The US men’s national team has a new face, and it belongs to a 21-year-old defender who could have been catching passes in the NFL instead of clearing balls off the back line at the World Cup.
Alex Freeman, born on August 9, 2004, in Plantation, Florida, has gone from MLS prospect to La Liga regular to World Cup starter in a span that would make most career arcs look glacial by comparison.
From Orlando to Villarreal to the world stage
Freeman’s path to the USMNT started at Orlando City SC, where he logged 32 appearances and scored 6 goals. That attention came in January 2026, when Spanish side Villarreal CF came calling.
His international career kicked off even before the Villarreal transfer. Freeman made his USMNT debut on June 7, 2025, in a match against Turkiye.
