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Advertisement Alexi Lalas Encyclopedia Article Find Print E-mail Multimedia 1 item Alexi Lalas , born in 1970, American soccer player, who was one of the most important members of the United States national team during the mid-1990s. The talented and aggressive defender is easily recognized by his long red goatee and curly red hair. Before the 1994 World Cup was held in the United States, Lalas was active as a spokesman promoting the sport. After the World Cup he continued to support soccer in the United States by playing in Major League Soccer (MLS). Lalas was born in Birmingham, Michigan. He played collegiate soccer and hockey at Rutgers University in New Jersey. In 1991 Lalas was the consensus college soccer player of the year. He played for the U.S. Olympic team in 1992 and soon after was selected for the U.S. national team. At 6 ft 3 in (1.9 m), Lalas is tall for a soccer player. His height gives him an advantage over other players, especially when battling for headers, which involve striking the ball with the top of the head. During the 1994 World Cup Lalas was an integral member of the U.S. squad. As the Americans reached the tournament's second round, Lalas was one of five Americans to play every minute of every game in the competition. After the World Cup, Lalas spent a season with the Italian professional team Padova. He was the first U.S.-born player to participate in the | |
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