WESTON, FLA. (WSVN) - - With Team USA’s first FIFA World Cup match just 11 days away, defender Alex Freeman reminisced about growing up in South Florida, which shaped his journey to represent his country on the biggest sports stage on the planet.
“Growing up, you kind of wait to get to this moment, right, where you can represent your country,” said Freeman.
At just 21, Freeman is the youngest player ever to be named for Team USA’s 26-man roster.
His success on the pitch started at a young age, growing up in Plantation.
As a child, he played for the Tamarac Youth Soccer team and Weston FC.
Once he turned 16, Freeman was signed as a homegrown talent for MLS’s Orlando City SC.
Freeman helped Orlando City SC reach the playoffs last season, scoring six goals and being named an MLS All-Star.
He has also been a member of Team USA’s national player pool since 2025.
“The success that I’ve had, it’s come very quickly, right? I feel like, you know, I just stepped on the scene kind of like a year, a year-and-a-half ago, and for us, we’re gonna dream big, we’re gonna achieve a lot,” said Freeman.
At her home in Weston, Freeman’s mom, Rochelle Hinkle, has several framed photos showing every part of his incredible journey, which will soon include unforgettable moments representing the United States in the World Cup.
“We’re super proud, we’re overwhelmed, we’re excited. It’s been a long journey for our family, for Alex. Every obstacle that could’ve been in front of him, he’s crushed it,” said Hinkle.
Freeman is the only player from Florida to be named to Team USA’s roster. It’s also his first time playing in the World Cup.
“Gonna have the biggest pressure I’ve had, you know, ever in my career, and it’s how I’m gonna handle that pressure and how I’m gonna enjoy the moment,” said Freeman.
Former Team USA striker Eric Wynalda, who played in three World Cups, said nothing can prepare you for the emotional battle that comes with that first experience.
“If it’s your first World Cup, nobody can really prepare you for it. There’s just a whole slew of emotions that hit you; it’s adrenaline, there’s a bit of a fear factor inside all the things going through your brain ’cause you know that you’re talented, you know that you can play. You wouldn’t be there otherwise,” said Wynalda.
Freeman’s love for soccer comes despite his father, Antonio, having a successful NFL career, helping the Green Bay Packers win a Super Bowl in 1997.
While he had his own potential to follow in his father’s footsteps, he chose to carve his own path in the sport he loves.
“I wanted to, you know, chase my own dream and make my own path. He was so understanding of that and supported me so much through that,” said Freeman.
Freeman told 7Sports he called his former Weston FC coach, Javier Carrillo, after finding out he would be representing his country in the World Cup. He said he thanked Carrillo for always believing in his abilities from the beginning.
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