The son of a Super Bowl winner solidifies rowdy Seattle as a US soccer stronghold | CNN
Seattle —
Lumen Field, renamed Seattle Stadium by FIFA for this tournament, is now hallowed ground for the Freeman family.
Alex Freeman tormented his opponents in Seattle on Friday, 30 years after his famous dad did the same. Freeman stepped fully clear of his father’s shadow, cementing himself in US Soccer lore by scoring a decisive World Cup goal to defeat Australia 2-0 and guarantee the United States a spot in the Round of 32.
Freeman’s pops, Super Bowl XXXI-winning wide receiver Antonio Freeman as a member of the Green Bay Packers, ran out of Seattle 31-10 winners over the Seahawks in 1996 when the wideout hauled in seven receptions and two touchdowns at the old Kingdome, which used to sit where Lumen Field resides now.
Antonio Freeman scored 61 touchdowns across nine NFL seasons. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2009.
When the younger Freeman was asked about the karma of father and son scoring on nearly the same spot of land, the 21-year-old gave thanks for the opportunity to shine while acknowledging his dad’s influence.
“It’s a full-circle, family moment. I think for me it just shows how great the family tree is,” Freeman said after the victory.
“I think that just shows how he can be great but I can be great in my own way as well. It just shows how amazing it is to have a dad who’s successful and that can mentor me to be able to be ready for moments like these.”
His spectacular coming-out party on the globe’s biggest stage is powered in part by having a good father figure in Antonio.
“As a football player, you know, I think they have so much competitiveness and it’s just kind of rubbed off on me a lot,” a grateful Freeman told CNN Sports before the tournament kicked off.
“And for me, it was just to be able to kind of have that role model that I could always look up to, you know, for any questions I needed, any motivation I needed, and just to be able to have that guy to look up to, it meant so much.”
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has obviously seen the qualities instilled in Freeman. So much so that the coach has named the youngest player on the US men’s national team as a starter for the first two Group D matches. The defender, a former member of MLS’ Orlando City SC and who now patrols the backline at La Liga club Villarreal in Spain, has rewarded the coach by helping shut down Paraguay a week ago and shutting out Australia here in Seattle.
His moment in the sun was nearly cut short after a scary moment in the 38th minute, when he and Australia’s Paul Okon-Engstler both jumped to reach a 50/50 ball and violently knocked heads. Both players lay on the grass, with Freeman, specifically, down for a minute and a half as trainers assessed the damage. He was checked for a concussion and deemed able to keep playing.
Two minutes later, with the USA leading the Socceroos 1-0, Freeman was the first to pounce and get a head on a parried shot by teammate Sergiño Dest. He then got to commemorate his goal at least twice. The initial reaction was pure bliss, shared with fellow defender Chris Richards, as he ran to celebrate his third national team goal, but the teammates quickly realized the linesman had raised the offside flag.
An announced capacity crowd of 66,925 collectively waited with bated breath for a solid two minutes as the goal was reviewed by the video assistant referee (VAR). When referee Felix Zwayer announced the goal would stand, Seattle – sans those wearing yellow Aussie kits – exploded with screams of joy.
United States defender Alex Freeman had to wait for a VAR check to celebrate but his goal stood against Australia.
“It took a really long time. I was very anxious to see, you know, whether it was a goal or not,” he smiled while recounting the moment.
“And then, when it was (announced) a goal, I looked back and I saw my teammates running at me. I was like, ‘Oh Lord’, and I had to run.
“I ended up running and celebrating with them, and I think it just made me very emotional in the moment.”
US striker Folarin Balogun was thrilled for the Floridian.
“I’m so happy for Freeman,” he told Fox Sports. “He’s such a humble kid. He’s so down to earth. For him to get his first World Cup goal, you know, on home soil, I’m sure it’s a special evening for him.”
Seattle fortress
There was no fashionably late-arriving crowd at the stadium on Friday for a noon start despite the revelry downtown on Thursday night. Gate entrances were packed early, well before kickoff, even though fans knew the pitch would remain empty for hours before the FIFA-installed countdown clock struck zero to begin the match.
The US-backed crowd that showed up to cheer on the red, white and blue sounded fully prepared to take on the role of the 12th man. The injured Christian Pulisic joined his teammates at the center circle and was treated to an impassioned, fan-led singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before four military helicopters flew overhead.
United States fans celebrate after the United States defeated Australia in Seattle.
“It’s special, so special,” Balogun said when asked about the crowd’s collective voice.
“It’s tough to put it into words, you know, the National Anthem and then you’re seeing the helicopters go above. It’s extremely special. It just gives us that, not that we need it, but it gives us that last bit of motivation before we go out there to just go out there and really go crazy.”
What ensued was 90 minutes of pure sound.
Lower bowl seats remained unused. Not that they were empty but rather not sat upon with fanatics standing throughout the game and seemingly ready to join the fray.
Some fans brought in drums and played ‘em in the far reaches of the upper decks, with the rhythmic sound never stopping while the ball was on the pitch.
In ’94, US men’s soccer made the world pay attention. Today, millions are hoping for more
“Today, even if I am not American, after the game, I was emotional,” the Argentine Pochettino blushed.
“The warm reception and the way they support us, and the way they celebrate the victory – they make it feel very emotional. And the players are very emotional, too,” he said.
“I think it was an amazing and perfect connection between the energy from the stands and the team.”
Ohio’s capital city is widely considered the unofficial spiritual home of the US men’s national team due to its gaudy 11-1-3 all-time record in Columbus. So famous is the American dominance over Mexico in Ohio that it even comes with a tagline – “Dos a Cero” – a nod to the scoreline of the USA’s four straight victories over their archrival in Columbus.
But no one would blame those in the Emerald City for uttering the retort, “Hold my beer.”
The American men appear to love playing in Seattle and who can blame whatever karma surrounds the national squad here. With Friday’s victory, the US is now undefeated in all seven matches played in this open-air stadium.
There is something about the Pacific Northwest air that has added an aura to this team. An unbeaten record and a fully backed squad will only solidify this part of the States as soccer country.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
