Overview
- Freeman is reported likely to start Friday at SoFi Stadium in the U.S. opener against Paraguay as the right center back in Pochettino’s three-man defense.
- His rise was swift: he broke into Orlando’s first team in March 2025, made his USMNT debut in June 2025 and then played in 16 of the next 17 national-team matches.
- Villarreal signed Freeman in January 2026 and he earned several late-season starts in La Liga, evidence cited by staff that he can handle top-level club minutes.
- Team leaders praise his physicality, calmness and ball progression and his profile is heightened by being the son of former NFL receiver Antonio Freeman.
- Playing at home in the World Cup gives Freeman big exposure and his role as a stabilizer on the right could change how the U.S. balances forward wingbacks with defensive cover.