The son of the American football legend scored his first goal at the World Cup

In September 1996, Antonio Freeman became a hero to Green Bay Packers fans, scoring two touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks and later winning the NFL's highest honor, a Super Bowl victory. Almost 30 years later, the Freeman name is ringing again in Seattle, but already on the football fields. On Friday, his son, 21-year-old US defender Alex Freeman, scored his first goal at a home World Cup to secure a playoff berth. It was not easy for Alex to choose European football in a country historically dominated by American football. At first, the young man even hid his admiration, not knowing how his star father would react. His mother and stepfather, who became his first coach, played a huge role in his development. Today, Antonio Freeman accompanies his son every step of the way and shines with pride in the stands of the World Cup. "It shows how great our family tree is. How great it is to have a successful father who can guide me to be ready for such moments," Alex shared his emotions after the victory. Alex Freeman's progress over the last few years looks like a fairy tale. His way to the base of the national team was extremely fast: 2022 (World Cup in Qatar): Freeman was only a deep reserve player for MLS club Orlando City. 2023: Earned his first call-up to the national team and became a consistent player at the Gold Cup. 2024: The appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the head coach of the US national team was a turning point. The coach bet on youth, and Alex became an integral part of this project. Pochettino highly appreciates the talent of the young defender, noting not only his physical data, but also his human qualities: "He has an amazing profile, he wants to learn, he always listens. He has the potential to become one of the best players in his position in the world." In addition to his success on the field, Freeman unexpectedly became a social media star. Ahead of the tournament's first match against Paraguay, his half-sister Diamond Spaulding posted a viral video on TikTok saying: "My little brother is playing for the USA, so cheer for number 16." After Alex scored a magnificent assist against Paraguay and then scored Australia's goal, the internet community exploded. Users massively supported the player, calling him "America's Younger Brother". For a boy who was once hesitant about his footballing future, this tournament was a moment of absolute triumph. "I've worked my whole life to get to this moment, to sing the national anthem in front of my home crowd. It just makes me so happy," concluded Freeman, who is introducing European soccer to a new wave of American fans. In the final round, the USA will play against Turkey, which was prematurely eliminated from the World Cup. The match is scheduled for June 26, starting at 05:00.