USMNT ‘beast’ ditched following father’s NFL footsteps to become vital piece of World Cup run

Alex Freeman’s career has been on an upward trajectory over the past two years.

Last week, he played a part in USMNT’s history-breaking 4-1 victory over Paraguay, assisting Giovanni Reyna‘s stoppage-time screamer.

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During the 2022 World Cup, Freeman was playing for Orlando City’s reserve team in MLS Next Pro.

He wasn’t in the national team’s plans this time around, until Mauricio Pochettino brought him forward for an audition last year.

He hasn’t looked back, as his name was penciled into the starting lineup, it marked the 17th consecutive match he has started.

However, there might have been a scenario in which he never stepped onto a soccer field.

Alex Freeman pursued soccer career over NFL with Super Bowl winning father

In a relatively unknown fact across the world of sports, Alex Freeman’s father is Antonio Freeman.

Antonio was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft.

Three-years later Freeman was preparing to play in his first Super Bowl. Going out and catching a 81-yard touchdown pass, helping Green Bay win Super Bowl XXXI.

“I always got asked if football was the path,” Alex told Kevin Baxter of the LA Times last summer, “But I always had a secret love for soccer.”

He would have to keep it a secret because he wasn’t sure how his father would react.

His stepfather, Jake Hinkle introduced Alex to the sport, serving as his first coach, and it was love at first sight from there.

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“I had to pick,” he said. “And soccer was the clear choice by far.”

Antonio, who retired from the NFL in 2004, has gotten more involved with his football career, even admitting that seeing his son playing in a World Cup beats his Super Bowl victory.

‘Beast’ Alex Freeman can be USMNT’s secret weapon at World Cup

With Freeman, Pochettino broke the unwritten rules of football.

Freeman has played more minutes wth the U.S. this year than he has with Villarreal, the Spanish team he joined in the January transfer window.

Despite making 17 consecutive appearances, Freeman is still relatively new to the USMNT setup, but has quickly integrated himself with some of the teams best players, including Christian Pulisic.

“Alex, he’s a beast, man,” Christian Pulisic told USA Today.

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“He’s really impressed me, especially in these first two games here in this camp.

“I think he’s done such a good job, just his overall presence and what he brings, not even just physicality and athleticism, but he’s made some good forward progression with the ball and played good balls in behind.

“I feel like he seems a lot calmer, and I like what I’ve seen from him.”

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