Panayotis Alexander LALAS

Alexi Lalas was one of the best known US soccer (football) players, known as a very large (6-3 [191 cm]) defender. He played college soccer at Rutgers from 1988-91, winning the Hermann Award in 1991, and then was on the US national team from 1991-98. He participated at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, and the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, although he did not play in 1998. He earned 96 international caps.

Professionally Lalas first played in Italy with Padova from 1994-95. He joined Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996 with the New England Revolution. In MLS he later played with the MetroStars (1998), the Kansas City Wizards (1999), before finishing his playing career with the Los Angeles Galaxy (2001-03).

Lalas then became general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes. In 2006 he resigned from the Quakes to take the same position with the Los Angeles Galaxy, lasting there until 2008. However, Lalas became best known in his post-playing career as a color commentator for soccer on US television.