Latest news with #Lalas
USA Today
13-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lalas slams Adams for 'immature and naive' reaction to USMNT critics
Alexi Lalas has hit out at U.S. men's national team midfielder Tyler Adams, who said this week that he didn't understand the volume of recent criticism from USMNT legends. According to Lalas, Adams is being "immature and naive" when he questions why former USMNT stars have been heavily critical of the current team and its star, Christian Pulisic. The USMNT entered this summer's Gold Cup on a four-game losing streak, the team's first in 18 years. Much of the focus was on the players who weren't on the Gold Cup roster, especially Pulisic, who opted out of the tournament in a highly controversial decision. Several former USMNT stars, perhaps most notably Landon Donovan, were highly critical of Pulisic's decision. Even with several stars absent, the USMNT managed to advance to the Gold Cup final where it fell 2-1 to Mexico. In an interview with The Athletic this week, Adams defended Pulisic while also questioning why so many former players felt the need to hammer the AC Milan star. "Everyone wants to throw his name in the gutter because it creates a big story, or it creates noise around [the team]," Adams said. "And that's how big of a player he is and how important of a player he is. But everyone in the team knows how important he is, what an amazing person he is. 'I can't say enough good things about him. He's one of the leaders of our team. The decision that he made was best for him, and it's going to help him in the long run.' The comments from Adams clearly rankled with Lalas, one of many former USMNT stars who have criticized the team and Pulisic in recent months. 'For a guy that I have a lot of time for when it comes to Tyler Adams, I thought that this was a strangely immature and naive, and weak kind of take," Lalas said on his "State of the Union" podcast. "Not that he's defending Christian Pulisic because we're all going to do that, but the way he seemed to think that there should be no criticism and we should all be kumbaya." In the interview, Adams also wondered aloud why so many former USMNT stars felt like it was open season on the current group of players. 'I can't even explain it,' the Bournemouth midfielder said. 'I'm not a social-media guy, so I don't follow anything, but when people bring up some of the things that are being said and some of the stories that are being created, it feels weird, because it feels like not long ago that every single one of those people were on board with, like, the direction that the federation was going and how well the players were doing. "And it feels like any setback, is [treated] like a disaster is happening." Lalas opined that Adams' take was "naive and aloof to the reality of the situation" with the USMNT, which is now less than a year from a World Cup on home soil. "Tyler if you can't explain it and you don't understand it — if I'm being charitable, then you're naive but if I'm not, then you're just being dumb," Lalas charged. "You understand exactly what is going on." The former USMNT defender added: "In the way that he's painted himself as blindsided by this — for someone that I have a lot of respect for like I said, and I think is very smart, and the way that he has talked over the years is sometimes beyond his years, maybe he showed a little bit of his youthful naïveté in this article here."
Miami Herald
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Rodrigo De Paul joins Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, expected to debut in Leagues Cup
Lionel Messi will have another close friend and longtime teammate by his side for the remainder of this Inter Miami season and beyond. As the Miami Herald and other outlets reported last week, Rodrigo De Paul, Messi's midfield mate on Argentina's national team, is headed to Inter Miami from Spanish club Atletico Madrid on a four-year loan-to-buy deal. The loan will run through 2025 with Miami purchasing his contract after the loan period ends. The official announcement came from the club on XXXXXXXX. Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas spent more than a week in Madrid in early July finalizing the deal, which includes a transfer/buyout fee in the $12 million to $15 million range, with potential for a higher fee if incentives are met. De Paul is expected to make his Inter Miami debut during the Leagues Cup, which kicks off July 30 with a home game against Mexican club Atlas. The next two Leagues Cup games are against Necaxa Aug. 2 and Pumas Aug. 6, both at Chase Stadium. The move adds a top-tier 31-year-old central midfielder to the Miami roster as the team aims to compete for the Leagues Cup title and the MLS Cup after a disappointing first round exit from the playoffs last season. De Paul joined Atletico Madrid in 2021 from Udinese for a $41 million fee. His contract with the Spanish club expires in June 2026, but he decided to make the move to the United States now. Nicknamed 'El Motorcito' (Little Motor) for his tireless work rate, De Paul will get to train and work with Messi every day in the buildup to the 2026 World Cup, which is being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer. He is a box-to-box midfielder who played a crucial role for Argentina in the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America. Over 11 seasons in Italy and Spain, De Paul has played 356 games, scored 45 goals and had 56 assists. Fox Sports commentator Alexi Lalas believes De Paul is a perfect fit for Inter Miami and MLS. 'He is in his prime and the style in which he plays, I think will translate immediately to what Major League Soccer is,' Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. 'I'm not saying he's crude or anything, but there is a ruggedness and a rawness to his game that is what makes him one of the greats in the world. I think it's going to translate. I think it's what Inter Miami needs.' Lalas went on to praise Inter Miami owners Jorge and Jose Mas and David Beckham for making 'bold' moves to spend big and sign marquee players. 'I love that Inter Miami and Jorge Mas and David Beckham want to push the envelope,' Lalas said. 'They want to do big things, and they should be given the ability to do that, Yes, within the rules. 'People are yelling and saying, 'Oh, Inter Miami's getting favorable treatment.' Yeah. OK. If somebody wants to do something big that's going to benefit the team, and it's going to benefit the league, they are going to be given some leeway. And there's nothing stopping you, whatever team it is - Columbus or Colorado or anybody else out there - from thinking big and doing big. 'Yes, there is an attraction to Messi. Yes, there is an attraction to someplace like Miami that maybe other teams don't have. But if you want to spend big money and you want to do big, bold, dare I say it, arrogant things, I will support you, 100 percent.' A charismatic player with a fashion flair, De Paul is a big fan of Beckham's and emulated the English star's hairdos, from the braids to the pulled-back half-ponytail to the hairband to the bleached blond look. Like Beckham, whose wife Victoria was a singer with the Spice Girls, De Paul has a pop star girlfriend, Tini Stoessel, who is from Argentina and has a home in Miami. De Paul did a stint with Spanish club Valencia from 2014-16, when Gary Neville was the coach there. Phil Neville, Gary's brother and the former Inter Miami coach, was an assistant coach with Valencia at that time and has fond memories of De Paul. 'He was a very talented young player with great energy and enthusiasm to play football,' Neville told the Miami Herald. 'He worked so hard every day, and you could tell he was going to have a really great career. He had an infectious personality in the locker room and was loved by all his teammates.' Messi has the same type of telepathy with De Paul as he does with Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. De Paul always knows where Messi is, provides delivery to the Argentine icon and takes on the role of enforcer/bodyguard when the two are on the field together. Messi already has a professional bodyguard, Yassine Cheuko, and now he will have a second. Suarez, 38, and Busquets, 37, have not renewed their contracts, which expire at the end of this season. Busquets will make $8.8 million this season, second-highest salary on the team behind Messi ($20.5 million), and Suarez makes $1.5 million. Neither player has addressed his future, but if Suarez and/or Busquets retire at the end of the year, De Paul will fulfill the role of world-class midfielder and confidant for Messi. MLS rules allow just three Designated Players with salaries exceeding the league maximum. Right now, those are Messi, Busquets and Jordi Alba, who recently signed a contract extension through 2027. Messi has not signed his contract extension yet, but negotiations have been ongoing for months, and the deal is expected to be completed soon. Messi's initial contract with Miami is valued at $150 million, with a large piece of that coming from equity in the club upon his retirement. He is expected to continue playing at least through 2026, the first season in Miami Freedom Park Stadium, which is under construction and scheduled to open early next year.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lalas Challenges Diego Luna After 'Disappearing' In USMNT's Gold Cup Collapse
