Alex Freeman, son of ex-Packers receiver, makes USA World Cup soccer team

Alex Freeman, the son of Green Bay Packers legend Antonio Freeman, will appear in his first World Cup soccer competition in 2026, named to the USA men's national team for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. At just 21 years old, the defender was the youngest of 26 players named to the team by head coach Mauricio Pochettino. His father, Antonio, played eight seasons with the Packers, most notably from 1995-2001 when he made a Pro Bowl and played a massive role for both Super Bowl teams after the 1996 and 1997 seasons. The wide receiver made the Pro Bowl in 1998 after leading the NFL with 1,424 receiving yards, and he racked up three catches (including an 81-yard touchdown) and 105 yards receiving in Super Bowl XXXI during the Packers' 35-21 win over New England.

Freeman was even better in the team's follow-up Super Bowl XXXII loss to Denver, with nine catches, 126 yards and two touchdowns. Alex, a Baltimore native who calls Florida home, has been playing club soccer for Villarreal CF in Spain, with an opportunity to play Champions League matches. He just made his U.S. men's national senior team debut in June and has 15 "caps," indicating international matches played for USMNT. His rise in the soccer world has been a rapid ascent.

Freeman was part of Orlando City in the MLS from 2022-26 and named an MLS all-star in 2025 before joining Villarreal in January. He told Chuck Booth of CBS Sports that he got the news of his inclusion on the team while in Spain with his father. "I had my dad with me," Freeman said, "and it was one of those moments where I kind of played the video on the TV and he went crazy and started running around the house and it kind of shows how you have that feeling and support behind you and always being able to support you and your dreams and having my dad be able to enjoy that moment with me just meant so much." World Cup matches, hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico, start June 11, with USA facing Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles. USA finds itself in Group D, along with Australia and Türkiye, the nation against whom Freeman made his USMNT debut.