'It’s still not manifested totally from a national team perspective' - USMNT icon Alexi Lalas weighs in on Johnny Cardoso's prospects for the 2026 World Cup after shining for Real Betis

USMNT legend Alexi Lalas sees progress in Johnny Cardoso’s game at Real Betis but isn’t convinced it will be enough to secure him a spot in the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup squad just yet.

On a recent episode of his State of the Union podcast, Lalas highlighted Cardoso’s strong performances for Real Betis, including his goal against Real Madrid, while questioning whether those strides will translate to a bigger role with the national team.

“Yeah, so Johnny keeps doing his thing, but we’ve talked now for years about Johnny relative to the national team,” Lalas said. “I’m constantly mentioning the fact that we are, you know, a year and a half, less than a year and a half and 440 some-odd days before the World Cup. And how much can really change when it comes to the national team, and how much can these individuals change? And while my initial reaction is to say, well, very little, that might still be true. ”

READ MORE:Cardoso among several U.S. midfield hopefuls aiming to step up

Lalas acknowledged that while Cardoso has improved, the real question is whether those changes will be enough to earn him a starting spot or even a place on the final roster.

“But that little that they do change might ultimately be the difference between them being successful or, even in the case of Johnny, finding a way into that starting XI. So this is good, and I think that Johnny has improved, but it’s still not manifested totally from a national team perspective,” Lalas said.

With the 2026 World Cup on home soil just over a year away, every performance by potential USMNT players is under scrutiny. Cardoso's rise at Real Betis has put him in the conversation for a national team spot, but the competition in midfield remains fierce. However, the USMNT’s poor performances at the CONCACAF Nations League might open up a place for the Real Betis star in the future. The midfielder has enjoyed a decent campaign for the La Liga side, contributing to four goals across all competitions.

Real Betis have been on an excellent run of form since February, winning all but one of their games across all competitions while going unbeaten in the league in that time period. It has seen them surge up the table into sixth, with them only five points behind fourth-place Athletic Club. Los Verdiblancos face league leaders Barcelona next on April 5 before hosting Jagiellonia Bialystok in the Europa Conference League on April 10.