Revolution Teammates Endorse Matt Turner as USMNT's Starting Goalkeeper

The United States Men’s National Team kicked off their World Cup journey for 2026 with a match against Paraguay on Friday evening at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles. As excitement builds, fans are eager to know who will take the position of starting goalkeeper: Matt Turner or Matt Freese?

“I think he’s [Turner] done enough to deserve to be number one,” stated J.D. Gunn, the backup goalkeeper for the New England Revolution. “Watching him day in, day out, there’s a reason that he’s played at the level he’s played at.” Turner has shown impressive performances for the Revolution this season, ranking among the top five in saves, while the team sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

At 31 years old, Turner is in his seventh season with the Revolution and has credited his resurgence in form to goalie coach Kevin Hitchcock, especially after a few challenging seasons abroad. His teammates regard him as a crucial leader on the field. “All of us are going to listen to Matt because we know the quality he has and what he’s accomplished,” Gunn added. “We all try to take it into account and implement in our own game.”

Turner, who started all four matches for the USMNT in the last World Cup, is vying for the same role again. His extensive experience could give him an edge over Freese, who has yet to make a World Cup appearance. Defender Ethan Kohler praised Turner’s presence, saying, “It’s great to have someone like that in the locker room and someone you can learn from on a daily basis. To have a guy like that, not only in the locker room, but right behind you and securing you is amazing.”

In a recent friendly against Senegal, Turner made two saves in the first half before being substituted, contributing to the U.S. victory of 3-2. He did not participate in the team's last friendly, a 2-1 loss to Germany, where Freese played the entire match. As the team prepares for the opening match, the starting goalkeeper remains unannounced, but Turner’s teammates are firmly in his corner. “We’re all going to be rooting for him. We’re all going to be backing him. I think he’s an unbelievable player,” Kohler expressed.

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