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2026 FIFA World Cup™ superlatives, Mauricio Pochettino to AC Milan, UCL final preview and more

5/29/202653 min

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! We open today’s show discussing the recent news that USA manager Mauricio Pochettino has been in contact with AC Milan to potentially join the Italian side after the coming World Cup. Was the hire a mistake from the beginning or should USA fans have known this was bound to be a short-term relationship? After, Alexi and Mosse break down Chris Richards and Crystal Palace winning the UEFA Conference League, the Champions League final this weekend between Arsenal and PSG, and the all Liga MX CONCACAF Champions Cup final as well. Then, the pair jump into superlatives for the World Cup this summer: who is going to win the Golden Boot and Golden Ball, their hottest takes entering the tournament, who is this year’s dark horse and much more. In #AskAlexi, we discuss how Alexi would approach managing the USA team and then break down Jesse Marsch’s contract extension with the Canadian national team. Finally, in One for the Road, Alexi and Mosse react to Tom Brady and Zlatan Ibrahimović’s one-on-one sit down. Presented by Zillow #Zillow Mauricio Pochettino linked to AC Milan (2:04)Arsenal and PSG meet in UCL final (10:20)World Cup Superlatives: Golden Boot (13:53)World Cup Superlatives: Golden Ball (16:55)World Cup Superlatives: Most fun Group Stage match (18:16)World Cup Superlatives: Dark horse of the tournament (20:06)World Cup Superlatives: USA player that will surprise fans (21:52)World Cup Superlatives: Hottest take (24:10)World Cup Superlatives: Final predictions (27:27)#AskAlexi: How would Alexi coach the USA team (30:00)One for the Road: Tom Brady and Zlatan (38:33) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clips

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds
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  15. Alexi Lalas· Host0:59

    This is as low as low can be on the totem pole of things that Mauricio Pochettino or these players are worried about right now. And I don't know what the big deal is. Mauricio Pochettino, as we have talked about, I think, for the last couple of years, was always a short-term hire. He was there specifically to make sure that this team has a successful 2026 World Cup. [bird caws] [upbeat music] Hello, sunshine.

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