Open Extended Reactions
IRVINE, Calif. — Antonio Freeman has had his own incredible Seattle moments. But the former Green Bay Packers receiver said watching his son, Alex, score for the United States in a World Cup game on Friday was “10,000 times better” and kicked off “the best Father’s Day weekend ever.”
Speaking to ESPN at the U.S. team's training site, the elder Freeman said his phone overheated on Friday afternoon and that he had over 400 text messages from friends and family by the time the U.S. completed its 2-0 victory over Australia.
Freeman also said that he was particularly moved by how the U.S. players celebrated his son's first World Cup goal.
"That's the most heartwarming thing for me as a parent is to see his teammates, who are all a bunch of accomplished men playing in their own exclusive leagues overseas, just to rally around the youngest kid, [the] baby boy on the team and the excitement that they had in their eyes," Freeman said. "As a parent, it just lets you know that your kid's being protected. They're watching over him."
Antonio Freeman, who won a Super Bowl with the Packers and was first-team All-Pro wideout, had a memorable day in Seattle in 1996 when he caught two touchdown passes in a big win over the Seahawks. The emotions of that day were nothing, though, compared to what he felt at Seattle Stadium when Alex shined.
"Watching him score — he said it was 'full circle,' but for me it was like the next chapter, another book and he's going to be able to write his own book from a play like that," Freeman said. "That slowly separates you from the connection to Antonio Freeman and now the landscape opens for you to take your own show as Alex Freeman, pro soccer player.”
Freeman concluded his interview with ESPN with an unprompted "Go Alex!" into the camera as he raised his arms over his head, and he believes the U.S. absolutely could make a deep run in this tournament.
Like any U.S. fan, though, he's concerned about getting injured attacker Christian Pulisic back healthy as soon as possible.
"If we can get No. 10 back," he said. "We got to get my guy back now and just have everybody healthy. When you're entering the playoffs or a system like this, a knockout system, it's about who stays healthy."
He added: "I think the sky's the limit for this team."
The U.S. wraps up group play on Thursday against Türkiye and are already assured top spot in Group D and a spot in the round of 32.
