21 Facts About Alexi Lalas

1.

Panayotis Alexander "Alexi" Lalas is an American retired soccer player who played mostly as a defender.

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2.

Alexi Lalas is best known for his participation with the United States men's national soccer team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where he was a standout player on the team with his distinctive long beard and hair.

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3.

Alexi Lalas' playing style was characterized by physical ability and endurance.

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4.

Alexi Lalas was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2006.

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5.

Alexi Lalas was born in Birmingham, Michigan, United States, to a Greek father, Demetrios Alexi Lalas and an American mother, Anne Harding Woodworth.

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6.

Alexi Lalas's father was a professor who later became the director of Greece's national observatory, while his mother is a widely published poet.

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7.

Alexi Lalas speaks Spanish and Italian in addition to his native English and Greek.

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8.

Alexi Lalas's younger brother, Greg Lalas, is a retired professional soccer player and currently the Chief Marketing Officer at United Soccer League.

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9.

Alexi Lalas was rated for the Ontario Hockey League Midget draft in 1987, but was ultimately not selected.

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10.

Alexi Lalas attended Rutgers University, where he played on the men's soccer team from 1988 to 1991.

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11.

Alexi Lalas was named a third-team All-American in 1989 and 1990.

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12.

Alexi Lalas resumed his education in 2013, when Rutgers began offering enough online classes to fulfill what Lalas required to graduate.

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13.

Alexi Lalas took 12 classes and 36 credits over 10 months to finish what he jokingly called "a 26-year plan", earning a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in music in May 2014.

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14.

Alexi Lalas then returned home in Detroit and spent a month reluctant about his future in soccer before coach Bora Milutinovic invited him for the United States tryouts in Mission Viejo, California.

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15.

Alexi Lalas was a regular on the Revs backline during the 1996 and 1997 seasons.

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16.

Alexi Lalas earned 96 caps, scoring nine goals, with the United States national team between 1991 and 1998.

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17.

Alexi Lalas went on to start and play all ninety minutes in the four U S games of the 1994 FIFA World Cup and was named an honorable mention All-Star.

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18.

Alexi Lalas scored in a game against Saudi Arabia, in which the United States had their biggest comeback in their history .

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19.

Alexi Lalas served as President and General Manager of the San Jose Earthquakes during the 2004 and 2005 MLS seasons.

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20.

Alexi Lalas served as President of the LA Galaxy from 2006 to 2008 during which time the club signed David Beckham.

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21.

Alexi Lalas appeared in both FIFA 16 and FIFA 17, by EA Sports, as a legend card having a solid 86 rated center back card in both iterations of the game.

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