'F*ck them' - Alexi Lalas 'puts on a costume' for live TV as ex-USMNT star admits he's a 'performer' and doesn't care if people like him

Lalas won almost 100 caps for the United States men's national team during his career before moving into broadcasting. The 54-year-old is now well known for his bold opinions that regularly catch the eye both on screen, through his podcast and on social media. Lalas' takes often draw fierce responses from fans across the globe but he's not too bothered about those that disagree with him.

He told The Athletic: "I’m in the entertainment business. I am a performer. When you say that, sometimes people cringe. By no means am I saying that I can’t be authentic and genuine. But I recognise the way I say something is as important as what I say.

“When I go on TV, I put on a costume and when that red light goes on, I don’t want people changing the channel. I don’t care if you like me or you don’t. I am as human as I possibly can be with the recognition that, on television, things have to be bigger and bolder.”

Lalas also admitted he doesn't fear a backlash fans from about his opinions.

"Life’s too short and f*ck them,” he added. "Ultimately, I’m talking about soccer. I know we get incredibly passionate and emotional about these things — something I love about sports. I try to be honest and sometimes it comes off in different ways and people perceive it differently. It’s one thing over a keyboard but it’s a very different type of interaction in normal life. There are people that come up to me who disagree with me but we have a cordial, civil and respectful conversation, even if we vehemently disagree about things on and off the soccer field.”

Lalas has caught the eye throughout the current season by sharing his thoughts on a range of topics. Fans called on him to be "banned from speaking about soccer" after he predicted a mid-table Premier League finish for the best team in MLS. The former defender has also claimed Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are not helping US Soccer, has spoken out about overhyping Lionel Messi and taken aim at MLS officials.

Fans can expect to hear plenty from Lalas during the Copa America as the USMNT go for glory on home soil. The Stars and Stripes play their first group game against Bolivia on Saturday before going on to face Panama and Uruguay.