Behind the scenes of a healthy rivalry between the United States goalkeepers to start at the World Cup

ATLANTA — Matt Turner sees the scene every day. On June 12, when the United States opens the World Cup at Los Angeles Stadium against Paraguay, Turner imagines the entire event: the roar of the more than 70,000 fans, the teams emerging from the tunnel in their new outfits, the national anthems blaring. “There are a million images rushing through my head. I think about it a lot,” Turner said during a meeting with reporters at the national training center in Fayetteville, Georgia. “I’ll probably cry during the national anthem. It’s a tremendous honor — an overwhelming honor — to have the responsibility of being on this team and doing the best we can in our roles to ultimately change soccer here. »

However, Turner does not know exactly where he will physically stand on the pitch that evening. He hopes to be aligned by Mauricio Pochettino, but reality could put him on the bench. Holder at the 2022 World Cup, Turner, 31, sees his place threatened by Matt Freese, who made his debut for the selection last June and gained ascendancy thanks to his performances, notably during the 2025 Gold Cup where he stopped three shots on goal during the session against Costa Rica.

Freese, 27, has started 13 of the last 14 games and has established himself as the favorite to start the tournament at home. Even if he did not play in the USA's recent 3-2 victory against Senegal, this composition is not necessarily indicative of the typical team that Pochettino will choose for the World Cup. Turner played 45 minutes during this meeting, and the young Chris Brady, 22 years old (Chicago Fire), obtained his first selection in the second half - an experience wanted by the staff to avoid a baptism of fire occurring only in the World Cup.

A born competitor, Turner won't give up. “I’m going to train like I have a chance,” he said. “That’s how I got to where I am today, so I don’t see why I would change. For me, I will always work as hard as possible, and when the coach makes his final decision, I will be at peace knowing that I gave everything. »

Turner arrived at the preparation in good shape: he is third in MLS in save percentage with 78.2%, while Freese, playing for New York City FC, is sixth at 73.9%. Asked about the possible advantage that this could represent, Turner was lucid: “Obviously, we would also like to have a history with the selection over the last year to rely on. But yes, form at club level is very important. And in the end, after evaluating training and recent performances, coaches will make the best choice for the connection between players and those who can make the biggest difference. »

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The hierarchy is not completely fixed. During the March window, Turner started the 5-2 defeat to Belgium, Freese was lined up for the 2-0 defeat against Portugal, then Turner and Brady shared the minutes against Senegal. Freese is expected to start the warm-up match against Germany on Saturday.

Freese adopts a collective attitude when discussing rotations: “When someone's name is called for you, you immediately say to yourself: 'OK, how can I help the team?' Then, you prepare yourself by training and giving yourself the means to perform well the next time you are lined up. »

Brad Guzan, who went through the selection and was Tim Howard's replacement for a long time, knows better than anyone what it means to be number 2. "There are very few cases where you can rest on your laurels and say to yourself, 'I deserve this because I did this and that in the past,'" recalled Guzan. “As an American player in Europe, that luxury doesn’t exist. As No. 2 or No. 3, you have to find how to contribute to the group, whether in training sessions the day after a match or in the preparation for the match itself. It can be your energy, your information, your support and your advice — all at once. »

On and off the pitch, the atmosphere between the goalkeepers is respectful. Freese showed signs of affection before kickoff of a recent match, hugging the starters before returning to his place on the bench. At halftime, as Brady was preparing to enter for his first game, a minor logistical mishap occurred: no one could find his jersey, and Freese ran off to find one for his teammate — a small moment of young international awkwardness.

If Turner were to finally start this summer on the bench, he will certainly experience it as a disappointment, but he will face it with professionalism. “I think there is a healthy mutual respect between us,” he concluded. “We both want to play, we both played and we will respect the coaches’ final decision. Then, our roles will change to be in solidarity with each other. What he's done over the last few years has been great, and this competition has been great. We'll see. »

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