Matt Freese has emerged as an unexpected hero for the USMNT during the Concacaf Gold Cup. The goalkeeper played a crucial role in their advancement to the semifinals by saving three penalties in a sudden-death shootout against Costa Rica. His presence on the field, let alone his starring performance, was initially improbable. Entering the camp, Freese was ranked third among the goalkeepers, seemingly behind the established starter Matt Turner and former starter Zack Steffen. However, injuries led to Steffen`s departure from the national team camp and prevented potential replacement Patrick Schulte from joining. With Matt Turner`s abilities already known, coach Mauricio Pochettino has utilized Freese as part of his ongoing squad evaluation.
Sunday`s game vividly demonstrated Freese`s capabilities. He possesses a long-standing history of studying penalty kicks. After correctly predicting the direction on most attempts and nearly saving Francisco Calvo`s shot during regular time, his expertise was clear. Even more impressively, Freese stopped Calvo in the shootout by remaining central as the Costa Rican aimed straight at him. While Freese credited his goalkeeping coach for the shootout save, his thorough studies of the Ticos` penalty tendencies undoubtedly paid off.
`Penalties are my thing. [On] the plane ride over here to Minnesota. I was studying the penalties,` Freese said after the game. `I`ve been studying them all week and was ready for it if we needed it, and the one that I didn`t move on [was a] suggestion from my goalkeeper coach Toni Jimenez.`
A native of Wayne, Pennsylvania, Freese is one of several players on this USMNT roster with ties to the Philadelphia Union. After being involved with Bethlehem Steel in the USL, Freese chose to enroll at Harvard, playing soccer there from 2017-2018 before returning to sign a homegrown deal with the Union in 2019. His time at Harvard proved significantly formative, providing benefits visible in the Gold Cup.
`I actually did a very long research project in college about penalty kicks,` Freese explained. `To be able to rely on that type of thing and deal with a lot of statistics and stuff like that, read the game and read their hips and things like that, is massive.`
Combining that academic study with his practical experience makes it evident why Freese is particularly well-suited for saving penalties.
Freese made his debut for the Union in April of his signing year as a substitute in a 3-0 victory over CF Montreal. While he made 13 senior appearances, the majority of his playing time came with the Union II, the club`s MLS Next Pro side. Opportunities with the first team were limited behind three-time goalkeeper of the year Andre Blake, but one specific rule in MLS Next Pro significantly prepared Freese for his moment in the spotlight.
In MLS Next Pro, games ending in a draw proceed directly to a penalty shootout, offering teams a chance to earn two points instead of one. This rule is designed to provide young players with valuable real-game experience under the pressure of shootouts, something difficult to replicate in training. In the 2022 season with Philadelphia Union II, Freese played 16 games and was victorious in three of the four shootouts he faced.
In January 2023, Freese was traded to New York City FC following Sean Johnson`s departure. He subsequently earned the starting role and has since ascended to become one of the league`s top keepers. In the 2024 MLS season, Freese was a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year, a season where he also won a penalty shootout in the playoffs against Cincinnati FC and had a 1-1 record in U.S. Open Cup shootouts. Although he ultimately lost the award to Kristijan Kahlina, it was a season that firmly placed Freese on the MLS map.
For those keeping track, his recent shootout win on Sunday brings his total record in competitive penalty tiebreakers to six wins out of eight attempts.
Unexpected Call-Up to the USMNT
Called into Mauricio Pochettino`s January 2025 camp, Freese did not make an appearance but impressed enough to be included again for the July friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland. Freese made his senior international debut in the loss to Turkiye and has since retained his place for the Gold Cup, where Pochettino has given him extended playing time. Despite not having many youth national team appearances due to the abundance of talented young American keepers, Freese has maximized his opportunity and quickly climbed the national team ranks.
Could Freese Become the World Cup Starter?
If current starter Matt Turner does not secure a club situation where he consistently receives playing time, the USMNT starting goalkeeper position could become wide open. Pochettino has emphasized that players must be actively playing club soccer to earn opportunities with the national team, regardless of the league`s level, provided they are performing well. Giving Freese an extended look reinforces this philosophy, though it remains uncertain how high he has risen in the pecking order during the Gold Cup.
The shootout performance was undoubtedly a highlight, but based on his tournament statistics from open play—a 66.7% save percentage and -.18 goals prevented—Freese has been statistically average. While defensive mistakes contribute to these numbers, he is making expected saves but not single-handedly winning games with incredible stops from open play. A stellar performance in the remainder of the tournament, fueled by his shootout success, could change this perception. However, healthy returns for Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen will provide strong competition, especially if all three remain in MLS leading up to the 2026 World Cup.
This situation presents a challenging decision for Pochettino, particularly as goalkeeper is traditionally a position of depth and reliability for the USMNT. When faced with similar options, the choice will likely hinge on which keeper`s style best fits Pochettino and his staff`s preferences. Freese`s inclusion in three consecutive camps certainly strengthens his case. However, if the World Cup were to start tomorrow, the starting job would likely still belong to Turner. Freese and others have less than a year to change that dynamic, and they are actively pushing for the role.
Even if he does not earn the starting position, having a penalty shootout specialist as a backup is a valuable asset for any manager. Freese`s unique background and skillset mean he can contribute significantly to the team, even in a non-starting role. This is an exciting development that highlights the benefits of Pochettino`s willingness to experiment and Freese`s ability to specialize in a crucial aspect of the game.
Adrian Whitmore