Lalas Challenges Diego Luna After 'Disappearing' In USMNT's Gold Cup Collapse originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The USMNT lost 2-1 to Mexico in the Gold Cup final. After Chris Richards opened the scoring, Mexico took control of the match, and Diego Luna couldn't replicate his earlier performances to deliver when the team needed him most. Advertisement Luna had become a key player for the USMNT during the knockout rounds. In the quarterfinal against Costa Rica, he scored his first international goal. Then, in the semifinal against Guatemala, he found the net twice in a span of just 10 minutes. But when it came time for the final, he couldn't make the same impact. Diego played 85 minutes before being subbed off — and left the field without leaving his mark on the game. That led Alexis Lalas to publicly call him out. 'I think he is a star in the making. But in order to be a star, you have to bring it when everybody is expecting you to bring it — and he didn't bring it today. He disappeared today.' - Lalas said post-game. Lalas admitted it wasn't entirely Luna's fault, as the entire team underperformed, but emphasized that the kind of player Luna is expected to become needs to show up in games like the Gold Cup final. 'If he is the player that we're making him out to be — and I do think he can be — he better learn from this. That's not what stars do. So if you want to be a star, and you want all that attention, then you've got to bring it on the big days. And he didn't bring it today.' Advertisement Diego Luna's Future with the USMNT Luna wore the number 10 shirt in the absence of Christian Pulisic, who opted out of the tournament to rest after a long European season — a decision that didn't sit well with former USMNT legends and head coach Mauricio Pochettino. The Gold Cup marked the beginning of Pochettino's tenure. The next tournament on the calendar is the CONCACAF Nations League, though opponents haven't been confirmed. After that, the focus shifts to the 2026 World Cup. As one of the host nations, the USMNT is already qualified — although it's still uncertain whether the team will play the opening match at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico. Advertisement For now, Luna is expected to remain involved with the national team. His three goals and two assists showed promise, but his place in the starting XI is far from guaranteed. With Pulisic, Weah, and McKennie returning for the next call-ups, competition will be fierce. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Asia News Network
30-06-2025
- Science
- Asia News Network
West Philippine Sea, Benham Bank among world's richest soft coral habitats, new study finds
June 30, 2025 MANILA – Soft corals in the West Philippine Sea and Benham Bank in the Philippine Rise, which are under threat from China, are among the richest and most diverse in the world, a newly published international study has found, confirming Philippine waters as a key contributor to one of the globe's biodiversity centers for these vital reef organisms. The study, Biodiversity and biogeography of zooxanthellate soft corals across the Indo-Pacific, published this May in Nature Scientific Reports, used DNA barcoding to analyze more than 4,400 samples of soft corals from over 40 countries. These soft corals—called zooxanthellate because they live in partnership with algae that give them energy—are among the most common organisms in shallow coral reefs. Like hard corals, they help build reef habitats, provide shelter for marine life, and respond to similar environmental stressors. Yet despite their importance, they remain one of the most understudied groups in marine biodiversity research. Among the most significant contributors to this unprecedented effort were researchers from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI), who collected all the Philippine samples used in the analysis. Their work confirmed what local marine biologists had long suspected: that the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the Benham Bank area host a staggering variety of soft coral species, many likely undiscovered. 'There are just very few papers on soft corals in the Philippines, despite them being obviously dominant components of Philippine coral reefs,' said Dr. Jue Lalas, one of two Filipino co-authors of the study, citing the limited number of researchers working on these soft-bodied animals compared to hard corals. A hidden trove of soft coral life The Philippine soft coral samples—collected between 2019 and 2021 from sites including the Kalayaan Island Group, Western Palawan, Pangasinan, Puerto Galera, and Benham Bank—revealed extremely high species richness and endemicity, or uniqueness, in the region. According to the paper's findings, only three locations in the entire Indo-Pacific—the Western Indian Ocean, the Western Coral Triangle (which includes the Philippines), and the NE Australian Shelf—stood out as simultaneous centers of species richness and endemism. Remarkably, the WPS and Benham Bank performed at par with these global hotspots in both diversity and the presence of potentially unique species. 