FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Alex Freeman grew up playing soccer on fields across Broward County, dreaming of one day representing his country on the sport’s biggest stage.
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Now, the 21-year-old defender is on the verge of making that dream a reality.
Freeman is expected to make his World Cup debut with the U.S. Men’s National Team, marking a major milestone in a journey that began in South Florida.
Despite his age, Freeman said he’s embracing the pressure that comes with competing at the highest level.
“I think, yeah, for me it’s my first World Cup and I’m the young guy,” Freeman said in an exclusive interview with Local 10 News. “I think as well for me it’s always going to be a lot of pressure, but for me, it’s how can I deal with the pressure and make it into something great when I play.”
For Freeman, the moment is about more than personal achievement. It’s an opportunity to represent the people who helped him reach this point.
“I think for me it’s to realize that I’m not only doing it for the fans and for myself,” Freeman said. “I’m doing it for the people that helped me get to this point. From Fort Lauderdale, from where I’m from, and it just means so much that I’m able to have that kind of support back home.”
Freeman said taking the leap to pursue a professional soccer career came with uncertainty, but the encouragement he received from family, friends and his South Florida community helped fuel his confidence.
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“Knowing that I took a risk and I had so many people backing me, encouraging me to do this,” he said.
Representing the United States on the international stage is something Freeman said he does not take lightly.
“For me it’s such an honor,” Freeman said. “But I know honor comes with privilege, knowing that you have the privilege and the confidence and desire to be able to wear the shirt and perform when you’re in it.”
As he prepares to step onto the field, Freeman said he remains focused on carrying that responsibility with gratitude and pride.
“Always having that honor and grateful energy that you don’t get to wear this every day,” he said. “And when you do get to wear it, it’s to wear with pride.”
For the former Broward County standout, the upcoming match represents the latest chapter in a remarkable rise from local soccer fields to the global stage — one that South Florida will be watching closely.
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