There’s Only One Matt Turner

Photo Courtesy of USSoccer.com

On November 21st the United States Men’s National Soccer Team will take on Wales in the team’s first match of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup. After failing to qualify for the competition in 2018 after a stunning 2-1 defeat at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago in the final round of qualifying, the United States will look to make a statement at this year’s tournament. Coach Gregg Berhalter, who helped the USMNT reach the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals in Japan, put together a young roster that is hungry to win and prove to the world that they have what it takes to compete.

One player who is especially eager to prove his impact on the national team, is that of twenty-eight-year-old goalkeeper Matt Turner. Despite being the favorite to start in net for the United States, his journey to becoming a professional soccer player was never easy. Born and raised in Park Ridge, New Jersey, Turner did not actually start playing soccer until he was fourteen, and originally only began playing so that it would help him to stay in shape for his basketball and baseball teams. He found himself playing in the net when the only other keeper attending tryouts for the team was injured.

Turner attended Fairfield University where he made thirty-nine appearances and finished with twenty-one clean sheets, and when he was a senior, he was named to the All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference second team. Despite finding success at the collegiate level, one mishap that landed Turner at the top of the SportsCenter Not Top 10 almost caused him to hang up his gloves for good. However, he decided to push through and work even harder, a choice that ultimately worked out for him in the long run.

In 2016 the New England Revolution selected Turner in the MLS SuperDraft and signed him to his first professional contract, before loaning him to USL club Richmond Kickers. During his time with Richmond, which spanned over two separate stints, Turner recorded seven shutouts in twenty-seven starts. In 2018, after the hiring of new head coach Brad Friedel, Turner earned the starting position for the Revolution and would go on to record five clean sheets that season.

2019 proved to be a challenge for Turner as he saw himself fall to the third-string keeper in the beginning, before reclaiming his spot as the starter, ultimately starting twenty matches for the Revolution while recording another five clean sheets. Turner was able to lead the Revs to their first playoff match since 2015, and finish the year as an MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalist, ranking fifth in voting. 2020 was the year Turner’s career really took off. Starting twenty-two of the team’s twenty-three matches, he put up a record of 8-7-8 while setting a new club record for goals against per game (1.08), and recording six shut-outs.

At the end of the 2020 season Turner ranked second in Revolution history in save percentage and goals against average (1.36). He was also the MLS goalkeeper leader for save percentage, goals against average, and saves. He was once again named a finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and would this time finish second in voting. New England Revolution fans voted Turner the Revolution team MVP, while his teammates voted him the Revolution Player of the Year.

Turner continued to play at a high level over the course of the 2021 season, recording 1.25 GAA, a 73.2 save percentage, and five shutouts over twenty-eight starts. In November of that year, he was finally named the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, becoming the first Revolution keeper to ever earn the honor. During the season Turner was also named the 2021 MLS All-Star Game MVP after recording two penalty saves against the Liga MX All-Stars.

On February 11, 2022 all of Turner’s hard-work was finally rewarded, after it was announced that he had agreed to a deal with Premier League club Arsenal that would see him move to London in the summer of 2022. Arsenal reportedly paid a transfer fee of $6 million that could potentially grow to $10 million. After being announced as the club’s new player on June 27th, Turner made his first start for the Gunners July 8th.

Now, less than a week away from the USMNT’s first game of the World Cup, Matt Turner has become a fan-favorite amongst casual fans and die-hard supporters. Though he received his first call-up with the national team in 2019, Turner did not make his international debut until January 2021 where he became the first USMNT goalkeeper to save a penalty kick in their debut. Since joining the national team Turner has recorded fourteen shutouts, leading all USMNT goalkeepers for most clean sheets through their first twenty caps, kept five clean sheets in six matches to lead the USA to the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup title against Mexico, and finished as a runner-up to Christian Pulisic for 2021 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year.

You can watch Matt Turner and the rest of the USMNT in action at the FIFA Men’s World Cup starting Monday November 21st at two o’clock EST on FOX or Telemundo Deportes.