Miami ratings: Herons toil without Messi

GOAL's WSL Team of the 2023-24 Season

Canada job is make or break for Marsch's managerial career

Garnacho - not Bruno or Mainoo - should be Man Utd's POTY

21 most disappointing signings of the EPL season - ranked

Lineker hits out at FIFA move closer to playing games abroad

Okonkwo discusses future and admits he's 'loved it' at Wrexham

Parkinson admits 'element of truth' to Wrexham transfer rumours

Kane to finally pick up trophy ahead of Bayern clash

Martinez makes embarrassing piece of Premier League history

Wrexham-linked Vardy expected to sign new Leicester deal

Injury latest on USWNT trio Morgan, Girma & Shaw for SD Wave

Hayes is walking into a USWNT Olympic injury crisis

Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Hollywood stars enjoying success in Wales</li><li>Also bought into a Mexican sporting project</li><li>Questions asked of why no MLS investment</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

‘Everything but’ – Ex-USMNT star Alexi Lalas explains why Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney are not helping MLS & American soccer following purchase of Necaxa stake

Two Hollywood stars have <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/ryan-reynolds-tom-brady-natalie-portman-jj-watt-good-football-wrexham-carlos-edwards-superstar-owners/blt194c9d39a400e40a" target="_blank">opened up a window to the world in North Wales</a>, with interest in all things Wrexham building steadily in the States on the back of <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/welcome-to-wrexham-shut-down-ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-cameras-disappear-documentary-distraction-paul-mullin/bltc23f50702bf8b1df" target="_blank">an award-winning documentary series</a>. Reynolds and McElhenney have now branched out to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/wrexham-ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-buy-minority-necaxa-eva-longoria/bltc24b1268e613631a" target="_blank">acquire a stake in Mexican side Necaxa</a> – alongside the likes of Eva Longoria, Odell Beckham Jr and Kate Upton.

WHAT HAPPENED?

They have helped to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/revealed-when-ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-discovered-crazy-support-wrexham-united-states-tst-tournament-chelsea-man-utd/bltc94181e57a246477" target="_blank">generate interest in soccer among an American audience</a>, but Lalas has told his <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/best-bite-ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-buy-stake-in/id884363122?i=1000654000098 " target="_blank">State of the Union</a> podcast why they are not benefiting MLS and the domestic game: “Not only are they not doing wonderful things for American soccer, but this goes absolutely against American soccer. This is putting your money and your time and your focus in everything but American soccer. That’s okay. I’m not angry at them, I’m just pointing this out. But it should also bring up the question – and this is a fair question – as to why are they doing that? Why do they see that it’s more attractive, from a business perspective, to put money into English soccer and now into Mexican soccer, as opposed to all of the available American soccer? There could be a bunch of different reasons, and a bunch of fair and legitimate reasons out there, but this investment and this focus, it might help them from a business perspective and it might be very successful, but it does nothing for American soccer. This isn’t me forcing them to be involved in American soccer, in a matter of fact it’s the opposite. I’m saying ‘American soccer, you have to make it attractive, you have to show – whether it is these two or any other investors out there - why you are where your money should be put and you should be invested in’. In this case, that’s not happened for any number of reasons. There are some that see gold in them there American hills when it comes to American soccer and what they are doing, but as to the progress and the evolution and the betterment of American soccer, they are not doing anything for that.”

WHAT LALAS SAID

Lalas added on why Reynolds and McElhenney may have decided to get involved with Necaxa, with another documentary on the cards: “It remains to be seen what is going to happen, but I think along the lines of a Welcome to Wrexham type television show – who knows, maybe there is one for Necaxa, Spanish language, it moves on. That’s great for them. I believe in competition, I believe in a situation like this where two smart young men are investing wisely. I would never presume to tell them what to do with their money or how to invest, especially when it seems it is going great.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Reynolds and McElhenney have overseen back-to-back promotions at Wrexham, taking the club <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/why-ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-already-playing-catch-up-wrexham-promoted-league-one/blt0be26b93c9ef91fa" target="_blank">out of the National League and into League One</a>. They continue to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/significantly-in-red-rob-mcelhenney-update-wrexham-investment-ryan-reynolds-hollywood-stars-told-run-away/blt8a55aa0356e88942" target="_blank">invest heavily in that project</a>, but will not be particularly hands-on at Necaxa after acquiring a small five per cent holding there.

WHAT NEXT?

‘Everything but’ – Ex-USMNT star Alexi Lalas explains why Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney are not helping MLS & American soccer following purchase of Necaxa stake | Goal.com US

Ex-USMNT star Alexi Lalas has explained why, contrary to popular belief, Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney aren’t helping US soccer.

‘Everything but’ – Ex-USMNT star Alexi Lalas explains why Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds &amp; Rob McElhenney are not helping MLS &amp; American soccer following purchase of Necaxa stake

Editors' Picks