The Concacaf Gold Cup recently highlighted an unexpected hero for the United States Men`s National Team in goalkeeper Matt Freese. His remarkable performance, saving three penalties in a sudden-death shootout against Costa Rica, was crucial in sending the USMNT to the semifinals. His presence and starring role in the match were highly improbable, as he began the camp as the third-choice keeper. Ahead of him were anticipated starters like Matt Turner and Zack Steffen. However, Steffen`s departure due to injury and Patrick Schulte`s absence, also due to injury, paved the way for Freese. Coach Mauricio Pochettino, already familiar with Turner`s capabilities, opted to give Freese an opportunity as he continued to evaluate his squad.
Sunday`s game validated the coach`s decision. Freese has a long-standing dedication to studying penalty kicks. His success in guessing correctly on most attempts, including nearly stopping Francisco Calvo`s shot in regulation, left little room for doubt about his abilities. Even more impressively, he successfully saved Calvo`s penalty in the shootout by anticipating the shot and staying central. Freese credited his goalkeeping coach, Toni Jimenez, for the specific save against Calvo in the shootout, but acknowledged that his thorough research into the tendencies of the Costa Rican players paid significant dividends.
“Penalties are my specialty,” Freese stated after the match. “I was studying them on the plane ride here to Minnesota. I`ve been preparing for this all week and was ready if we needed it. The decision not to move on that specific shot [Calvo`s] was a suggestion from my goalkeeper coach, Toni Jimenez.”
Who is Matt Freese?
A native of Wayne, Pennsylvania, Freese is one of several players with connections to the Philadelphia Union organization on this USMNT roster. He played for the Bethlehem Steel in the USL before deciding to attend Harvard University, where he played soccer from 2017 to 2018. He then returned to sign a homegrown contract with the Union in 2019. His time at Harvard proved to be quite influential in preparing him for moments like the Gold Cup shootout.
“I actually conducted a very extensive research project in college focused on penalty kicks,” Freese explained. “Being able to draw upon that kind of background, dealing with statistics, reading the game, and observing players` hips and body language, is incredibly important.”
Combining this academic study with his practical experience has clearly made Freese particularly adept at saving penalties.
Freese made his debut for the Union in April 2019 as a substitute in a 3-0 victory over CF Montreal. He would make 13 appearances for the senior team, but spent most of his time playing for their MLS Next Pro affiliate, Union II. Opportunities were limited behind the acclaimed goalkeeper Andre Blake, but one specific rule in MLS Next Pro helped Freese hone his skills for high-pressure situations.
In MLS Next Pro, any game that ends in a draw proceeds to a penalty shootout, allowing teams to earn two points instead of one. This rule is designed to give young players invaluable real-game experience with shootouts, which are difficult to replicate in training without the element of pressure. In 2022, Freese played 16 games for Philadelphia Union II and won three out of the four shootouts he participated in.
In January 2023, Freese was traded to New York City FC following the departure of Sean Johnson. He earned the starting position there and has ascended to become one of the league`s top keepers over the past couple of years. In the 2024 season, Freese was a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year, winning a playoff shootout against Cincinnati FC and splitting his U.S. Open Cup shootouts 1-1. Although he ultimately lost the award to Kristijan Kahlina, the season firmly established Freese on the MLS landscape.
For those keeping track, his recent Gold Cup shootout victory brings his total record in official shootouts to six wins out of eight attempts.
Rise to the USMNT Stage
Called into the January 2025 USMNT camp under Pochettino, Freese didn`t make an appearance but impressed enough to be included in the roster for the July friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland. He made his senior international debut in the loss to Turkey and has since retained his spot for the Gold Cup, where he`s received an extended look from Pochettino. Despite having limited appearances for USMNT youth teams due to the depth of talent among young American keepers, Freese has fully capitalized on his chance and is rapidly progressing on the national team depth chart.
World Cup Aspirations?
If Matt Turner doesn`t secure a move that provides him with regular playing time at the club level, the starting role for the USMNT could be contested. Coach Pochettino has emphasized that players must be consistent starters at their clubs, regardless of the league`s level, to earn opportunities with the national team. Giving Freese this extended evaluation underscores that principle. However, it`s still uncertain exactly how much Freese has climbed the hierarchy during the Gold Cup.
While the shootout performance was a significant highlight, Freese`s statistics from open play during the tournament have been average, with a 66.7% save percentage and a -.18 goals prevented. Not all of this is solely attributable to him, as defensive rotations and errors play a part, but he is making the expected saves rather than consistently winning games with extraordinary open-play stops. This could change if the confidence from his shootout success translates into stellar performances throughout the rest of the tournament. Nevertheless, healthy competitors like Schulte and Steffen will challenge him, particularly if all three remain in MLS as the 2026 World Cup approaches.
This situation presents a challenging decision for Pochettino, especially considering that goalkeeper has historically been a position of strength and stability for the USMNT. Faced with similar options, the choice may come down to which keeper`s style best fits Pochettino`s tactical preferences. Freese is certainly bolstering his case by being called into three consecutive camps. However, if the World Cup were tomorrow, Turner would likely still be the starter. Freese and others have just under a year to change that, and they are clearly working hard to push Turner.
Even if he doesn`t ultimately secure the starting position, having a dedicated penalty shootout specialist as a backup is an invaluable asset for any coaching staff. Freese`s distinctive history and specific skillset mean he can contribute significantly to this team, even coming off the bench. This is an exciting development that demonstrates the benefits of Pochettino`s willingness to experiment and Freese`s ability to develop a unique specialization.
