USMNT ‘want revenge’ against Belgium at World Cup, Alex Freeman says
The United States men’s national team (USMNT) is on the precipice of reaching a World Cup quarterfinal for the first time since 2002.
Belgium stands in the way as the USMNT’s Round-of-16 opponent at the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup.
The Red Devils have a history of denying the USMNT. At 2014 World Cup, Belgium defeated the U.S., 2-1, in the Round of 16. Much more recently, though much less importantly, Belgium handed the U.S. a 5-2 blowout loss in an international friendly this March.
USMNT defender Alex Freeman is aware, but he isn’t intimidated.
“We know the quality they have,” Freeman, 21, told Roger Bennett for “Men in Blazers.” “They’re a very quality team. They’ve been known for years. For us, it’s how we can stay to ourselves and know that we still want to play the way we want to play. Still be able to press a lot, control the ball a little bit, be able to be direct.”
Freeman said he was “so young” when Belgium ripped America’s collective heart out in 2014, though some of his teammates may remember that match.
Regardless, Freeman said, “I think we just don’t feel like we want to bring it up, knowing that this is the game that we want a whole different impact on, a whole different result. At the end of the day, i think we want revenge, not only for 2014, but for a couple of months ago when we lost to them. So, for us, it’s how can we get that revenge, and how can we go and get a win?”
Belgium and the USMNT will face off in the Round of 16 in Seattle on Monday, July 6. In the meantime, watch Freeman’s full “Men in Blazers” appearance below.
