Former Packers receiver calls son's World Cup goal most moving moment

" Freeman spoke to ESPN at the U.S. team's training site in Irvine, California. He said his phone overheated Friday afternoon after receiving more than 400 text messages from friends and family.

Celebration and family reaction Freeman said he was most moved by how the U.S. players celebrated the 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," he said.

He added that the moment reassured him the player was protected. "As a parent, it just lets you know that your kid's being protected.

outlook Antonio Freeman, a Super Bowl winner and first-team All-Pro wide receiver, recalled catching two touchdown passes in a 1996 win over the Seahawks in Seattle. He described the goal as "full circle" for his son but "the next chapter" for himself.

"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. The U.S. team is already assured of first place in Group D and will finish group play Thursday against Türkiye.

Freeman said the team must stay healthy entering the knockout rounds. >"We got to get my guy back now and just have everybody healthy. " — Antonio Freeman, June 22, 2026 (ESPN) Freeman said he believes the sky is the limit for the squad.