Alexander Michael Freeman (born August 9, 2004) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Orlando City in Major League Soccer.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Michael Freeman[1] | ||
| Date of birth | August 9, 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back, winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Orlando City | ||
| Number | 30 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2017–2019 | Weston FC | ||
| 2020–2021 | Orlando City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022– | Orlando City B | 69 | (12) |
| 2022– | Orlando City | 3 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | United States U17 | 1 | (0) |
| 2022–2024 | United States U19 | 6 | (1) |
| 2023– | United States U23 | 5 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 20, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 24, 2023 | |||
Youth career
editBorn in Baltimore, Maryland, Freeman attended American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida and played three seasons for Weston FC Academy before joining the Orlando City Academy in 2020.[3][4] In 2021, he made 30 appearances for the under-17 team, scoring eight goals and providing 15 assists as Orlando City were crowned the inaugural MLS Next Cup U17 champions.[5]
Club career
editOrlando City B
editOn March 26, 2022, Freeman made his first senior appearance when he started in a 2–0 victory over Chicago Fire II, the reserve's first MLS Next Pro match.[6] Freeman would finish the 2022 campaign with 19 appearances and 3 assists.[7]
On March 31, 2023, Freeman scored his first professional goals when he netted a brace in a 2–1 victory over new expansion side Huntsville City.[8] Freeman made his playoffs debut on October 1 when he came on as a 95th-minute substitute for Dominic Pereira in a 2–1 quarterfinals lost to Columbus Crew 2.[9] Freeman would finish the 2023 campaign with 25 appearances, 4 goals, and 3 assists.[7]
On May 15, 2023, Freeman made his first double goal contribution when he made two assists in a 4–3 loss to Columbus Crew 2.[10] On September 8, Freeman made his first triple goal contribution when he scored two goals and assisted in another in a 4–1 victory at Crown Legacy FC.[11] Freeman's performances throughout the month of September saw him voted MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Month for the first time.[12] On October 20, Freeman started his first playoffs game in a 1–1 draw at Chicago Fire II, which then went into a penalty kick shootout. Freeman took Orlando's first penalty and successfully converted it, but Orlando would go on to lose the penalty kick shootout 5–4.[13] Freeman finished the 2024 campaign with 26 appearances, 8 goals, and 9 assists, the most assists and total goal contributions on team.[7][14]
Orlando City
editOn February 15, 2022, Orlando City signed Freeman to a four-year homegrown contract with an additional option year having spent preseason with the first-team, making him the club's 12th homegrown signing.[15]
On April 29, 2023, Freeman made his debut for the club when he came on as a 93rd-minute substitute for Michael Halliday in a 2–0 victory over LA Galaxy.[16]
On July 6, 2024, Freeman made his first goal contribution for the club after he came on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Kyle Smith against D.C. United. Freeman passed the ball to Ramiro Enrique from a redirected Nicolás Lodeiro free-kick, and Enrique scored to help the game end 5–0 in Orlando's favor.[17][18]
International career
editIn March 2021, Freeman was called up to a 28-player United States youth regional identification camp.[19]
Personal life
editFreeman is the son of former American football wide receiver Antonio Freeman who won Super Bowl XXXI with the Green Bay Packers in 1997.[20]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of October 20, 2024[21]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Playoffs | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Orlando City B | 2022 | MLS Next Pro | 19 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 19 | 0 | ||||
| 2023 | 24 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 4 | |||||
| 2024 | 26 | 8 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 8 | |||||
| Total | 69 | 12 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 12 | ||||
| Orlando City | 2022 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 72 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 75 | 12 | ||
- ^ Appearances in Leagues Cup
Honors
editOrlando City
References
edit- ^ "2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup – Club roster: Orlando City SC (USA)" (PDF). CONCACAF. January 30, 2024. p. 19. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ "Alex Freeman". Orlando City SC. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "Alexander Freeman | Orlando City". Orlando City SC. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Alex Freeman's Men's Soccer Recruiting Profile". www.ncsasports.org. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ "Orlando City Signs Alex Freeman as Homegrown Player". www.themaneland.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ "Orlando City B Begins MLS NEXT Pro Era with 2-0 Win Over Chicago Fire FC II". Orlando City. March 27, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Alexander Freeman". MLS Next Pro. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "Orlando City B stays unbeaten, downing Huntsville City FC in home opener". Orlando City. March 31, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "CLBvsORL 10-01-2023". MLS Next Pro. October 1, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "Match Report: Orlando City B drops high-scoring match, 4-3, to Columbus Crew 2". Orlando City B. May 15, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "Match Report: Orlando City B takes down Crown Legacy FC 4-1 on the road". Orlando City B. September 8, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "MLS NEXT Pro Monthly Awards: September". MLS Next Pro. October 3, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "CHIvsORL 10-20-2024". Orlando City B. October 20, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ DeSalvo, S. Andrew (October 17, 2024). "Alex Freeman Looks Ready to Make the Jump to MLS". The Mane Land. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "Orlando City SC Signs Defender Alex Freeman as Club's 12th All-Time Homegrown". Orlando City. February 15, 2022. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "ORLvsLA 04-29-2023". Orlando City. April 29, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "ORLvsDC 07-06-2024". Orlando City. July 6, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "Match report: Orlando City SC honors Kaká with 5-0 win over D.C. United". Orlando City. July 6, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "Boys YNT Regional ID - Florida Roster". TopDrawerSoccer. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ Gramajo, Mike. "Orlando City locks up Alex Freeman with 4-year deal". orlandosentinel.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ "Alex Freeman Soccerway profile". Soccerway. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
External links
edit- Alex Freeman at Soccerway.com
- Alex Freeman at kicker (in German)
- Alex Freeman at FBref.com
- Alex Freeman at Major League Soccer
- Alex Freeman at Orlando City SC
