{"id":913142,"date":"2026-06-16T13:13:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T18:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/16\/matt-freese-usmnt-just-getting-started-after-world-cup-statement-mlssoccer-com\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T13:13:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T18:13:37","slug":"matt-freese-usmnt-just-getting-started-after-world-cup-statement-mlssoccer-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/16\/matt-freese-usmnt-just-getting-started-after-world-cup-statement-mlssoccer-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Matt Freese &#038; USMNT \u201cjust getting started\u201d after World Cup statement | MLSSoccer.com"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer <\/p>\n<div role=\"main\" id=\"main-content\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-label=\"Page main content\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\n<div data-bucket-name=\"main-content-before-middle-adv\">\n<div>\n<p><span>National Writer: Charles Boehm<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>INGLEWOOD, Calif. \u2013 Goalkeepers live to make saves. It\u2019s what they do.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>That said, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/players\/matt-freese\/\">Matt Freese<\/a> didn\u2019t much mind taking just 25 touches (approximately half of a modern goalkeeper\u2019s average) and recording nary a single, solitary stop in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/clubs\/us-men-s-national-team\/\">United States<\/a>\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/competitions\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/matches\/usavspry-06-12-2026\/\">4-1 victory<\/a> over Paraguay on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Attaining the lifelong dream of a World Cup debut was plenty enough as far as stats lines go, not to mention an unbeatable vantage point for one of the greatest performances in USMNT history.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a great night for sure,\u201d the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/clubs\/new-york-city-football-club\/\">New York City FC<\/a> star told MLSsoccer.com postgame in Los Angeles. \u201cI had a great view for what was happening in front of me. The guys up top and in the midfield, everyone was vibing well and connecting really well. I think it was super evident everyone was on the same page, just the flicks and the one-touch, two-touch passing was crisp and really good. So a great first step.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like to take everything very steady, and never get too high, never get too low,\u201d he later explained. \u201cBut from a group perspective, I think a focus is on cohesion and the chemistry that we&#8217;re building, and I think you could see that on the field tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n                                <iframe data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BXD1_mhODBU?feature=oembed\" allowfullscreen title=\"United States vs Paraguay Highlights \ud83c\udf0e\ud83c\udfc6 2026 FIFA World Cup\u2122\"><\/iframe>\n                            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><h3>World Cup moment<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>Glancing around the stadium and soaking in the moment is not standard operating procedure for Freese. Quite the opposite, it turns out. But he revealed that he did so on this rare occasion at a packed, vibrant, NFL-scaled venue, thanks to some advice from a few influential figures in his life whose identity he prefers not to share.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always try to keep my eyes down, so that I don&#8217;t get amazed too much and out of my own focus, thinking about a crowd and stuff like that,\u201d he noted. \u201cBut today, walking out onto the field \u2013 I had gotten some texts from a few mentors that said, make sure you take a moment to take it in, because they know I otherwise I wouldn&#8217;t. And so I did: Just looked up, and it was a breathtaking sight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/clubs\/philadelphia-union\/\">Philadelphia Union<\/a> homegrown who moved north up I-95 to find his big break with NYCFC after several seasons as a backup to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/players\/andre-blake\/\">Andre Blake<\/a>, Freese was cheered on by a big contingent of loved ones who gathered from all over to be present for his milestone, one that&#8217;s been a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/news\/matt-freese-s-path-to-new-york-city-fc-breakout-patience-family-more\">lifetime in the making<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy entire family: my mom, stepdad, girlfriend, brothers, sister, in-laws, everyone. It was great,\u201d he said. \u201cI just saw a few of them after the game, so that was really special.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaking a World Cup debut,\u201d he added, \u201cI&#8217;m pretty much at a loss of words trying to explain what it means. A ton of emotions obviously are involved, but my job is to just kind of limit those and stay steady throughout it all.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Here&#8217;s how Group D stands after the first match. \ud83d\udc40 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cLCXckocYZ\">pic.twitter.com\/cLCXckocYZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MLS\/status\/2066158722737405978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 14, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><h3>More to prove<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>That sort of commitment to composure can earn you a nickname like \u2018Matty Ice,\u2019 though according to the player himself, there\u2019s an even simpler backstory to that tag: It was a moniker applied by a gym teacher in his younger days who knew former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan, a native of Exton, Pennsylvania, just a short hop down Route 202 from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/stories\/soccer\/usmnt-goalkeeper-matt-freese-world-cup\">Freese\u2019s roots in Wayne<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Any observers who might have gotten the impression that this squad were cocky or overly jubilant about their tournament-opening victory would be well advised to listen to what Freese said next.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s such an honor and such a big moment in my life,\u201d he continued. \u201cDefinitely, the first part of the goal was to be on the World Cup team and make my debut. But the full dream, the full goal of mine and the whole group is to make history, make a deep run. This is just getting started.