summers are warm to hot and winters are cool, with the occurrence of frosts and fog... , Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area... |
3–0 | Win | 1995 Copa América | |
| 7. | October 8, 1995 | Washington, United States | 4–3 | Win | Friendly | |
| 8. | February 1, 1997 | Guangzhou Guangzhou Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port... , PR China |
1–1 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 9. | June 17, 1997 | Jacksonville Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968... , United States |
2–1 | Win | Friendly |
Amateur
Lalas is currently a part-time player for Hollywood United F.C.Hollywood United F.C.
Hollywood United is an American amateur soccer team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1988, the team plays in Region IV of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.-Origins:Hollywood United...
, an American soccer club based in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, primarily made up of celebrities and former pro players.
Lalas was selected as one of three overage players on the U.S. Olympic teams at both the 1992
United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Gold:* Michael Marsh — Athletics, Men's 200 metres* Quincy Watts — Athletics, Men's 400 metres* Kevin Young — Athletics, Men's 400 m Hurdles...
and 1996 Summer Olympics
United States at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The United States was the host nation for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.- Gold:* Justin Huish — Archery, Men's Individual Competition* Justin Huish, Richard Johnson, and Rod White — Archery, Men's Team Competition...
.
Broadcaster
During his sabbatical from soccer in 2000, he was a commentator for soccer matches on NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
during the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and co-hosted ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
's MLS Extratime
MLS Extratime
MLS ExtraTime was a Major League Soccer highlight show that aired on ESPN2 in 2000 and 2001. Rob Stone co-hosted first with Roy Wegerle, then with Alexi Lalas, in 2000 and with Dave Dir in 2001...
. He also performed in-studio analysis for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and ABC Sports coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
, and for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. In addition, he provided color commentary
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
television broadcasts.
Major League Soccer General manager
After his retirement from playing soccer in 2003, Lalas took a job as the general manager of the San Jose EarthquakesSan Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, franchise owned at the time by Anschutz Entertainment Group
Anschutz Entertainment Group
The Anschutz Entertainment Group is a sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports events, the owner of the world’s most profitable sports and entertainment venues, and under AEG Live the world's...
(AEG). In 2005, he got transferred within the AEG organization as a reward for trading the rights to Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
's contract, becoming the president and GM of the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
. Lalas oversaw the club's transition to Red Bull New York
Red Bull New York
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The team competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
, as AEG sold the club to the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH
Red Bull GmbH
Red Bull GmbH is an Austrian company which sells the Red Bull energy drink. In 2010, more than 4.204 billion cans were sold in over 161 countries. 7,758 employees generated 3.78 billion euros in revenue...
.
In April 2006, he resigned from that position to take over the Galaxy, also owned by AEG. During his Galaxy GM tenure, Lalas was one of the individuals who was given credit for bringing soccer superstar David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
to the Galaxy's roster. On August 11, 2008 Lalas was fired as Galaxy GM.
Musical career
Lalas was a lead member (guitars, vocals) for the rock band Gypsies, releasing two albums Woodland and Jet Lag. "Woodland" featured the single "Kicking Balls"--which was used in the soundtrack for the movie "The Big Green". The Gypsies were the opening act for eight performances of Hootie & the BlowfishHootie & the Blowfish
Hootie & the Blowfish is an American rock band that enjoyed popularity in the second half of the 1990s. They were originally formed in 1986 at the University of South Carolina by Darius Rucker, Dean Felber, Jim Sonefeld, and Mark Bryan. The band has recorded five studio albums to date, and has...
during their 1998 European tour. Also in 1998, Lalas released his solo album Ginger and his single Goodnight Moon on the CMC International
CMC International
CMC International was an American independent record label founded by Tom Lipsky in 1991, focused mainly on classic rock, and classic heavy metal. The label was the haven of many hard rock, arena rock, glam metal and AOR artists in the period when all the majors were investing all their financial...
records label. Since the release of Ginger, Lalas has released three solo albums—the most recent, a downloadable only album called So It Goes in September 2010.
"The Sitter with Alexi Lalas"
Debuting in the 2009 season, Lalas has a weekly video segment in which he gives color commentary on the happenings around MLS. The segments are brief (2–3 minutes) and discuss all matter of content from league officiating to Lalas' musings of "if he ruled the game". All episodes are streamed directly from the league's website, MLSnet.com, and can be found in the "Exclusives" section. Episodes include:- Episode 1: "Seattle"
- Episode 2: "Rapid-fire first impressions"
- Episode 3: "Lacking quality in defenders"
- Episode 4: "The lure of playing abroad"
- Episode 5: "Where have all the cowboys gone?"
- Episode 6: "Diving"
- Episode 7: "Coach's challenge"
- Episode 8: "If I ruled the game"
- Episode 9: "Go wide, young men"
Los Angeles Galaxy
- CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2000
- Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupLamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
: 2001 - MLS CupMLS CupThe MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
: 2002 - MLS Supporters' ShieldMLS Supporters' ShieldThe Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
: 2002
Rutgers
- Hermann TrophyHermann TrophyThe Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
: 1991 - Missouri Athletic Club Player of the YearHermann TrophyThe Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
: 1991
Individual
- Honda Player of the YearHonda Player of the YearThe Honda Player of the Year recognizes the best player on the United States Men's National Soccer Team, as chosen by the national sports media.The winner of the Honda Player of the Year award receives a new Honda motor vehicle....
: 1995 - U.S. Soccer Athlete of the YearU.S. Soccer Athlete of the YearThe U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...
: 1995 - MLS Best XIMLS Best XIThe MLS Best XI is an acknowledgement of the best eleven players in the league in a given season for Major League Soccer in Canada and the United States.-Winners:*Players in bold text also won the Major League Soccer MVP Award award for that season....
: 2002
Career statistics
|-|1996||rowspan="2"|New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
||rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
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|1997||30||2||||||||||||||||
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|1998||MetroStars
Red Bull New York
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The team competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
||Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
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|-
|1999||Kansas City Wizards||Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
||30||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001||rowspan="3"|Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
||rowspan="3"|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
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|2002||26||4||||||||||||||||
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|2003||22||1||||||||||||||||
169||16||||||||||||||||
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External links
- Profile on UsSoccerPlayers.com
- Soccer times profile
- Alexi Lalas Myspace
- Rutgers soccer history
- Padova stats
- MLS stats
- Alexi Lalas ESPN Bio