World Cup Power Rankings

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union Presented by Zillow. Someday Starts Today. We are officially 100 days out from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ and we’re talking all things USA. Alexi sat down with USMNT legend Brian McBride to talk about the striker options for the national team, what made the 2002 group that reached the quarterfinals so special, his infamous 2006 bloody nose incident and much more. Afterwards, Alexi and Mosse debate whether Tim Ream should pass the torch to Noahkai Banks for a starting center back spot and touch on the possibility that Banks might switch to the German national team. In #AskAlexi, the pair discuss if Italy can survive the playoffs and finally return to the World Cup and in One for the Road, Alexi gives us his top ten power rankings for teams in this summer’s tournament. Intro (0:00)Brian McBride: Who starts up top for the U.S. & more (2:52)U.S. Abroad: Banks vs Ream, Balogun & Wright keep scoring (28:43)Alexi's U.S. Starting XI Prediction (42:48)#AskAlexi: Italy misses again + Iran at the World Cup (47:27)One For The Road: World Cup Top 10 Power Rankings (54:26) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With just one year until the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup kicks off on home soil, Alexi Lalas, David Mosse, and Rob Stone reunite to break down what success actually means for the USMNT next summer. From past performance stats and future expectations, the crew evaluates how far this team has come since 1994, 2002, and 2014—and how far they still need to go.Alexi opens the show with a look at what's ahead for the team, including a pivotal Gold Cup.A listener chimes in for #AskAlexi, including a classic debate: 1994 vs. 2026? Then, it’s a global check-in with Alexi’s World Cup Power Rankings. Spain tops the list, but who joins them in the top ten? And who are the five players that could define the 2026 tournament?All that, plus a USMNT style-of-play debate and historical FIFA rankings comparisons. Don’t miss this milestone episode. Intro(0:00) What Does Success Look for the USMNT? (3:42)USMNT Style of Play Debate (18:11)USMNT Historical Comparison (25:09)1994 vs Today (30:39)Alexi's Top 10 World Cup Power Rankings (43:13)Players That Will Decide the 2026 FIFA World Cup (51:15) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices