In a momentous announcement, the California Sports Hall of Fame has officially welcomed soccer icon Alexi Lalas into its esteemed Class of 2023. With an illustrious career that has left an indelible mark on the sport, Lalas stands among the select few athletes to receive this prestigious honour.
Alexi Lalas, born on June 1, 1970, in Birmingham, Michigan, is a prominent figure in the world of soccer. He is of Greek and Armenian descent, which adds to the rich tapestry of his background and cultural heritage.
Alexi Lalas, a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and one of the sport's most recognizable personalities, joined FOX Sports in January 2015 to serve its family of networks as lead studio analyst across all soccer properties. He provides in-depth analysis across the network's marquee soccer presentations, including the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup, U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) matches, and Major League Soccer (MLS). CONCACAF Gold Cup, CONCACAF Champions League, Conmebol Copa America, UEFA European Qualifiers, UEFA Nations League and more
Lalas will work his eighth straight FIFA World Cup™ this summer when FOX Sports presents the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. He also hosts the weekly podcast ALEXI LALAS STATE OF THE UNION
Best known as a standout defender on the USMNT during the 1994 World Cup, Lalas was a key member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team and the 1998 US World Cup squad
He was the first American to play in Italy's top division, Serie A, with club Padova, before moving to MLS in 1996, the league's inaugural season. One of the first signings for Major League Soccer, Lalas began his MLS career with the New England Revolution. He went on to play for the MetroStars, Kansas City Wizards and the Los Angeles Galaxy
He enjoyed much of his on-field success with the LA Galaxy, winning the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Cup in 2002. Following his retirement in 2002, Lalas was appointed President and General Manager of the San Jose Earthquakes. He served the same role with the New York MetroStars in 2005 and LA Galaxy in 2008 before joining ESPN
On the collegiate level, Lalas was a three-time captain at Rutgers and the only soccer player to receive three All-America honours. He helped Rutgers to its first No. 1 ranking in the program's history during his senior year. He was also named to a trio of Atlantic 10 All-Conference teams and was a four-time Mid-Atlantic Region choice. During his time "On The Banks," the Scarlet Knights went a combined 71-15-8 with Atlantic 10 Championships in 1990 and 1991.
Lalas came to FOX Sports from ESPN, where he was the lead studio analyst for the network's coverage of 2006, 2010, and 2074 FIFA World Cup™ He also provided analysis on MLS, USMNT matches and international soccer events, including the UEFA European Championships and FIFA Confederations Cups One of the best defenders in American soccer history, Lalas also elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2006. Lalas is also a Rutgers Sports Hall of Fame (1998) and Rutgers Soccer's 75th All-Anniversary Team member. As a broadcaster, Lalas made history in 2018 as the first-ever soccer analyst to be nominated for a Sports Emmy in the Outstanding Sports Personality category.
