SEATTLE—Long before he pulled on a jersey to represent the U.S. in the World Cup, Alex Freeman was a Florida kid who played all kinds of other sports: tennis, basketball, and the game that made his father a Super Bowl legend.
Over nine years in the NFL mostly with the Green Bay Packers, Antonio Freeman led the NFL in receiving yards in 1998 and set a then-Super Bowl record with an 81-yard touchdown haul from Brett Favre. Everyone assumed his son, a gifted athlete, would follow in his footsteps—at least until Alex had a talk with his father about what he really hoped to pursue.
It was football, just the other kind.
“I always had a secret love for soccer,” Freeman said. “At the time I had to pick, I think soccer was the clear choice by far.”
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group D – United States v Australia – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, Washington, U.S. – June 19, 2026 Alex Freeman of the U.S. scores their second goal REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian
Freeman had his father’s blessing—and the long-term effects of that decision have never been clearer. The 21-year-old right back has emerged as one of the U.S. national team’s breakout players at its home World Cup.
On Friday at Lumen Field, Freeman headed home the second goal in the Americans’ 2-0 victory over Australia and guaranteed the team’s spot in the knockout rounds of this tournament. Earlier in the game, Freeman had made a potentially goal-saving play with a sliding block on one of the Socceroos’ best chances of the afternoon. And last week, he also notched an assist in the opening win over Paraguay.
All of which adds up to an outsize contribution for a player who only made his national team a year ago.
“He’s got a fantastic future,” U.S. forward Folarin Balogun said.
Freeman came up through the youth academy at Orlando City of Major League Soccer. And it’s no surprise he wasn’t on the Stars and Stripes radar until fairly recently: He didn’t even make his first MLS start until 15 months ago. Freeman scored his first goal in that same game. From then on, he was a regular in the lineup and he finished the 2025 campaign as the MLS Young Player of the Year, which was enough to earn him a move to Spanish club Villareal.
It was such a meteoric rise that U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino had hardly seen more than a few clips of him. So as he scoured the ranks of American soccer to test potential candidates of his World Cup squad last year, he had to rely on his relationship with Orlando City’s Colombian manager Oscar Pareja.
Trust me , was Pareja’s message to him. Take Freeman.
“It’s difficult to explain his evolution,” Pochettino said. “He’s an amazing player for me, who has the potential to be one of the best players, at his position, in the world.”
Freeman credits his father, a member of the Packers Hall of Fame, with teaching him the fine art of becoming a professional athlete. That includes everything from eating right to putting in the extra work outside of training sessions.
Green Bay Packers receiver Antonio Freeman looks back at San Francisco 49ers’ Lee Woodall (54) as he heads for an 80-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Nov. 1, 1998, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Gary Dineen)
The elder Freeman should know. During his NFL days, he became a Super Bowl champion and human highlight reel. He once made such a ridiculous overtime catch against the Minnesota Vikings that legendary broadcaster Al Michaels couldn’t believe his eyes. Freeman had hit the turf, corralled a ball that bounced off him twice, sprang to his feet, and sprinted into the end zone.
“He did what?” Michaels said. “Unbelievable!”
Years later, Antonio Freeman is back roaming NFL stadiums to watch his son play. He even ventured into Packers enemy territory for the final U.S. tune-up game against Germany at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears.
And on Friday, in Seahawks country, Alex managed to emulate his father in a way that should have been impossible, considering they picked different sports. Both Freemans have now scored in Seattle.
“That just shows how he can be great,” Alex said, “but I can be great in my own way as well.”
Write to Andrew Beaton at [email protected]
