Matt Freese is the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper — for now. He wants to try to keep the job.

The Wayne-born former Union backup, now with New York City FC, knows there's a lot of competition for the job. But he's had it since the Gold Cup, and hopes to prove his worth this month.

Matt Freese (center) at work during one of the U.S. men's soccer team's practices this week.Read moreJonathan Tannenwald / Staff

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published Sept. 5, 2025, 5:28 p.m. ET

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — Matt Freese knows that the U.S. men’s soccer team’s goalkeeper depth chart is unsettled right now. Many presumed contenders for the World Cup team aren’t on this month’s squad, and the Wayne native is the only netminder in camp who has played for manager Mauricio Pochettino.

But given all that, the presumption is Freese remains the starter. So it’s understandable that he isn’t looking over his shoulder right now to see when Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte, or Downingtown’s Zack Steffen will show up. For as long as Freese has a shot, he’s going to try to keep his place.

“A huge honor to get called back in by the staff,” Freese said on the eve of Saturday’s game vs. South Korea in Harrison, N.J. (5 p.m., TNT, Telemundo 62). “Really just focused on doing my thing if I get the nod tomorrow and putting us in the best position to win.”

When Freese got the starting job before the Gold Cup in June, Pochettino gave the message that he wanted that squad to act like they were defending roster places, not working to earn them. The difference can be subtle, but Freese gets the idea. He has lived it with his current club, New York City FC, where he overtook an expected starter to earn the top spot.

“To be honest, I think it’s more difficult to to defend a position than it is to compete in order to win it,” he said. “Getting to the top is one thing, but staying on the top is even more difficult. … I always like to stay hungry and have a chip on my shoulder and be competing, whether that’s to earn a new position or to maintain a position.”

Nor does he mind the state of the goalkeeper race, with Roman Celentano of FC Cincinnati and Jonathan Klinsmann of Italian second-division team Cesena also in this camp. (Klinsmann’s father, famed former U.S. manager Jürgen Klinsmann, visited the team hotel Friday to see his son and Pochettino.)

“When there’s not a clear No. 1, there’s always competition, and even when there’s a full-time No. 1, there’s always competition,” Freese said. “Competition breeds consistency, so I’m a fan of competition. I think it brings the best out of me, and I enjoy competing. I also enjoy being part of a team that collectively is competing.”

Though Freese hasn’t known Pochettino for long, some U.S. teammates have known the 27-year-old for a while. First among them is another former Union player, Jack McGlynn.

“I think I’ve known him for five or six years now and saw him grow from being the backup in Philly to now being here with the national team,” said the Houston Dynamo midfielder, one of a few MLS players who’ve earned Pochettino’s interest. “He works so hard off the field. From always taking shooting reps with me after training to doing this [with the media] now. It’s just great to see, and he’s a good friend of mine.”

From the Europe-based contingent, veteran centerback Chris Richards of England’s Crystal Palace gave Freese a nice endorsement. Richards was teammates in south London with Turner for a few years, until Turner left this summer to find more playing time. (He’s now with the New England Revolution, and likely will face the Union at Subaru Park on Sept. 20.)

“I think the biggest thing that I’ve seen from him is confidence, both in shot-stopping and with his feet,” Richards said. “I think the way that we play, we need a goalie who’s good with his feet, and I think Freese has kind of taken it head-on and shown that he can do it. So I’m really excited for him, and, yeah, I enjoy him.”

None of this means Freese will be in net next summer, or even next month when Pochettino starts to narrow the pool of World Cup candidates. But he’s here now, so why not try to stay?

“I’m, quite frankly, not really thinking about October,” he said. “I’m thinking about the game against South Korea tomorrow, and after that, I’ll be thinking about the game against Japan. And then after that, I’ll be thinking about the five games I have in New York to put myself in a position to get called back again in October.