Pat McAfee was blown away by a World Cup moment that saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry ‘clown’ Alexi Lalas in the Fox studio.
The trio of soccer legends, who are covering this summer’s tournament, have created plenty of headlines with their lively on-screen debate and awkward chemistry.
3
And one behind-the-scenes clip from the studio has also gone viral.
Last week, Ibrahimovic posted a short video of himself and Henry showcasing their soccer skills while wearing full suits.
The pair were seen juggling the ball between one another, showing off the flicks and tricks that made them two of the most recognizable sports stars on the planet during their storied careers.
On X alone, Zlatan’s clip has been seen more than 77 million times in the past week.
It also featured with a rather embarrassing moment for Lalas, when Henry pretended to pass him the ball, before he dragged it away at the last second.
The former USMNT defender tried to style it out by doing a little dance on the spot, but it was clear that he had been bested by his Fox colleagues.
Fans were quick to pick up on the moment, with many suggesting that Ibrahimovic and Henry ‘clowning’ Lalas was one of the highlights of the World Cup.
On Thursday, ahead of the USMNT’s final group game against Turkey, ESPN star Pat McAfee also offered his response to the video — and it’s fair to say he was very impressed.
Pat McAfee reacts to viral clip that left Alexi Lalas embarrassed
“Alexi Lalas, I think to be clear, he did try to dance it off, he would have had that,” the former NFL punter said of Henry’s trick.
“Thierry Henry and Zlatan go absolutely crazy during studio downtime. They’re just showcasing elite, world class skill.
3
“It’s all filthy to watch.”
The Fox clip also impressed McAfee’s co-host, who even asked if it was AI, and described it as ‘f***ing nasty’.
McAfee then went on to shower more praise on Ibrahimovic and Henry.
“A lot of people said Zlatan won this, and he has a lot of fans, obviously a special talent,” he added.
“Thierry Henry is a man I fancied growing up as a No. 14 as well. Pretty filthy.
“All of this, putting this out — and America welcoming these guys in a huge way — is certainly not a**.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s viral Fox clip ‘wasn’t planned’
With more than 77 million views, Henry, Ibrahimovic and Lalas have provided one of the most-watched moments of the World Cup so far, and it came inside the Fox studio when the cameras were off.
Speaking exclusively to eSPORTY, anchor Rebecca Lowe revealed how it came about.
“It wasn’t planned. There was a ball in there because we were filming something and they just started [juggling the football],” she told Will Gavin and Master Tesfatsion on The S Word.
“They were just free-styling and messing about. I was also like ‘Rebecca, get out of the way, you do not want to be involved in this situation because at the beginning, which you didn’t see, it was sort of me, Alexi and them two.
3
“And they passed me the ball, and I’m in four-inch heels. I do not need to be in this… I passed them the ball back and I got out of the way and I let them do their thing.
“But, it’s mesmerizing, and how you can be in your 40s, in a suit with non-football boots on, and do that so casually and effortlessly. It’s insane.”
Stay up to date on all things World Cup across our eSPORTY platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our daily unfiltered, unscripted show ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET.
