Soccer News

Home

Teams

Leagues

Quizzes

Newsletter

'Gentleman Scholar' to 'Stoppage King': Meet the U.S. World Cup goaltenders

United States goaltender Matt Freese Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Add us as a preferred source on Google

'Gentleman Scholar' to 'Stoppage King': Meet the U.S. World Cup goaltenders

By Alyssa Clang | Last updated May 27, 2026 1:06 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

U.S. Men’s National Team coach Mauricio Pochettino unveiled his 26-man roster Tuesday for a potentially generational World Cup. The team features veterans, fresh faces and more than a few surprises.

But who made the cut for the U.S., which opens in the World Cup on June 12 against Paraguay? How did they get there? And what are they known for? Here’s a breakdown of the USMNT roster, starting with the goalkeepers:

Matt Freese: The Gentleman Scholar

Wayne, Pennsylvania | Age: 27 | Team: New York City FC (MLS)

National team appearances: 14 | Known for: Ivy League intelligence

The Harvard-educated goalkeeper got his USMNT breakthrough in January 2025. He quickly became one of Pochettino’s most trusted figures thanks to his coolness under pressure and impressive shot-stopping abilities. Nobody saves penalties quite like Freese does. His approach to shootouts is downright academic.

“I actually did a very long research project in college about penalty kicks,” Freese told the media after saving three of them to send the USMNT to the 2025 Gold Cup semifinals. “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.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bleacher Report Football (@brfootball)

Matt Turner: The Comeback Kid

Park Ridge, New Jersey | Age: 31 | Team: New England Revolution (MLS)

National team appearances: 53 | Known for: Being a party crasher

The veteran goalkeeper was the USMNT’s first choice at the 2022 World Cup, and boy did he deliver on the biggest stage of his career. He kept two clean sheets across the USMNT’s four games and made an average of 2.3 key saves per match, including an insane save against Wales to preserve a 1-1 draw.

Turner plays in goal like he was born to do it, but he didn't begin playing soccer until his junior year of high school and was a Fairfield University walk-on in college. No one else in this USMNT lineup bloomed later than Turner did, but he has done his best to make up for lost time.

Chris Brady: The Stoppage King of Chicago

Naperville, Illinois | Age: 22 | Team: Chicago Fire (MLS)

National team appearances: 0 | Known for: Unlimited potential

The USMNT has a near-peerless record of churning out top-quality goalkeepers, and Chicago-born Brady appears to be the next legend-in-the-making. The 22-year-old hasn’t started for Pochettino’s USMNT, but he has been involved in several national team camps as an alternate keeper and knows this national team environment well.

His stellar performances in Major League Soccer have earned him high praise. Brady is a contender for the league’s 2026 Goalkeeper of the Year award after keeping six clean sheets in his opening 13 fixtures for the Chicago Fire. Just four other keepers — Nashville’s Brian Schwake, Vancouver’s Yohei Takaoka, San Jose’s Daniel and Seattle’s Andrew Thomas — have conceded fewer goals in the league this year than Brady. Not bad for a fresh face.

Alyssa Clang

Alyssa is a Boston-born Californian with a passion for global sport. She can yell about misplaced soccer passes in five languages and rattle off the turns of Silverstone in her sleep. You can find her dormant Twitter account at @alyssaclang, but honestly, you’re probably better off finding her here

More must-reads: