The dynamic of Fox Sports’ studio team between Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahmiovic and Alexi Lalas has been a trending topic so far this World Cup.
Let’s call the relationship between the two former world class strikers and the former U.S. men’s national team defender icy at best.
Ahead of Friday’s Group D game between the U.S. and Australia, the opening in-studio breakdown didn’t include Lalas.
Rebecca Lowe: “Chaps, Alexi left us.”
Ibrahimovic: “Who?
Lowe: “Alexi will be back. Alexi will be back.”
Henry: “Your plan worked.”
Lowe: “Don’t you bring me into this. No chance.”
Ibrahimovic: “America, you’re welcome.”
Lalas, who has been a lightning rod for criticism for years as Fox’s lead soccer analyst, was instead on-site outside the stadium in Seattle with former U.S. women’s national team star Carli Lloyd and USMNT star Clint Dempsey.
Following France’s win over Senegal in which the French were sluggish in the first half, Lalas piggybacked off Landon Donovan’s comment about France’s performance being arrogant. To which Ibrahimovic responded: “It’s not arrogance, it’s confidence. Ignorant people will say it’s arrogance. Intelligent people will say it’s confidence.”
You can watch the clip here, solely for the look on Henry’s face.
Earlier on Friday, Ibrahimovic posted on X a video of Henry and himself dribbling in the studio and the two keeping the ball away from Lalas: “The studio will never forget.”
Ibrahimovic appeared on James Corden’s late night World Cup wrap show, was hooked up to a lie-detector test and was asked, “Do you respect the opinions of all your fellow Fox Sports analysts?”
Ibrahimovic answered, “Yes.” The lie detector operated gave the thumbs down.