'The samples from the Philippines were major representatives for the Coral Triangle region,' explained Dr. Lalas. 'The paper shows that the Philippines, including the West Philippine Sea and Benham Bank in northeastern Philippines, is part of one of the centers of zooxanthellate soft coral diversity,' he added. Global discovery, local groundwork Most Philippine specimens were collected by Dr. Lalas while serving as a research associate at UP MSI, assisted by Rhea Luciano and Christine Segumalian of the IMBiBE (Interactions of Marine Bionts and Benthic Ecosystems) Laboratory, under the leadership of Dr. Maria Vanessa Baria-Rodriguez, the study's second Filipino co-author. Dr. Baria-Rodriguez has been leading efforts to close the research gap on soft coral diversity in the Philippines. In 2019, members of her IMBiBE lab at UP MSI received training from Dr. Yehuda Benayahu, one of the world's foremost experts on soft coral taxonomy. Since then, the lab has published studies that expanded knowledge on the distribution and ecology of soft corals in parts of the country. In 2023, the team organized another training on soft coral taxonomy and basic identification, this time bringing together participants from UP MSI and partner local universities. For Dr. Lalas, Dr. Baria-Rodriguez, and the UP MSI team, advancing soft coral research in the country is key to uncovering the true diversity and ecological richness of Philippine waters. Coral Triangle, but more than just a triangle While soft corals don't form the rigid skeletons that build reef structures, they play important ecological roles by adding complexity to reef habitats and providing shelter for marine life. Some species also produce compounds with medicinal potential, and their striking forms make them valuable attractions in popular diving sites. Yet, for decades, their biodiversity patterns remained poorly understood, especially outside the iconic Coral Triangle. Lead author Dr. Catherine McFadden and collaborators used DNA sequencing to group specimens into molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs), or proxies for species. Their results revealed two distinct global centers of soft coral diversity: one in the well-known Indo-Australian Archipelago (the Coral Triangle), and another in the Western Indian Ocean—a finding that challenges conventional marine biodiversity maps. But the Philippine samples proved especially revealing. 'We have undoubtedly underestimated numbers of species for these taxa,' the study authors acknowledged. Limited sample coverage in parts of the Philippines, combined with the slow-evolving genes used in barcoding, suggests that many soft coral species in the region may remain undocumented. 'If you look at the study more closely, and the literature on Philippine soft corals, we have yet to explore their diversity in most of the Philippine seas. This represents an opportunity for coral reef scientists in different parts of the country,' said Dr. Lalas. Resilience and risk: Soft corals in a changing sea Soft corals may also play a crucial role in reef resilience amid climate change. Some studies, including work by Filipino researchers, have observed shifts toward soft coral dominance in degraded or disturbed reefs. 'In some disturbed sites in the Indo-Pacific, some studies have reported a shift to the dominance of soft corals. They have been generally reported to have high resilience to disturbances. However, soft corals may also eventually be subjected to mortality if stressors persist,' said Dr. Lalas. 'Overall, soft corals can serve as useful indicators of environmental disturbances,' he added. 'Ongoing research continues to shed light on their ecological roles in coral reefs amid global and local changes.' Why does the study matter to PH? Beyond its scientific contributions, the paper places the Philippines squarely in the spotlight of marine conservation. With Philippine waters already home to one of the country's largest offshore marine protected areas—the Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve—these findings add urgency to ongoing calls to protect WPS and Benham Bank from ecological threats such as deep-sea mining, illegal fishing, and climate change. For Dr. Lalas, the study marks a significant milestone in strengthening collaboration between Filipino soft coral researchers and international experts. He emphasized that the findings also underscore the role of the Philippines, particularly areas like Benham Bank and the West Philippine Sea, as critical centers of marine biodiversity that deserve stronger protection.
