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Messi, Argentina win second straight Copa America final
USA TODAY Sports’ Safid Deen recaps the Copa America final where Argentina defeated Colombia for their second-straight title in this tournament.
At this point in his career, former USMNT soccer player and current FOX Sports analyst Alexi Lalas is an acquired taste.
His latest foray into controversy happened over the weekend before the Copa América final in Miami. Some fans without tickets rushed gates outside Hard Rock Stadium trying to enter, leading to a delay of nearly 90 minutes before the match started.
“I think this shows that there are many home teams when it comes to the U.S., but there is a fervor and there is a passion for this game and for these tournaments that is going to be on display for the next two years and is going to culminate in what I think is going to be the most important and biggest summer of soccer when it comes to the summer of 2026,” said Lalas, whose comments and FOX’s coverage of the event was widely panned.
The popular podcast “Men in Blazers” weighed in and essentially applauded that Lalas won’t be commentating on television until the next time Fox has a soccer telecast.
“Warning: You are down to your last 15 minutes of this Summer of Soccer. Brace yourself. Lalas will not be on your television tomorrow. Don’t cry because it happened, smile because it’s over,” a post from the “Men in Blazers” account on X read.”
Lalas responded with his own social media post on X, saying, “I enjoy and respect the @MenInBlazers unique wit, humor, and perspective. I’m sorry you don’t care for me but I still raise a toast and salute you @rogbennett and wish you well going forward.”
That led former USWNT star Carli Lloyd to weigh in and defend Lalas. Lloyd was an analyst on Lalas’s panel during the network’s Copa America coverage.
Lloyd went on to blast “Men in Blazers” and says on X: “This is pretty low and classless. No need for it. I enjoyed sitting next to @AlexiLalas all summer long and looking forward to it again!”
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