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;re still hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Matt Freese is the first active MLS player to start a World Cup match in goal for the <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/USMNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@USMNT<\/a>. \ud83e\uddca\ud83e\udde4 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DU9v1dUudY\">pic.twitter.com\/DU9v1dUudY<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MLS\/status\/2065589737650282793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 13, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><h3>Tight competition<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>That theme has been a constant focus for head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff, practically from upon arrival in September 2024, and their approach to the goalkeeper corps might just be Exhibit A.<\/p>\n<p>Freese played in just one of the Yanks\u2019 two pre-tournament warm-up matches, with his chief competitor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/players\/matt-turner\/\">Matt Turner<\/a> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/clubs\/new-england-revolution\/\">New England Revolution<\/a>, splitting the other with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/clubs\/chicago-fire-fc\/\">Chicago Fire FC<\/a>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/players\/chris-brady\/\">Chris Brady<\/a>. That, plus the fact that Turner and Freese evenly shared the minutes in March\u2019s high-profile friendlies vs. Belgium and Portugal, fueled perceptions the starting job was back up for grabs after Freese won it at last summer\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/competitions\/gold-cup\/2025\/\">Concacaf Gold Cup<\/a> and started all 12 of the USMNT\u2019s remaining matches in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Both contenders told reporters last week they didn\u2019t know who would get the nod against Paraguay. Asked postgame when he learned he\u2019d be starting, Freese hemmed and hawed uncharacteristically.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUmmm, recently,\u201d he said with a sheepish smile.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithin the last few days, within the last few days,\u201d he responded when asked for specifics. It was a small glimpse of the secrecy Pochettino &#038; Co. have instilled on certain topics, and Freese didn\u2019t fuel any perception of a goalkeeping controversy, at least in the conventional sense of the term.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s simply not the case with the USMNT this summer, said Freese.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat&#8217;s the reality of this group, is it&#8217;s such a talented group, such a talented roster,\u201d he explained. \u201cEveryone can play a role, and everyone can play a part. And some people on the outside might view that as a negative, but I view it as competition in a group that, quite frankly, we&#8217;re always going to be hungry. We all are competitive, and I think you see that on the field tonight with the intensity in the duels.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">You did it, Matty \ud83e\udd79 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EROrBcIHQi\">pic.twitter.com\/EROrBcIHQi<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/newyorkcityfc\/status\/2065612454168588719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 13, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><h3>Full steam ahead<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a more traditional line of thinking that a starting goalkeeper needs a full endorsement from their coach to take the field in full confidence, that even the slightest lack of clarity about the starting job can sow seeds of doubt in the individual and those around them.<\/p>\n<p>When presented with that conventional wisdom, Freese offered a perspective that\u2019s been something of a mantra for him under the World Cup\u2019s brighter media spotlight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI derive my confidence from the hard work that I put in, and that&#8217;s a fixed variable,\u201d he said. \u201cI&#8217;ve already put in a certain amount of work, so whether or not I know if I&#8217;m playing early on or not, it can&#8217;t waver the confidence, it can&#8217;t change the confidence. You just got to be ready for whatever the team needs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Freese\u2019s journey continues on Friday in Seattle, where the United States will face off against Australia, a Group D fixture that\u2019s suddenly taken on extra spice in the wake of the Socceroos\u2019 impressive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/competitions\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/matches\/ausvstur-06-13-2026\/\">2-0 upset<\/a> of T\u00fcrkiye on Saturday evening in Vancouver, in which his Aussie NYCFC teammate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/players\/aiden-o-neill\/\">Aiden O\u2019Neill<\/a> logged a full 90 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Take another three points there, and the growing sense of possibility around the USMNT will surge that much further.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Mauricio said it perfectly: what a result, but more importantly, what a performance,\u201d said Freese on Friday. \u201cIt&#8217;s one that we can build on, and need to just keep building on.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n                                <iframe data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eHfCNdPCQCA?feature=oembed\" allowfullscreen title=\"MR. FREESE | From Harvard to NYCFC &#038; USMNT Goalkeeper\"><\/iframe>\n                            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-toggle data-layout-name=\"grid_4-4-4\" data-bucket-name=\"main-content-after-middle-adv\">\n<div>\n<p>Get the latest from MLS: league news, must-see matches, kit drops, premium offers for the World\u2019s biggest event, and more!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlssoccer.com\/competitions\/fifa-world-cup\/news\/matt-freese-usmnt-just-getting-started-after-world-cup-statement\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a>Maribel Pecora<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer National Writer: Charles Boehm INGLEWOOD, Calif. \u2013 Goalkeepers live to make saves. It\u2019s what they do. That said, Matt Freese didn\u2019t much mind taking just 25 touches (approximately half of a modern goalkeeper\u2019s average) and recording nary a single, solitary stop in the United States\u2019 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday. Attaining the lifelong [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":913143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[135927,2005,44007],"tags":[135925,44006],"class_list":["post-913142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-freese","category-soccer","category-usmnt","tag-freese","tag-usmnt"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=913142"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913142\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/913143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=913142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=913142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=913142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}