Landon Donovan Says This Under-the-Radar USMNT Player Will Become a Household Name
The USMNT will play their first match of the 2026 World Cup in exactly one month from today, and the expectations remain high for the team.
Former USMNT captain and legend Landon Donovan is one of the legends who has voiced his expectation of the national team this summer through his podcast with Tim Howard, Unfitured Soccer.
Athlon Sports' Sam Suzuki interviewed Donovan ahead of the 2026 World Cup this summer, and one of the questions fans looked forward to hearing was the key player he thinks will shine for Team USA.
Many expected Donovan to say the players with high pedigree in the squad, like Christian Pulisic or Weston McKennie, but the former USMNT forward picked a defender who has shone under USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Donovan picked Alex Freeman, who currently plays for Villarreal in La Liga and made his USMNT senior debut last year.
Landon Donovan on Alex Freeman
Landon Donovan predicts that Alex Freeman will be key for the USMNT this summer at the World Cup. With 15 caps for the USMNT, Freeman is likely to be included in the official World Cup roster for the USMNT, which is set to be revealed on May 26.
When asked who he thinks will be the X-factor for the USMNT, Donovan name-drops the star players and said, "Well, there are some names that the general public would know: Christian Pulisic, a guy named Weston McKennie. They both played in Italy now for a long time. They are sort of, the more well-known names. Folarin Balogun is a name that a lot of sports fans won't know, but I think they'll know this summer. He's had a fantastic season at Monaco and France, scored a lot of goals, and there's also a young kid who I'm really high on."
Donovan then highlights Alex Freeman and said, "He plays now very well in Spain. Just moved there from Atlanta. His name is Alex Freeman. He started playing regularly for Villarreal, in third place in La Liga, which is no small feat. And I think if he continues to play leading into the World Cup and plays and starts matches, he's someone that could really catch people's eye."
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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 10:28 AM.