U.S. men’s national team defender Alex Freeman won the MLS Young Player of the Year award after a breakout season with Orlando City.
Freeman beat Diego Luna and Obed Vargas to the award. Luna, his fellow USMNT teammate, looked to become the first player in league history to win the award twice. The 21-year-old is just the second Orlando City player to claim the award following Cyle Larin in 2015.
To qualify for this year’s MLS Young Player of the Year award, players must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 2003. Freeman made 29 appearances in the regular season scoring six goals and providing three assists from right back. Orlando finished ninth in the Eastern Conference, qualifying for the wild card round of the playoffs.
Though the Floridian side lost to Chicago, Freeman has established himself as one of the premier upcoming talents in the U.S.
Freeman Looking to Play Pivotal Role in 2026 World Cup
Freeman’s performances earned him a call-up to the USMNT over the summer for the Concacaf Gold Cup.
The Orlando City defender made his debut in an international friendly loss against Türkiye. After sitting in another loss to Switzerland, Freeman made his first claim for a 2026 FIFA World Cup roster spot.
Freeman started all six Gold Cup matches under Mauricio Pochettino as the USMNT lost to Mexico in the final. Though, his performances were enough for continued involvement.
The 21-year-old was called up for the September and October camps featuring against South Korea, Japan, Ecuador and Australia. It was a mixed bag of results overall across all four games, but Pochettino notably entrusted Freeman once again after switching up his formation.
Despite operating primarily at right back at the club level, Freeman started as a wingback in a 3-4-3 for his country. If Freeman is called upon in November, it’s likely Pochettino views him as part of his 2026 plans barring injury.
MLS Young Player of the Year: Last 10 Winners
*2019 marks the final year of the MLS Rookie of the Year award. It is rebranded to Young Player of the Year in 2020.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT Breakthrough Talent Named MLS Young Player of the Year.
