INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The youngest player on the U.S. men’s national team may be one of its most critical at the World Cup.
Alex Freeman was playing for Orlando City B, the MLS outfit’s developmental squad, just two years ago. Freeman, whose father Antonio had a decorated career as an NFL wide receiver, was as far as could be from the national team picture.
The 21-year-old’s rise since then has been meteoric. Freeman broke into Orlando’s lineup in March 2025, earned his first national team cap two months later and started six consecutive gamers in the Gold Cup final to gain an inside track for a World Cup spot, seemingly from nowhere. By the time the roster was announced, there was little question he would be on it, having moved from MLS to La Liga’s Villarreal late in the season.
Not only that, but Freeman started and performed well in each of the last two USMNT friendlies — an obvious sign he will do the same at the World Cup.
“I feel like for me, I’ve known how quick the rise has been,” Freeman said Thursday, one day before the U.S. opener against Paraguay. “For me it’s how can I go and make the impact, knowing those are people that gave me the opportunity to move up the ranks and how can I give back to them by playing well in the World Cup? Just be playing how I want to play and having that personality.”
Though he came up as a right back, and as a largely offensive player, Freeman’s role in Mauricio Pochettino’s system has been as the right center back in a back three, behind wingback Sergiño Dest.
“I think we have a good combination on the right side,” Dest said during camp. “I like to play with him as well. He’s strong, he’s a good defender. Also we can switch sometimes, so that makes it even better if I’m on that side, because I can also go low and change with him. So it’s hard for opponents to defend us because we’re more dynamic.”
Given the frailties the U.S. seems to have on its back line — and given the way wingbacks push forward under Pochettino’s system, leaving the wings vulnerable — it’s a hugely important spot.
Freeman does have some freedom to invert or play up the field, but the position demands he act as something of a defensive linchpin given that Dest often looks like a winger. As much as anything, that highlights the steps he’s taken in so short a time.
“Especially as an attacking fullback you need to be able to defend first,” Freeman said. “At the end of the day you’re a defender. Being able to be in Pochettino’s system I’ve had to defend first. Being able to be in both those systems, kind of have strengths on both sides of the pitch.”
It’s the little plays Freeman can make offensively, though, that have fueled his breakout. For example, the way he helped set up Christian Pulisic’s goal against Senegal a couple weeks ago, inverting and playing a perfect ball to Ricardo Pepi running into space.
Pulisic, who spent much of his time with reporters on Thursday sounding tired of all the attention, made an exception when asked about Freeman.
“Alex, he’s a beast man,” Pulisic said. “He’s 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. He’s made some good forward progression with the ball, played some good balls in behind. I feel like he seems a lot calmer. I like what I’ve seen from him.”
