\n
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) \u2014 For many World Cup cycles over the past 30 years, the best and most skilled player on the U.S. men’s roster has been the goaltender.<\/p>\n
Casey Keller. Brad Friedel. Tim Howard. Brad Guzan. They have all played on major international club stages, and the national team could always count on elite talent in net, even if the rest of the squad wasn’t world-class.<\/p>\n
That’s no longer the case as the current American team prepares. home world cup<\/span>.<\/p>\nMatt Freeze and Matt Turner are both solid professionals domestically, but have yet to reach the level of their esteemed predecessors in terms of international achievements for club and country. Both sides will hope to get over that hurdle in the coming weeks, once manager Mauricio Pochettino lets us know who will start on Friday night.<\/p>\n
“Historically, it’s no exaggeration to say America has had a great goaltending corps,” said Freese, the New York City FC goalie. “I’ve been a fan of that goalie corps for most of my life, and I still am, so I’m honored to be a part of this team and be part of a group that continues that great legacy.”<\/p>\n
The United States arrived Last training base for the World Cup<\/span> However, Pochettino has yet to announce which goalkeeper will start when the team opens the group stage against Paraguay in Inglewood, California. And it’s hard not to see it as an indicator of the state of the internet in the United States.<\/p>\nFreeze was a regular starter for the Americans. Since last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup<\/span>Meanwhile, Turner was a starter at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under coach Gregg Berhalter. It seems likely that Pochettino’s appointment on Friday will be made free, but the fact that it has not yet been decided is interesting for both rivals for the job.<\/p>\n“It’s not very clear, but I think the message for me is always be ready,” Turner said Tuesday. \u201cI just have to train really well, keep fighting and then the decision will be made.\u201d<\/p>\n
Regardless of who is named, the United States will have a Major League Soccer goaltender in net for the first time at a World Cup. This is a coup for MLS, but the Americans are used to using goalkeepers who have gone above and beyond to succeed.<\/p>\n
Freeze, 27, has spent his professional career in MLS since dropping out of Harvard University in early 2019. Turner, 31, also returned to North America’s top league with the New England Revolution after his career in Europe stalled before it really took off.<\/p>\n
Pochettino found the back of the net in four games for the U.S. national team in 2026, with third-stringer Chris Brady also included. Turner started in last month’s friendly against Senegal, while Frees started against Germany last weekend.<\/p>\n
Turner knows he is probably behind Freeze on Pochettino’s depth chart, but with no starter announced, he will have to work just that hard.<\/p>\n
“Given the fact that I didn’t play much on varsity last year, of course for me it always feels like there’s a crack in the door,” Turner said. “Everyone has a chance, but I think the coach will always pick the players who are playing the best and will make the right decisions for the team and whatever my role is, I’m going to be ready to do it to the best of my ability.”<\/p>\n
Turner made his U.S. debut in early 2021, while Freeze was first called up to the U.S. in January 2025 and finally made his debut last June. However, he quickly grabbed a starting job and appeared in all six Gold Cup matches, earning plaudits for his performances, which included two clean sheets and three penalty saves in a successful penalty shoot-out.<\/p>\n
“I dream of this opportunity,” Freeze said. “You work for this opportunity, but you don’t know if it will come. I learned probably nine years ago that people who work hard without the promise of reward usually succeed.”<\/p>\n
Note: All 26 players participated in Tuesday’s full practice for the first time in this World Cup training cycle. Tyler Adams, who missed Monday’s light training for maintenance, joins injured defender Chris Richards in the squad. Full practice for 2 years in a row<\/span> He was recovering from an ankle injury sustained at Crystal Palace last month.<\/p>\n___<\/p>\n
AP World Cup: https:\/\/apnews.com\/fifa-world-cup<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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