What's next for the 'worst ever' generation of USMNT goalkeepers?

Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen was ruled out of the tournament after undergoing surgery on his knee, meaning Matt Turner would likely be the USMNT’s No. 1 throughout the Gold Cup.

Steffen hadn’t stepped up like many thought he would when he left Manchester City for Colorado back in the winter of 2024 — his shot-stopping in particular came into question on several occasions.

Turner, who spent last season playing second fiddle to Dean Henderson while on loan at Crystal Palace from Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, hasn’t exactly been a safe pair of hands when called upon by Pochettino.

New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese was given the opportunity to impress in the 2-1 defeat to Türkiye on June 7 and, overall, performed decently, making three saves, five recoveries and finishing the game with an 88% pass accuracy rate.

Freese was then dropped for the game against Switzerland, and Turner was reinstated, going on to concede four goals. The first two weren’t necessarily his fault, although he could have probably done better for the first.

The third, however, was a poor showing from the 30-year-old. Ricardo Rodriguez’s tame effort was parried by Turner directly into the path of striker Breel Embolo, who couldn’t miss the open goal he was left with.

Pochettino has options. Chicago Fire shot stopper Chris Brady is the likely heir to the USMNT’s goalkeeping throne. With 82 first-team appearances under his belt at the age of 21, he has plenty of experience at the top level, even if he’s yet to make his international debut.

After a rocky start to the MLS season, Brady is starting to find his feet and hands for Gregg Berhalter’s resurgent side. He ranks 15^th in goals prevented, with 0.9 goals prevented per 90 minutes, having conceded 27 goals in his 14 games.

It’s likely his last five games that earned him a call-up to Pochettino’s Gold Cup squad. The Fire won four of them, with the only loss coming against NYCFC. They’re getting better defensively, and Brady is growing in confidence because of it.

Another potential candidate is Columbus Crew’s very own Patrick Schulte. Like Steffan, he was ruled out of the Gold Cup due to injury, having picked up an abdominal issue late last month.

He’s a little older than Brady, three years to be exact, but he’s only played ten more first-team games. The statistics suggest that Schulte has been better than Brady this season, conceding just 14 goals in his 13 MLS games.

It may have sounded harsh, but looking back at the likes of Brad Friedel, Tim Howard and Kasey Keller, Gomez and Hislop may have a little truth to their point. Turner won’t be the USMNT’s No. 1 for much longer if his performances continue this way. Thankfully, the future looks bright.