GOAL sat down with the American goalkeeper to discuss his journey to the USMNT, what it will take to achieve his World Cup ambitions
AUSTIN, Texas – Those on the outside looking in would say that Matt Freese's road to the U.S. men's national team began with his breakout season at NYCFC last season. That's not what the USMNT goalkeeper would say.
For Freese, it began in 2019, and it didn't begin on the field. It began in front of a mirror.
A few months prior, Freese had left Harvard for a spot as an MLS backup, and he'd quickly realized that life as a professional wouldn't be quite be as glamorous as it had appeared. Freese stared himself down in that mirror and asked the question that would define his path over the next six years: who do you want to be?
"I had to take a long look at myself in that mirror, and I wasn't asking myself much about soccer," he recalls in a conversation with GOAL. "It was more asking myself 'What type of person do I want to be?' Who do I want to be proud of me? How can I become proud of myself?'
"That changed a lot for me. For me, it was a time that I matured, on and off the field. It shaped my life in a way that I can now look back and be proud of the work I've put in on the field and to become the type of person I want to be."
Defining the person Freese has become in years since isn't particularly easy, even for the man himself. He describes himself, simply, as a lover of soccer, a player who chose a path because his passion for the game is greater than even he can articulate – despite that Harvard pedigree.
It's because of that academic background that USMNT defender and ex-Philadelphia Union teammate Mark McKenzie playfully calls Freese "a bit of a geek" – and one who knows better than most how to maximize an opportunity. Brenden Aaronson, another teammate, speaks with pride of Freese's ability to take the road less traveled.
Regardless of how you describe him, Freese may soon be described as the USMNT's No. 1 goalkeeper.
That's what he's fighting for this summer. That's the opportunity before him, and it doesn't take a Harvard intellect to understand what that can mean. Six years ago, that pathway seemed so far away. Starting jobs, World Cups, this type of pressure – that wasn't Freese's reality.
But it was the "why."
"There were decisions that had to be made, decisions that saw me commit my life, myself, to this sport," he says. "It was about me committing my entire life trajectory to making it in this sport. Thank God I did, because this is all I care about now. This sport is all I care about, and it's something that I plan to care about for the rest of my life."
Getty Images SportA passion for goalkeeping
The thing that makes Freese so interesting is that, realistically, he could be doing just about anything else. He could have pursued any number of career paths, but even at Harvard, he was pointed in one direction.
"I did these semester-long courses and, in one, I created an expected goals model using logistic regression," Freese says. "Then, for another, I did a theoretical analysis of MLS valuation rises. It's stuff that I may use someday, maybe 15 years from now when I'm done playing or something. Maybe that's on the investing side or the business side or the sporting side of things."
Right now Freese is focused on goalkeeping, and that passion for the position transcended sports. Growing up he moved frequently due to his father's career in neuroscience, and a constant for Freese was sports. It was hockey at first, and no surprise, he was often in net. Then there was lacrosse, where he was also, shockingly, a goalkeeper. He played quarterback, too, and he credits his time in the pocket with helping him develop the ability to chuck the ball downfield better than most.
"I just love the pressure of it," Freese says of goalkeeping. "I love being the last line of defense. I love the ability it takes. I think goalkeeping is a position where you don't get glory, but you can help your team. You have to be a presence, and it's an honor to be part of that."
Heading into his college years, though, Freese was at a crossroads. He was talented enough to play multiple sports collegiately and it appeared track and field or lacrosse would win out. Then fate intervened.
"I tore my shoulder and had surgery, so that meant six months off from sports," he says. "I couldn't do anything. But by the end of that time, it was so clear in my mind that I was built and I was born to play soccer. I missed it so much, and I also realized by gifts were something I couldn't pass up."
Freese references Malcom Gladwell's famous book "Outliers" in explaining his mix of fortune and skill.
"The premise is that, people always talk about the 'Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard' mentality," he says. "The premise of Outliers is that most of the special things in life, yes, are based on talent. And yes, are based on hard work. But a lot are also based on fortunate circumstances, too."
Midway through his Harvard experience, Freese decided to make his move to MLS ahead of the 2019 season – and in doing so, he took stock of his fortune.
The Pennsylvania native was fortunate to have suddenly found himself in American soccer's hotbed, Philadelphia, a metro area that has produced nearly a third of the USMNT's Gold Cup roster. He was fortunate have come up through the Union youth academy, and to live right next door to the team's training facility, allowing him to get to and from training with ease.
He was fortunate to have parents that understood his dreams, despite his focus on academics. And, of course, he was fortunate to be 6-4 with the right combination of athleticism and passion to genuinely have a chance. And so he jumped into a role as backup that would, ultimately, change his trajectory.
AdvertisementIMAGNPreaching patience
During his time with the Union, a stay which lasted four years, Freese wasn't handed anything. He made 16 total appearances in all competitions across that span. Given who was in front of him – Jamaica star Andre Blake – opportunities were impossible to come by.
"I really was just learning from him that whole time," Freese said. "It's funny because there are so many examples of it, like Aaron Rodgers to Brett Favre. Not everyone gets to play right away. From there, it was about what I could do right now, how I could help the team. So I learned and I supported him. He and I are still super close. He's one of my closest friends in this game."
As Freese bided his time, many of his fellow homegrowns blossomed. Players such as Aaronson, McKenzie and Auston Trusty emerged, eventually making their way to play in Europe. Then came a new generation of players, headlined by Jack McGlynn, Paxten Aaronson and Quinn Sullivan, all of whom are in the U.S. team now, alongside Freese.
It was during that first year or so with the Union that Freese had that conversation with himself. He could go through the motions, resigned to life as a backup and potentially have a long career. Or he could fully commit, become something more and seize his chance when it came. He chose the latter.
