Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcast · FOX Sports

USMNT Abroad Recap: Aaronson’s Leeds Redemption, Adams Leads Bournemouth, & Messi’s Magic

October 28, 2025·58 min·5 clips

Alexi Lalas warns that if an American player is an asshole abroad, it hurts the entire U.S. soccer image.

Why are you still talking about Gio? That cold-open question gives the episode its mood, because the show keeps circling players who draw attention even when there is not much on the field to work with. Alexi runs through a stuffed agenda: Brendan, Tyler's Rarified Air, Liverpool Crisis, a Gio sighting, Springsteen, Duolingo Messi, RIP Camp Cupcake, the Expos, and whatever else makes it through. Mossie shows up tired but willing after a bad night of sleep. The familiar rhythm kicks in fast. A club note turns into a World Cup question, then an injury note makes everyone a little more nervous. Tim Weah assists Mason Greenwood's Marseille goal against Lens, then leaves early with an injury. Alexi immediately goes into preservation mode. As 2026 gets closer, he thinks players may be less willing to push through small tweaks, because one bad gamble could cost them the tournament. Scotland makes the picture rougher. Hearts beat Celtic 3-1, Austin Trusty never gets used, and Cameron Carter-Vickers is out with an Achilles injury that Brendan Rodgers says could take three to five months. That is where the recap turns into roster accounting. Alexi puts Carter-Vickers on the bubble and folds him into the back-line mess with Chris Richards, Ream, and the spare spots still sitting there. Gio gets the same treatment. The point is not mystery for mystery's sake. Gio Reyna becomes a topic whenever he shows up because the talent still tugs at the conversation, even when the evidence is thin. McKinney gets a cleaner kind of respect. The cold open credits him for proving his value and versatility to whoever is coaching, which is exactly the sort of trait this show treats like World Cup currency. Messi brings the detour, with broken English, affection, celebrity, and soccer culture all turned into a quick jab before the show snaps back. The outro stays loose too, with Alexi racing through downloads, reviews, subscriptions, YouTube, Spotify, and the usual signoff. It feels like a fast soccer notebook with jokes scribbled in the margins.

As heard by us

A blunt World Cup watch that keeps the U.S. roster stakes clear.

The episode moves from a casual World Cup watch to a firmer look at the U.S. player pool, with Gio Reyna and Weston McKennie doing most of the heavy lifting.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want the U.S. player watch tracked through Europe, with World Cup stakes in view.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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