SEATTLE – Alex Freeman had no choice but to bide his time. Yet when his moment finally arrived, he was more than ready.
The Orlando City academy product had nodded a close-range header past Australia goalkeeper Patrick Beach to double the United States' lead over the Socceroos in the dying moments of the first half in Friday’s FIFA World Cup Group D clash, only for an assistant referee’s raised flag to nullify the goal for offside.
Replays quickly revealed that Freeman was onside, however, and the video assistant referee team reviewed the play while he, his teammates and 66,925 or so spectators waited, hearts in mouths, for the verdict on a gloriously sunny summer afternoon at Seattle Stadium.
When German referee Felix Zwayer announced over Seattle Stadium’s loudspeakers that the goal was indeed valid, Freeman was both a happy man and a hunted one.
“When it was confirmed, I looked back and they all started running. I was like, ‘Oh my god, I need to run away from them. They’re going to tackle me,’” Freeman later said of his euphoric celebrations with teammates – starters and bench players alike – in a postgame interview with FOX.
“Then we ended up running to the corner flag, and it was so emotional for me. You dream of this moment, and to finally have it happen and have such a support system to help you celebrate, it just means so much.”
Complete performance
Some fans and pundits have complained that the extra minutes required for VAR decisions blunt the spontaneous joy of a goalscorer and the fans in the stands. Yet there was little sign of that here, as a vocally pro-USMNT crowd exploded raucously while the Yanks mobbed the youngest member of their team. The 21-year-old defender had secured a 2-0 lead they would safely guard down the stretch to bag another three points and clinch their spot in the knockout rounds, even with star attacker Christian Pulisic sidelined by injury.
It wasn’t just the goal, either; Freeman produced a man-of-the-match display across the 90-plus minutes. He completed 91 percent of his 65 passes, created one chance, won a game-high 10 of his 14 duels, and totaled 11 defensive contributions, including a game-high four tackles – a masterful execution of the hybrid ‘elbow back’ role that has been so influential in this team hitting their stride.
“It was surreal knowing that I was able to contribute to my team in any way I can,” he said. “At first, [the goal] was disallowed, so I was kind of anxious when it went to VAR. Then to be able to celebrate with my teammates, that made it come together as a whole. I’m happy to contribute to not only a clean sheet, but a win.”
Huge potential
Afterwards, the Villarreal CF wunderkind drew glowing praise from his coach.
“He's such a humble guy, he's got an amazing profile, he wants to learn, he always listens,” said Mauricio Pochettino. “It's a player that, you really enjoy being with him, not only coaching, but also being with him. He’s a lovely guy, and it's an amazing player.
"For me, he has the potential to be one of the best players in his position in the world.”
Meteoric rise
That anxious VAR wait provides a pretty decent metaphor for Freeman’s career journey to date, too.
As he discussed with MLSsoccer.com at the MLS All-Star Game last summer, Freeman had to grind for years in obscurity to push into a position to shine. After showing promise at his local youth club Weston FC, he missed the cut at the nearby Inter Miami academy in 2020, and relocated up Florida's Turnpike at age 15 to join the residential program at their rivals Orlando City. He earned a homegrown contract two years later yet played a mere 10 MLS minutes over his first three seasons as a professional, instead honing his skills with the Lions’ second team in MLS NEXT Pro.
That prepared him to make last year’s meteoric breakthrough, as he rocketed from reserve to impact starter to All-Star and US international, then a reported $7 million-plus signing for a Spanish powerhouse in a matter of months.
The 2025 MLS Young Player of the Year is a case study for MLS’s development efforts, and now, a World Cup hero, too.
“It's difficult to explain, no? The evolution of him,” said Pochettino. “I want to give the credit to the Orlando team, club, and [former Lions head coach] Oscar Pareja and the coaching staff, because when we were talking about when we arrived here, and to build our relationship with the clubs in MLS, I think how important now is to enjoy about the player that we really only saw a few clips, but to trust in the player and to give the possibility to come with us.
“If you don't have the support of the coaches like Oscar Pareja and the coaching staff in Orlando, and if you don't build that relationship and trust, it is difficult to make decisions only from some clips. How important, now, is how we build that relationship with all the clubs in MLS, and that is one of the examples of how the people deserve the credit, and of course the player, because the player is doing a fantastic job. The evolution is massive.”
