Since the 90's, American soccer has been defined by grit, perseverance, and having a world-class goalkeeper. That all changed when Tim Howard retired from international competition in 2017. Since then, the USMNT goalkeeper position has been in flux.
Guys like Zack Steffen, Ethan Horvath, Matt Turner, and Matt Freese have all had extended runs, but none have showcased the ability of the guys that came before them. And in a World Cup year, that is dangerous.
To look ahead, we have to look back.
Tony Meola ushered in an era of goalkeeping dominance
Tony Meola captained the US side and was the starting goalkeeper in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. Over his 100 caps during that time, he had 32 shutouts. Then came the rising battle between Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel, and a young Tim Howard would soon emerge.
Keller and Friedel dueled all the way up to the 2002 World Cup when Friedel finally nailed down the starting spot. Friedel would finish with 82 caps and 24 shutouts. But perhaps his most impressive stat is the incredible 310 consecutive games he appeared in the Premier League, starting for Blackburn, Aston Villa, and Tottenham.
For his part, Keller finished with 102 caps and the second-most wins (52) of all time. Then Tim Howard emerged as maybe the best of the 3.
Howard would finish with 121 caps, the most wins all time (63), and kept 42 shutouts. His biggest moment came in the 2014 World Cup against Belgium. He recorded a ridiculous 15 saves in one of the most incredible performances I have ever seen. It came up in a losing effort, though, as Belgium advanced 2-1 in Extra Time.
Then the disaster of missing the 2018 World Cup happened, and Howard retired from international duty. There was no next man up, and since then, it has been a steady turnstile at the back:
-Brad Guzan (64 caps)
-Matt Turner (53 caps)
-Zack Steffen (30 caps)
-Nick Rimando (22 caps)
-Sean Johnson (13 caps)
-Matt Freese (14 caps)
-Ethan Horvath (10 caps)
-Bill Hamid (8 caps)
At first, it appeared Matt Turner would be one of the best rags-to-riches stories ever. He didn't even start playing soccer until he was 15, then started at the 2022 World Cup and managed to become an Arsenal signing. Then things went south for Turner, who eventually returned to MLS after struggling to find playing time in Europe. He has since found his form as one of the best pure shot stoppers in the league.
But should he start in June?
Matt Freese leads the charge into World Cup 2026
You only have to look at the most recent camp to see where head coach Mauricio Pochettino is thinking. Matt Turner got the first start but surrendered 5 goals to Belgium, and Matt Freese started game number two against Portugal. But he didn't fare much better. He conceded two goals and has looked shaky lately with his passing, but he is the clear number 1 heading into World Cup 2026.
Will he elevate his game and match the legendary performers that came before him? Only time will tell. The USMNT roster will be selected on May 26th with a live event in New York.
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