Antonio Freeman’s Son Has a Chance to Do Something His Dad Never Could

Alex Freeman is the son of former Packers WR Antonio Freeman who won a Super Bowl.

Antonio Freeman’s Son Has a Chance to Do Something His Dad Never Could

Alex Freeman and Antonio Freeman inside the circle (Screengrab Instagram)

Three decades after Antonio Freeman won the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers, his son Alex Freeman stands on the threshold of creating history. Unlike his father, Alex picked soccer as his preferred sport. If everything goes according to plan, he will make his World Cup debut for the USA Men’s National Soccer team against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on Friday, June 12.

In an exclusive interview with TMZ, Antonio Freeman, who caught an 81-yard touchdown from HOF QB Brett Favre at Super Bowl XXXI, claimed his son’s achievement is greater than his own.

It’s no comparison.

Antonio Freeman told TMZ

The Packers drafted Freeman, a Virginia Tech alum, during the third round of the 1995 NFL draft. A year later, he caught the famous catch that helped the Packers win a fourth Lombardi Trophy. Freeman played the next five years for the Wisconsin-based club before a one-year layover in Philadelphia. He returned to the Packers in 2003. In 2007, he retired with the Packers and two years later was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame.

Despite his glittering career that yielded a ring, one All-Pro and one Pro Bowl honor, Freeman views Alex’s call-up to the USMNT World Cup 2026 squad as a bigger accomplishment.

To reach the platform that he’s reached, my Super Bowl was very special, but there’s still no comparison to where he is right now as a 21-year-old, you know, picked and selected as one of the 26 best in the United States of America to represent your team, something I never got a chance to do. So he’s among another echelon of elite and him by far.

Freeman said
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A brief history of Alex Freeman’s journey to the USMNT 2026 World Cup squad

Freeman hails from Baltimore. He spent most of his childhood and adolescence in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was introduced to soccer by his stepfather and coach, Jake Hinkle. After playing three seasons for Weston FC, he joined Orlando City FC’s academy even though his mother, Rochelle, wasn’t ready to send him to live so far away from their home at the height of COVID-19. Freeman stayed in Orlando with the family of his club teammate.

Antonio Freeman's Son Has a Chance to Do Something His Dad Never Could
Alex Freeman (Screengrab Instagram)

Freeman played three seasons (2022-2024) for the reserves before breaking out in 2025. 29 appearances, 6 goals, and 2 assists from right back helped him win the MLS Young Player of the Year award. His remarkable growth caught the eyes of European teams.

When the Spanish First Division club Villarreal came calling, Freeman jumped at the chance to play in one of the biggest leagues in the world. Villarreal signed Freeman during the January 2026 transfer window by paying a reported fee of $7 million. According to reports, Freeman has signed a six-year deal, keeping him with the Castellón-based soccer club until 2032.

As for the national team, Freeman made his youth debut back in 2022. Three years later, in May, head coach Mauricio Pochettino called up Freeman for the senior national team for a couple of friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland.

Freeman made his senior debut in a 2-1 loss to Turkiye. Pochettino selected him for the final roster of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Freeman made his official debut for the USMNT in a 5-0 demolition of Trinidad & Tobago.

So far, Alex Freeman has played 17 games for the national team and has registered a couple of strikes (both against Uruguay in 2025).

Rochelle is a big Liverpool fan and sees a lot of similarities between her son and former Liverpool and current Real Madrid RB Trent Alexander-Arnold. Alex’s brothers, Tyler and Josh, also play soccer.

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