Alexi Lalas Says Usain Bolt Not Cut Out for MLS, Zlatan Ibrahimovic Partnership

Alexi Lalas has said eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt doesn't have the quality to make it in Major League Soccer, adding his ego would make a team-up with Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Los Angeles Galaxy untenable.

The Jamaican sprinter recently finished training with German giants Borussia Dortmund, but Lalas told TMZ he isn't convinced a short spell with the Bundesliga outfit is enough for Bolt to survive in MLS: 

"Just because you're a good athlete doesn't mean that you're good at a particular sport. 

"I don't doubt that he can kick the ball and that he's fast, but soccer's a lot different than just being fast and able to kick the ball."

Lalas nevertheless backed Bolt as an attraction and an "interesting experiment" after the Jamaican told any MLS suitors hoping to sign him to "bring the big contracts."

Bolt is a known Manchester United fan, but he was recently in Dortmund to train with the Black and Yellows, and the official Bundesliga YouTube channel shared footage of his time with the first team:

There's little doubting Bolt's natural disposition toward speed and physical assets make him an intriguing candidate, but one would have to question whether his football ability is close to an MLS standard.

In regards to a partnership with Ibrahimovic, Lalas added: "That's a lot of ego—they're gonna have to get a second locker room."

However, it's a good omen that Dortmund at least felt comfortable enough to grant Bolt a return to the club for another temporary stint, as he told the Herald Sun:

Bolt said that while his attempt to transition from an athletics career into football may seem like a gimmick, he's serious in his work:

"Everyone feels like I'm just kidding around—[that] I'm joking. But I'm serious. I'm actually going back to Dortmund in a couple of weeks to work with them for three more weeks just to assess myself at a better level—to see what level I'm at or what I need to do, or if I can.

"So that's something I'm focused on doing, and I'm looking forward to the challenge because that's what I want. I want a new challenge in life and that's my focus."

TMZ Sports also discussed whether Bolt's hopes of realising his football dream have any mileage:

There's no doubting any team that recruits Bolt would be acquiring a powerful marketing tool, but one has to wonder whether the benefits would outweigh the inevitable expense that would come with signing him.