Alexi Lalas maintains stance on calling football 'soccer
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 19, 2026, 10:30 AM
Last updated Jun 19, 2026
Former USMNT player Alexi Lalas, responding to a fan's suggestion, asserted he will continue to call football 'soccer'. In comments made on social media, Lalas stated that he finds it 'cringe' for someone who grew up calling it soccer to switch terminologies due to insecurity. The debate over the sport's name is reignited as the 2026 World Cup approaches, yet Lalas firmly owns his choice, emphasizing that in the U.S., the term football typically refers to American football. The conversation comes amid broader discussions about soccer's identity in North America as the World Cup nears.
- •Alexi Lalas refuses to call football 'soccer'.
- •Lalas labels changing terminology as 'cringe'.
- •Debate resurfaces with the 2026 World Cup approaching.
- •Football in the U.S. typically refers to American football.
- 10:30 AMYahoo Sports — ‘It’s cringe’: Former USMNT player explains why he will never call football soccer
"With the 2026 World Cup taking place in North America, the debate around whether the sport should be called football or soccer is raging once more. The modern version of football was popularised in Europe, and on that continent, it is called by its original name.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- FIFA World Cup•Jun 19, 2026, 4:27 PMUSA-Australia ref once served a 6-month ban for match fixing
- EPL•Jun 19, 2026, 4:21 PMHungary defender Styles signs new West Brom deal
- EPL•Jun 19, 2026, 4:20 PMManu Kone’s entourage trying to engineer England move, Arsenal contacted
- Bundesliga•Jun 19, 2026, 4:20 PMElversberg closing in on loan deal for Stuttgart's Noah Darvich
- MLS•Jun 19, 2026, 4:17 PM🔥 Juve eye Comotto, MLS wants Pulisic, De Vrij to 🇬🇷: today's market 🤑
SoccerMLS•Jun 19, 2026, 4:00 PMA guide to Washington football's June 19 official visitors
