Alexi Lalas dreading thought England could win World Cup on America's 250th birthday: 'Cannot have that'

There is nary clear-cut favourite heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but if you inquire Fox Sports expert Alexi Lalas who helium believes volition assistance the trophy astatine the extremity of the tournament, he’ll springiness you 1 answer.

"I don’t attraction who wins arsenic agelong arsenic it’s not England," helium said during Fox Sports’ FIFA World Cup 2026 Media Day connected Wednesday successful New York City. "I tin abide by a batch of things happening this summer, but 1 happening I cannot is having England travel implicit connected our shores, connected our 250th day of what I consciousness is the top state successful the world, and for them to triumph a World Cup.

"If you deliberation they’re insufferable now, could you ideate they came implicit and won that World Cup and it’s coming location done our country. I cannot person that, truthful anybody but England."

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Alexi Lalas, Fox Sports shot expert and U.S. men's nationalist squad legend, appears animated connected signifier astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood, Calif., connected April 14, 2023. (Michael Janosz/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

The U.S.-England rivalry successful shot was successful afloat unit successful 2022, erstwhile they were pitted against each different successful their radical signifier successful Qatar. It was a 0-0 gully successful a hard-fought lucifer for some sides, but successful 2026, they’ll person to get retired of their respective groups if they are to conscionable successful the tournament.

But Lalas couldn’t ideate England taking location its archetypal World Cup since 1966 — the country’s lone triumph successful the tourney of each tournaments.

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There is nary denying, though, however large the English squad volition beryllium this year, arsenic Lalas knows.

"They’re truly good," helium said. "As overmuch arsenic it pains maine to say, they are very, precise good. The shot gods person a wicked consciousness of humor. Please not England, anybody but England."

Lalas’ Fox Sports colleague, big Rebecca Lowe, is simply a West Londoner who has dreamed of her state winning it each since she tin remember.

"Every 4 years of my play since 1990, I deliberation astir England winning the World Cup," she said aft Lalas’ rant. "So, I’m present getting to a signifier wherever if I now spell against them, they’re going to bash it.

"I’m going to beryllium courageous. It is going to travel home."

Commentator and erstwhile subordinate Alexi Lalas looks connected earlier the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2025 last betwixt the United States and Mexico astatine NRG Stadium successful Houston, Texas, connected July 6, 2025. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)

Lowe and Lalas said that they volition person a stake successful spot erstwhile the tourney begins where, if England does so triumph it all, the second volition person to bash thing and vice versa.

Carli Lloyd, Stu Holden, and Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez besides gave their predictions astir who would win. Hernandez was connected Lowe’s broadside believing England could triumph it all, though helium hopes his location country, chap big tract Mexico, tin bash truthful instead.

Lloyd and Holden some deliberation France, which fell successful penalties to Argentina successful the 2022 World Cup Final, volition get the occupation done astatine MetLife Stadium successful July.

"The French, I conscionable look astatine this team, they proceed to get stronger. When they spell down a generation, the adjacent procreation comes," Holden said.

Soccer expert Alexi Lalas speaks astatine the FOX Sports 2018 FIFA World Cup Celebration connected Sept. 26, 2017, astatine ArtBeam successful New York City. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for FOX Sports)

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"I’m going to spell with France arsenic well," Lloyd added soon after. "The depth, the experience. I cognize firsthand losing successful 2011 astatine the World Cup, coming backmost and truly having that tendency to truly privation to triumph successful 2015. There’s thing astir that."

The sheet was hopeful the U.S. men’s nationalist squad tin marque a tally connected location soil, but it’s hard to contradict the endowment level elsewhere arsenic the champion players and countries successful the satellite converge connected North America successful conscionable a fewer weeks.

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