Matt Freese: NYCFC goalkeeper targets World Cup with USMNT | OneFootball

By Jon Arnold

Matt Freese left Harvard early, but his education continues.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper has continued to prepare, even as he’s waited for his chances throughout his career. First, a trade from the Philadelphia Union to New York City FC ahead of the 2023 season paved the way for him to become an MLS starter. Then this summer, he earned an opportunity to play for the US men's national team, starting in the Concacaf Gold Cup and backstopping the team to a runner-up finish.

Now, Freese is competing to start for the USMNT on home soil at the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

For outsiders, the breakthrough seemed to come out of nowhere. But to those around Freese, who watch him pursue improvement both physically and mentally, they see these opportunities as just rewards.

“When you actually get to know him and you see how much of a student of the game he is, how committed to the craft he is, I don't think you'd be surprised. I'm certainly not surprised by it,” NYCFC assistant coach Rob Vartughian told MLSsoccer.com.

WATCH: Matt Freese on Breakaway

Golden moment

Freese credits intense preparation on the plane from the USMNT’s group stage finale to the quarterfinal for his performance in the penalty shootout win over Costa Rica at the Gold Cup, out-dueling goalkeeping legend Keylor Navas.

Yet, that sort of preparation is routine for the NYCFC shot-stopper. In Breakaway, Freese mentions doing film study two days before each match, then watching more film on the day of the game.

“The end goal is obviously to be part of that group in ‘26, but I know that in order to do that, I need to focus on the day-to-day, continue to get better and continue to push myself,” he said.

That attitude has impressed Tony Meola, the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups and their third goalkeeper in 2002.

“Most goalkeepers at 27 aren’t going to tell you, ‘I got a bunch to learn,’” said Meola, named the 2000 Landon Donovan MLS MVP with the then-Kansas City Wizards.

“At that point, you’ve established yourself and are staying sharp all the time, right? But he makes no bones about the fact that he still doesn’t have a lot of games under his belt and is definitely going to continue to learn and study.”

GK competition

Freese’s PK studies drew attention during the Gold Cup, but Vartughian said Freese looks far beyond one-on-one situations as he prepares for a match. He looks at the opposition as a whole, at player tendencies from open play, and is open to coaching.

“He has the ability to take information in really quickly and apply it,” Vartughian said. “He’s the first person to go back and watch training back, the first to come into training and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got a question about this,’ in addition to his own studying.

“He’s a consummate professional who doesn’t leave anything to a lack of preparation.”

As Freese tries to lock down the USMNT No. 1 job, he faces challenges from fellow goalkeepers based in MLS.

New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner started at the 2022 World Cup and returned to the Revs for consistent playing ahead of ‘26. Colorado Rapids shot-stopper Zack Steffen was in camp with those two goalkeepers ahead of the Gold Cup, only to see an injury rule him out for the continental championship. Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte has also played under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, while Chicago Fire FC’s Chris Brady was at the Gold Cup as well.

Proving ground

With the United States’ long tradition of goalkeepers excelling abroad, 2026 could be the first time a domestic-based shot-stopper starts since Meola did so in 1994 as part of U.S. Soccer’s centralized team. Meola understands why some fans or analysts would want the tradition to continue, but he isn’t worried about what club a national team player represents.

“I just want the best players. I don’t care where they play. I think the majority of the team will come from European-based players, but we had some pretty damn good success in 2002 with pretty much a split team,” Meola said. “If we’re going to take 26 players, who are the best three goalkeepers?”

Freese signed a contract extension early this month, keeping him with NYCFC through 2030. He hopes to help the club open Etihad Park in 2027 and continue to push for minutes with the USMNT.

“There’s levels. Nobody for one second can compare where he is to Man City playing in a UEFA Champions League game, but the reality is you can only deal with the card you’re handed,” Vartughian said.

“Right now, that’s playing his football for us, and performing week after week for us. We’re happy he’s doing the job that he is.”

Staying sharp

Nick Rimando spent his entire career in MLS, racking up league records for the most career wins, clean sheets and saves along the way, but also winning nearly two dozen caps for the USMNT. He went to Brazil in 2014 knowing he’d be behind then-Premier League standouts Tim Howard (Everton) and Brad Guzan (Aston Villa) on the depth chart. That allowed him to embrace his role and focus on helping those fellow goalkeepers perform their best.

Now, Rimando is happy to see the level of play in MLS, and the quality of goalkeepers who play in the league, continue to rise to a point where the USMNT's goalkeeping room may be entirely domestic-based.

“I love the fact that the league I played in my whole career will possibly have the three goalkeepers going into the World Cup,” Rimando said. “It shows how far the league has come.”

Rimando was in a similar position to Freese in 2013, having been the goalkeeper for the Gold Cup in the year ahead of the World Cup. The Real Salt Lake legend knew he’d have to perform well on the field to be on the World Cup roster, but also that being a positive influence from the hotel lobby to the locker room before and after the match would help him earn a spot.

A place on the World Cup roster may have seemed out of the question for Freese just a couple of years ago. Now, he’s looking to not just be on the plane but to be singing the anthem from the field before the opening game.

“It’s a competition, but it has to be a friendly competition,” Rimando said. “Obviously, Matt Freese is fighting for that number one position. So for me, the mentality has to be, ‘This is my job to lose,’ and going in there performing, but also being that good teammate. Ultimately, the goal is to do well at the World Cup.”

Eyes on '26

Freese’s Gold Cup experience has changed very little about who he is, Vartughian asserts. NYCFC’s No. 1 is still preparing for matches in the same way, studying opponents, training hard and being a great teammate. But one thing that may put a smile on the face of Rimando and every U.S. fan?

“You're starting to see the confidence that is coming and you're starting to see a different guy, a mentality of a guy who's like, ‘This is mine,’” Vartughian said.

For Freese, that means believing the work is never done, that there’s always more to do, another tendency he can spot, another fact about a shooter he can learn. He’s had to wait for chances before. Now that opportunities are presenting themselves, Freese is working to seize them.

WATCH: Matt Freese on Breakaway