"He's always had these innate qualities to him, and he's always been a bit of a geek," McKenzie jokes. "It's all love with Freesey. And he has such a good head on his shoulders. Ultimately, he's a guy who wants to maximize every opportunity. Even when he was with Philly with me, he didn't get as much playing time as he would have wanted, but he took every day as an opportunity to showcase to everyone else why he deserved to play."
He got his chance, finally, in Janurary 2023, when he was traded to NYCFC. And since? Well, he's only emerged as one of the best goalkeepers in MLS.
ImagnBreaking out in New York
The Union weren't exactly clamoring to move Freese. Why would they? He was a reliable backup on a reasonable salary, a valuable asset in a capped league.
"It's not that they wanted me to leave, but, honestly, I think they saw I deserved a chance, just based on the work I put in and based on the team-oriented approach I always had," Freese recalls. "I always put the team ahead of me, and I think they wanted to reward me."
The NYCFC transition wasn't initially as smooth as it appeared in hindsight. He didn't start until the final weeks of the season, with Freese initially serving as a backup to Luis Barraza. He eventually got the job and never looked back, with his big breakout coming in his first full season as a starter in 2024. He suddenly found himself near the top of the league in every meaningful goalkeeping category – save percentage (fourth), goals prevented (second) and saves (third) – and was named NYCFC's MVP.
"He had to wait his turn, and watching him now at NYCFC, he's one of the best keepers in MLS," Aaronson says. "I'm really proud of him. I'm proud of the grind he went through because it isn't easy. Everybody's path is different, and he could have given up and said that he was just going to be a second goalkeeper. But he took that opportunity and now look at him. He's playing for the national team, and that's amazing for him."
Some would suggest his performance at NYCFC is what put him on the USMNT's radar. Not Freese.
"Everyone says last year was a 'breakout' year for me," he says, "but it wasn't about anything I was doing last year. I was doing the same stuff I've been doing the previous five season in MLS and, before that, even at Harvard. It was the amount of nights I spent alone on the field, catching balls, working on things, working on my spread shape, gym work constantly. There were so many things that I've done dating back to when I was in school."
That persistent work ethic had been a trademark for his entire playing career. Grind, grind, then grind some more.
"Even in high school, I would go to train in the morning, go to school, take a test, play my high school game, then go to Union practice in the afternoon," he said. "It's crazy to think about, but there are hours upon hours of me doing this that allowed me to have this 'breakout' year.
"It's hours from not just me, but from my mom. It's even more of a proud moment for my mom to see me pull the jersey on than it is for myself, just because she and the rest of my family and coaches growing up, they're the ones that got me there."
Freese's family was in the crowd in East Hartford, Connecticut earlier this month when USMNT coach Maurico Pochettino handed him his first start, an eventual 2-1 loss to Turkey in a pre-Gold Cup friendly. He told most, but not all of them, that he would be getting his debut that day. While those around him felt the thrill of the moment, Freese says it was truly business as usual.
"I didn't feel that emotion," he said. "I have 100 MLS games under my belt. In the beginning, yes, you're so nervous you can't sleep. And as you get more experience, you realize that keeping things as normal as possible is going to be what leads to to success. It's all the same. I should all be the same. When Mauricio told me, it was just like, 'OK, time to go.' "
Getty ImagesThe USMNT competition
The U.S. goalkeeper competition is ongoing, and Freese is getting his fair shot. After starting against Turkey, he was handed the start against Trinidad and Tobago and then against Saudi Arabia to open the Gold Cup, and walked away with clean sheets in both. Admittedly, he was not vigorously tested in either match, but he held the opposition scoreless in two matches as the USMNT advanced to the quarterfinals.
“The opportunity for Matt is an opportunity that he deserved because he's doing well in his club," Pochettino said of Freese, "and of course, is to give now some continuity to see how he deals with the pressure to be No. 1 in the national team.”
That's new to Freese, but its not new to some of his competition. Matt Turner, the USMNT starter at the 2022 World Cup, is in the squad and fighting to hold his spot, having struggled for minutes at the club level this season. Chris Brady is in camp with plenty of youth national team experience, while both Zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte are in the mix, but missing this summer due to injuries.
It's a diverse group, one with a variety of experience and skill levels. Only three goalkeepers can go to the World Cup. Only one can start. Freese, having served as a backup for so long, knows that more than most.
"That's the nature of the goalkeeper union: there's only one person that's going to play when the time comes, so it's your job to just push each other so that whoever steps on that field is as ready as they can possibly be," he says. "It's your job to push them, but it's also your job to learn from them and also put your ego to the side and recognize what certain people can do better than you and take the most from that. It was like that with Andre in Philly: there are moments to push him, moments to learn from him and moments to just support him."
For Freese, it's all a calculated equation, with a natural progression toward that World Cup target.
"The correct path towards that World Cup is winning this Gold Cup, being a part of a winning roster and showing your value on the field, in the locker room and in training," he says. "For me, the path forward to get there is to focus on the present, focus on the tournament and focus on the day-to-day. The rest should take care of itself. If you live with your mind focused on what's ahead, you're probably not going to be the best version of yourself."
There's plenty ahead for Freese. The Gold Cup continues. There are more MLS and USMNT games on the horizon. And in many ways, it's the continuation of that conversation he had with himself in the mirror. Is he who he wants to be? Is he where he wants to be? Is he proud of himself?
Only Freese can answer those questions, but it's safe to say he's getting closer.
"It's funny because, when I was suiting up for Turkey, I was thinking about the fact that it took 26 years to get to that moment," he says. "When I was younger, by luck, I just loved sports and playing sports. But, when I set my mind on becoming a World Cup goalkeeper, the goal was to do this.
"I think the biggest thing is I've realized just how much soccer has changed me. And how much soccer has changed my life."
