A 3-year-old boy went to a soccer game to do what he loves most, but the day ended with police being called to the field. Nevada Pierre was playing in a youth soccer program in Winter Park, Florida, on October 24 when other parents reportedly accused his parents of being “aggressive,” leading to a confrontation with a league official. While his family believes the youngster was treated unfairly because of his soccer ability, the official alleged that Nevada had been pushing other children. As videos of the young player’s skills spread online, USMNT defender Alex Freeman stepped forward with a message of support.
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The 22-year-old Freeman, who plays for Spanish club Villarreal and represents the United States men’s national team, responded to the incident with a heartfelt message for Nevada and his family on October 27. “I’m sorry this happened! This is not right! Taking the freedom and love away from him just because he’s talented is unacceptable. This will forever now be a memory and is not ok,” Freeman wrote.
He then invited the family to contact him directly, adding, “Dm me if possible, will definitely set something up where you can get gear and maybe meet up.” He also encouraged the youngster to keep moving forward despite the difficult experience, telling him, “You don’t deserve this little man, but now use this as fuel to be the best person you can be and believe that you can do anything through adversity. Will definitely be following you and know you have a bright future! Let me know if you need anything!”
But what happened during the game that prompted such a response from the USMNT defender?
Nevada was taking part in an i9 Sports recreational soccer program at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Winter Park. The three-year-old was playing alongside children around five years old, and videos shared online have since attracted attention for his ability to dribble past opponents, control the ball, and score despite facing older players. His mother, Martasia Griffin, has reportedly said that he scored more than 40 goals across five games during the season.
His family also claimed he scored 10 goals in roughly 10 to 15 minutes of playing time during the game at the center of the dispute. The league official also acknowledged Nevada’s soccer ability in police body-camera footage released by the Winter Park Police Department on October 26.
“He’s very advanced compared to the other ones… he’s scoring a lot of goals,” the official told officers. However, the official went on to allege that the youngster had been pushing other children during games.
“But he’s pushing the kids,” the official said, adding that they had tried to tell Nevada not to push and that the children should be able to play without doing so. Nevada was reportedly taken out of the game as the dispute over his conduct on the field escalated.
The disagreement escalated on October 24, prompting the league organizer to call police. In the 911 audio released by the Winter Park Police Department, the organiser described the situation as “not really an emergency” but complained that a parent was allegedly calling him names. He later described Nevada’s parents, Griffin and Don Pierre, as “really disruptive” and claimed they were following him around the park.
The organiser asked officers to arrive quickly, telling the dispatcher, “It just needs to be, like, a rush. If you can have someone rush here real quick please.” When officers arrived, the league official repeated his concerns about the parents and his allegations about Nevada’s conduct on the field.
He also said he would offer the family a refund if they agreed to leave. Griffin rejected the suggestion that her family had done anything wrong and said she believed the dispute stemmed from her son’s soccer skills.
“They’re mad at my son because he actually plays soccer,” Griffin told officers. “So I’m a little confused and I’m a little baffled because I signed my kid up for soccer. So they’re literally kicking him out of this place because he’s good at soccer.”
Griffin also disputed the claim that the family had been causing problems with other parents. She told officers that she and Nevada’s father usually stayed on the other side of the field and did not get involved in disputes with other families. After the incident, she continued defending her son on Instagram, sharing what she described as the full, unedited game footage and questioning the allegation that he had pushed other players. In the caption, she wrote, “This is the full game no cut no edit where is the pushing ? ⚽️”
Police did not arrest anyone or force the family to leave the park. According to the Winter Park Police Department, the incident was a civil matter, not a criminal one. The department said the family cooperated with officers and received an event number at its request. The police response did not establish that Nevada was removed because of his soccer ability, nor did it settle the conflicting accounts of what happened during the game.
i9 Sports has also addressed the controversy. In a statement to WESH 2 News, the organization said it was taking the concerns seriously and had contacted the family to begin reviewing the incident. “The respectful treatment and well-being of every child and family matter deeply to us,” the statement said.
The organisation added that its review would include speaking with those involved and that it would not speculate or share unverified information while working to understand the circumstances.
As the controversy continues to draw attention online, Freeman’s message has offered Nevada and his family a show of support.