The U.S. men’s national team entered 2025 still seeking a true No. 1 goalkeeper to grab hold of the starting job. 10-and-a-half months into the year and it looks like Matt Freese has made that spot his.
Freese enters November camp as Mauricio Pochettino’s expected starter for upcoming friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay. The former Philadelphia Union homegrown, now NYCFC No. 1, has enjoyed a career-year for club and country, which has done wonders for his hopes of making next summer’s FIFA World Cup squad.
Freese debuted for the USMNT against Turkey last June and hasn’t looked back. He started all six matches at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, helping the Americans reach the tournament final and delivering three saves in a quarterfinal penalty kick shootout win over Costa Rica.
Freese’s Gold Cup run certainly played a major part in him retaining the No. 1 job this fall, but even he knows that the present, not the past or future is most important.
“I’m someone that likes to really just stay in the present, and it’s something that Mauricio and the rest of the staff have really preached to us,” Freese said in a conference call Monday. “Yes, it’s a big summer. We all have big goals, and we all want to be there next summer, but the path to do that is to focus every single day in training in camp, as well as with your clubs. Focus on training, focus on development, focus on performing, on match days.
“As far as handling that, I really just like to put the summer out of my mind, and just every time when I wake up and I’m in camp, I want to show what I can do and impress,” Freese added. “I also want to help my teammates. I think that’s a very big part of the culture that we’re building is a team-oriented, team-spirited group. I want to have an influence on that as well.”
In his second full season as NYCFC’s starter, Freese took another key step forward as a pro player. Freese allowed 42 goals in 31 league starts, registering eight clean sheets. As a team, NYCFC allowed just 1.29 goals-per-90 minutes, which ranked as the eighth-lowest number in MLS.
Freese has balanced a busy MLS schedule with the USMNT’s fall schedule, making four starts over the September and October windows. The 27-year-old helped the Americans pick up victories against Japan and Australia, while also earning a 1-1 draw with Ecuador.
November’s two-match window will take place against two of CONMEBOL’s representatives for next summer’s World Cup, providing a new opportunity for the USMNT to test themselves against another pair of qualified nations. Freese is thankful for the newest chance to boost his stock within the squad, knowing there aren’t many matches left before the World Cup’s bright lights turn on.
“I haven’t taken much time to reflect,” Freese said when asked about his USMNT opportunities. “It’s a huge honor anytime I get called up. After the first one, I kind of thought it’s never going to, be this exciting again. But somehow, every time it’s just as exciting. It’s just a big honor. And so, I’m very thankful to get called in a bunch this year. But as far as reflecting, no. It’s been an exciting year with a lot of opportunity and growth, But there’s more in my sights. I want to continue to push and continue to accomplish different goals that I have. I’ve said this before, but until I’m 40 or 41 and I hang up the boots I’m not planning on reflecting too much.
“To continuously get that opportunity from the coaching staff means a ton,” he added. “I think that having that trust is really important to me, and it allows me to kind of like myself and grow over these last 10-11 games, The comfortability and the presence that I have hopefully translates [into] that. From my perspective, it has grown a lot. It’s important to take any opportunity and every opportunity, to continue to grow it.”
Freese will make his return to Subaru Park on Saturday when the USMNT hosts Paraguay in the first or two friendlies over a four-day period.