Miami Herald
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Countdown to 2026 World Cup has begun, and pressure is on U.S. team to improve
Soccer is making big headlines in the United States this week with the kickoff of the Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday and celebrations in 11 cities across the country on Wednesday commemorating one year to go to the 2026 World Cup. All 16 World Cup host cities (11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada) unveiled countdown clocks as part of the festivities. The Miami clock was revealed at the Perez Art Museum (PAMM) in downtown in a ceremony that included city and county officials, the Miami World Cup host committee, and singer Marc Anthony. The clocks will count down to the stroke of midnight on June 11, 2026, when the tournament opens in Mexico City. The first 13 of 48 teams have already qualified, including co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the USA, who get automatic entry. The way things are going for Team USA of late, coach Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Soccer Federation are surely grateful for the automatic bid. The U.S. team lost 4-0 to Switzerland in a friendly in Nashville on Tuesday night, with all four goals conceded in the first half. It was the fourth loss in a row for Team USA. Among the headlines following the game: USMNT humiliated by Switzerland 4-0. USMNT thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland in final Gold Cup tune up. First half debacle dooms hapless USMNT in 4-0 friendly loss to Switzerland. Former U.S. national team stars Alexi Lalas and Landon Donovan, now Fox Sports commentators and podcasters, have not minced words in their analysis of Team USA, questioning the heart, work ethic and commitment of some players. Pochettino, an Argentine who was hired last Fall from Tottenham Hotspurs to lead the American squad, has tried to instill more passion and pride in the national badge. 'We're going through a period right now where this team is being looked at in a critical sense, and I think fairly so,' Lalas said on a conference call marking the year to go to the World Cup. 'I think more concerning is a possible apathy that has crept in towards this team. And I never thought if you would ask me, back in 1994, what the summer of 2025 a year away from the World Cup in 2026 would look like that this would be what I would come up with.' Both Donovan and Lalas stressed that there is pressure on the U.S. team to rise to the occasion. 'I also don't want to let this generation off the hook,' Lalas said. 'This is a generation that, over those last 30 plus years, everybody has worked to make sure that they have everything that they possibly need in terms of the opportunities and the resources that they have. 'And with that comes higher expectations, and I do think fair expectations, and so whoever ultimately is on that field come next summer, when that whistle blows, I hope that they recognize the opportunity, and I hope that they recognize the responsibility to further the game.' Donovan said the team's highest profile Europe-based players who have been considered locks to make the World Cup squad might be replaced by hungrier, lesser-known players if they are not careful. 'When you put the U.S. jersey on, or you get invited to a camp, it is a massive responsibility,' Donovan said, adding that he was moved by seeing 30,000 U.S. military members singing the Star Spangled Banner at a 2006 game in Germany. 'That's the level of dedication I think fans want to see.' The last time the United States hosted a men's World Cup was 1994. Lalas said the world will see next year how much soccer progress has been made in this country. 'I think the world is going to be pleasantly surprised by how far we have come in it's still a relatively short period of time, but we still have a ways to go,' Lalas said. 'A World Cup is, for lack of a better word, this circus that comes to town with a huge tent. That tent has gotten bigger, and we want to make sure that we are as welcoming and accommodating as possible, because we recognize that a lot of people are going to come in and maybe again, as far as we've come, they're going to be some people that taste test, and we hope that they get a little taste of it, and they want more, because the circus will leave town. The legacy that it leaves, that's what's important.' Other teams who have punched their tickets to the World Cup are defending champion Argentina, first-time qualifiers Jordan and Uzbekistan, as well as Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, IR Iran, Japan, Korea Republic and New Zealand. The remaining 35 teams will be confirmed by March 2026, when all the regional qualifying tournaments have concluded. World Cup tickets will go on sale to the public in the coming months. Select ticket-inclusive hospitality packages are already available. Additional hospitality packages, including for matches in Canada and Mexico, are set to go on sale in July. Fans can learn more at Messi returns to Inter Miami Lionel Messi raced back to the Inter Miami training facility Wednesday morning to prepare for the Club World Cup following Argentina's 1-1 tie with Colombia Tuesday night in World Cup qualifying. Inter Miami plays Egyptian power Al Ahly in the opening game Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium. 'I don't think any other player's doing something like that,' said Inter Miami defender Ian Fray. 'They just played [Tuesday night] at 8 o'clock and he was already back and came straight from the airport in his full Argentina kit. You just look at that and say, `This guy's ready.' It just shows you he's taking really seriously, which you'd expect. It elavates all of our levels by being there.'
