‘Penalties are my thing’: USMNT GK Matt Freese turns Harvard, MLS Next Pro preparation into Gold Cup heroics

The Concacaf Gold Cup may have brought a new hero to the United States men’s national team in Matt Freese. The unlikely goalkeeping star saved three Costa Rica penalties in a sudden-death shootout, and was instrumental in the USMNT advancing to the Gold Cup semifinals. The fact he was even on the field, let alone playing a starring role was incredibly unlikely though. Coming into camp, Freese was the third of three keepers, presumably behind USMNT starter Matt Turner, while former starter Zack Steffen was looking to get his first start under Mauricio Pochettino as well. Steffen, however, departed the national team camp due to injury and Patrick Schulte, who might have been his replacement was also not in camp due to injury. Since he already knows what Turner can do, Pochettino has turned to Freese as he continues experimenting with his squad.
Sunday’s game, showed the manager exactly that. Freese has a long history of studying penalties, and after guessing right on most of them and almost saving Francisco Calvo’s take during regulation, how can anyone doubt him? Even more impressive than coming close during regulation, Freese stuffed Calvo in the shootout, staying central as the Costa Rican took his attempt right at him. Freese gave credit for his save on Calvo’s penalty in the shootout to his goalkeeping coach, but his studies of the Ticos’ tendencies 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.”
Who is Matt Freese?
A native of Wayne, Pennsylvania, Freese is one of many Philadelphia Union ties to this USMNT squad. Being involved with the Bethlehem Steel in USL, Freese decided to enroll at Harvard while playing soccer there from 2017-18 before returning to sign a homegrown deal with the Union in 2019. That time with Harvard was quite formative for Freese, paying dividends in the Gold Cup.
“I actually did a very long research project in college about penalty kicks,” Freese said. “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.”
Adding that study with his experience that he’s picked up playing so far and it’s clear why Freese is so suited for saving penalties.
Freese debuted for the Union in April of that year as a substitute in a 3-0 win over CF Montreal. Freese would go on to make 13 appearances for the Union, while most of his time came playing for their MLS Next Pro side the Union II. Being behind three-time goalkeeper of the year Andre Blake, opportunities were hard to come by, but one aspect of play in MLS Next Pro helped Freese prepare for his moment.
Any game that ends in a draw goes to a penalty shootout, so a team will have a chance to earn two points in the table instead of one. This is to give young players real game experience with shootouts since it’s something that can’t be replicated in training situations without pressure. In 2022 with Philadelphia Union II, Freese played 16 games and won 3 of the 4 shootouts he competed in.
In January of 2023, Freese was traded to New York City FC following the departure of Sean Johnson from the club, and he earned the starting role with them, ascending to become one of the best keepers in MLS over the past few years. Freese was a finalist for goalkeeper of the year in the 2024 season, as season where he also won a penalty shootout in the playoffs against Cincinnati FC, and went 1-1 in U.S. Open Cup shootouts. He ultimately lost out to Kristijan Kahlina. It was a season that put Freese on the map.
For those keeping track at home, Sunday’s shootout win puts his total record at six wins from eight tries.
Out of the blue into the USMNT
Called into January camp under Pochettino in 2025, Freese didn’t make an appearance, but he did enough to return to camp for the July friendlies facing Turkiye and Switzerland. Freese got his senior debut in the loss to Turkiye and has now kept the role for the Gold Cup, where he has now gotten an extended look under Pochettino. A player who doesn’t have many USMNT youth appearances due to how many talented young keepers are vying for spots, Freese has been able to make the most of his opportunity and rise quickly through he ranks on the national stage.
Can Fresse be the starting keeper at the World Cup?
If Matt Turner doesn’t find a move where he can get regular playing time, the starting role for the USMNT could be wide open. Pochettino has stressed that members of the side need to play club soccer to earn opportunities with the squad and that he doesn’t care what level someone is playing at if they’re performing well. Taking this extended look at Freese only reinforces that, but it’s tough to tell how high Freese has climbed the ranks during the Gold Cup.
The shootout was a strong moment, but sporting a 66.7% save percentage and a -.18 goals prevented, Freese has been average from open play during the tournament. Not all of that is down to him, with defenders rotating and making mistakes, but he’s making the saves he should make and not willing the USMNT to victory with his saves from open play. That could change if he turns fuel from the shootout victory into a stellar performance during this tournament, but a healthy Schulte and Steffen will push him, especially if the trio are all still in MLS when the 2026 World Cup rolls around.
It provides Pochettino with a tough decision to make, especially given that over the years, keeper hasn’t been a position that the USMNT has had to worry about. Faced with similar options, it will come down to which keeper’s style Pochettino and his staff prefer, and Freese isn’t hurting his case by being involved in three consecutive camps, but if the World Cup started tomorrow, it’s likely still Turner’s job there’s a little less than a year for Freese and others to change that and they’re doing their best to push Turner.
Even if he doesn’t earn the starting job, though, a penalty shootout specialist as a backup can be a valuable tool in any managers arsenal. Freese’s unique history and skillset means he can be of value to this team, even if he doesn’t start, an exciting development and one that shows the benefits of Pochettino’s willingness to experiment, and Freese’s ability to specialize.