Soccer Legend Alexi Lalas Continues Doubt Over USMNT Coach After Shocking Japan Win

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” A famous line quoted by Michael Corleone in The Godfather: Part III, and a perfectly timed GIF shared by none other than Alexi Lalas to describe Mauricio Pochettino and the current USMNT after their decisive 2-0 triumph over Japan. The former American defender subtly echoed the feelings of many who had lost hope in the American boys following their 0-2 defeat to South Korea. While it might seem that the win has regained Lalas’ trust, that doesn’t appear to be the case at all.

Apparently, the player-turned-pundit still has some doubts lingering around the team as well as the manager. It all came to light on Alexi Lalas’ weekly segment of “Hello, Sunshine. What are we yelling about?” on X, where he opens up the mic for his fans to question or give their opinion on anything. Interestingly, one netizen posed a question about whether the USMNT’s win over Japan has alleviated any of his concerns about the team as they continue to prepare for the 2026 World Cup test.

Alexi Lalas quickly responded to the question, saying, “No, I remain concerned. But I’ve decided to throw out this past window. It now holds no value. Mauricio Pochettino made it clear that this window was simply a training session and experimental. So, I will accept Pochettino’s explanation and kick my judgment can to the next window.”

Looks like the jury’s still out on Pochettino and Co., as Lalas believes that this window has proved nothing. And it’s the Argentinian tactician’s squad selection, and the outcomes of the matches. Rather, the former LA Galaxy star will keep an eye on the next window, where the USMNT will be facing Ecuador and Australia in mid-October.

To be fair, it’s not just Lalas, as many former players and pundits have raised eyebrows at Mauricio Pochettino over still experimenting with the squad, when only nine months remain until the World Cup kicks off. No wonder, just when the line-ups were out before the Japan game, the 55-year-old took a dig at the starting lineup, writing, “USMNT training session starting 11 for tonight.”

But he had praise for a few, like when Alejandro Zendejas broke the deadlock in the 30th minute, leading Alexi Lalas to acknowledge that Pochettino’s work was paying off: “Crossing & finishing training going well,” he tweeted while sharing the goal. Then, just over an hour in, the former Seattle defender praised Folarin Balogun, who had added a second with a composed finish from the left: “Balogun’s aim is true,” wrote Lalas.

Then again, the bigger picture still has Mauricio Pochettino and his team under scrutiny. And when it comes to Lalas’ doubts, while he may be giving this Golden Generation the benefit of the doubt for now, that doesn’t mean he envisions his nation lifting the prestigious World Cup anytime soon.

Alexi Lalas does envision the USMNT winning a World Cup!

Yes, you heard it right. But mind you, whether it would be under Mauricio Pochettino’s guidance isn’t what Lalas is implying. It all came up on his own State of the Union podcast, where a fan asked him if he would stake a meaningful sum of money on the U.S. winning a World Cup in his lifetime. His response? “Yeah, a definitive yes!”

And it all came with a lot of math. He pointed out that the average life expectancy for an American is about 76, which gives the 55-year-old roughly six more World Cups to witness—including the 2026 edition. Maybe more, but let’s assume six for the sake of the discussion. And if the U.S. qualifies for each of them, he feels confident enough to place that bet—hence the firm “yes.”

For Lalas, it’s not just unchecked optimism or an attempt to sugarcoat things for his audience. He genuinely believes that over the next two decades, American soccer will see massive investments fueling the game’s growth. As he put it, “It’s not blind faith; it’s not delusional; it’s not Pollyanna or anything like that.” To him, it’s simply a belief.

Sure, Lalas still acknowledged the realities and challenges of achieving such a feat, noting that history is against the U.S., given that only a handful of teams have ever managed it. Still, he suggested that perhaps it’s simply an American trait to believe they can accomplish things others say are impossible. “So yes, in my lifetime, I would bet whatever it is that the US men’s team would win a World Cup,” he said.

So, Alexi Lalas’ jury is still out on Mauricio Pochettino and the current USMNT, but not on the broader question of whether they can win it all someday.