GREEN BAY, Wis. — Alex Freeman, the son of legendary Green Bay Packers wide receiver Antonio, made headlines in Friday's match against Australia.
Freeman, who plays as a defender for the U.S. men's national team, scored just north of the 43-minute mark in the first half. On a free kick from outside the box, Sergio Dest's shot on the goal was deflected into the air. In the midst of a frenzy, Freeman scurried and managed to sneak the ball past Australia goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
FREEMAN. PLAY FREE BIRD. 🦅🦅 pic.twitter.com/GMqDghQTXu
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 19, 2026
It was the first World Cup goal for the 21-year-old Freeman, and the second in the first half of Friday's. match. The first goal, which occurred in the 11th minute, was scored by Folarin Balogun. The 2-0 rout of Australia in the first half comes on the heels of the USMNT's throttling of Paraguay in the opening round last week—they scored four goals, setting a team World Cup record.
Freeman's father, Antonio, was a third-round pick of the Packers in 1995. Freeman, along with Robert Brooks, stepped up as the two leading target-getters for emerging MVP quarterback Brett Favre en route to the team's Super Bowl run in 1996. They replaced the production that was left behind by Sterling Sharpe, who sustained a career-ending neck injury in the 1994 regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons.
Alex Freeman celebrates with the U.S. men's national team after scoring a goal in the World Cup against Australia. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Brooks suffered a season-ending knee injury in a Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers in 1996, prompting the Packers to pursue polarizing wideout Andre Rison in a mid-season waiver claim. The trio of Freeman, Rison, and Don Beebe led the Packers' receiving corps for the remainder of the season, including the dynamic tight end tandem of Mark Chmura and Keith Jackson.
Freeman emerged as a budding star. He caught three passes for 105 yards in the Packers' Super Bowl 31 win over the New England Patriots, including an 81-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.
The following season, Freeman was Favre's top target. He caught 81 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns during the regular season, but his production was amplified in the playoffs. The Packers earned a Super Bowl berth for the second consecutive year after Freeman caught eight passes for 183 yards and a touchdown in their first two postseason contests. In the Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos, Freeman turned in a career performance with nine receptions for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Freeman played seven seasons for the Packers initially. He spent the 2002 campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles before returning to Green Bay in 2003 to help aid a room of receivers that had been ravaged by injuries. Donald Driver, Robert Ferguson, and Karsen Bailey all sustained injuries in the season-opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings, so Freeman, a familiar face, returned home.
Freeman ranks No. 9 in franchise history in receptions, No. 8 in receiving yards, and No. 6 in touchdowns.
Zachary Jacobson is the Editor-in-Chief of Packer Report. He is entering his 12th season covering theGreen Bay Packers. He is a member of thePro Football Writers of America. Follow him on Twitter@zacobson or contact him via email atitszachariahj@gmail.com