Looking At USA's Goalkeeper Battle

Going into the weakness of this position group is for another article, but this article will highlight the battle for starting goalkeeper at the World Cup. Many know that Matt Turner and Matt Freese are going to fight tooth and nail to win the starting job, but this will highlight what each brings to the table and what could determine who wins the competition. Competition is healthy and it could help whomever is named as the starter, but either way, someone is going to be challenged.

The Case For Matt Freese

Freese is presumably the starter, for now. Freese's performances the last year has been excellent. Freese has been red hot for USA and is arguably one of the best in Major League Soccer as he's been a breakout star in the league in 2024 and 2025. Freese has also shown a knack to come in the clutch especially in the 2025 Gold Cup when it came to a penalty shootout against Costa Rica. Freese is in considerably good form and clearly Mauricio Pochettino favors him, but he had mixed results at club level to start the 2026 MLS season. Will that affect his national team form? Possibly, but his ability to show his clutch gene certainly helps. Will competition affect his mentality as he's comfortably been the starter for a year? Hard to figure out, but competition is always helpful. Form and clutch gene are good reasons to see Freese as the starter.

The Case For Matt Turner

Turner was supposed to be starting goalkeeper for the entirety of the 2026 World Cup cycle, but he lost his job in the 2025 Gold Cup simply because of his form fell. Part of the problem was Turner making what seemed like great career moves at the time, but turned out to be detrimental to him. Yes, moving to England should've made his career trajectory better, but it didn't and with the lack of playing time and the probability of lack of confidence, it most likely affected Turner losing his starting position. That being said, he has two things going for him right now and it could help Turner winning the job. Turner has been in excellent form for New England and riding a hot form will translate him getting some playing time. The fact Pochettino has called Turner into camp shows he still rates him and that's a good sign for whether Turner can win the job. The other thing is that Turner has more experience on the international level especially against the nations like England or Netherlands, the sides that are always favorited to win a World Cup. That certainly helps a lot and Freese doesn't have that over Turner. So, great club form and World Cup experience, that certainly are good reasons for Turner to be the starter. However, a big issue is that Turner is terrible with his feet considering how the position has changed in world soccer, but that might be an overreach of criticism.

This is easier said than done in terms with what is presented, but it actually is a tough decision. Freese has been the favorite lately and shown clutch moments, but Turner has experience and is in awesome form. After laying everything out, it probably would be in the best interest for Pochettino and USMNT to have Turner be the starter here. There is also a comfortability factor here as well, but experience and great form is hard to ignore. Freese might eventually become a better player than Turner, especially with the age factor, but in the win now mode right at this moment, Turner makes sense.