![]() alive with several incredible saves against Qatar and stopping five shots against Mexico. Turner made 22 saves in the tournament, double the amount of any other goalkeeper, and he was particularly strong in the semifinal and final, keeping the U.S. The 27-year-old kept five clean sheets in six games, with the lone goal he allowed coming on a penalty kick against Martinique. ![]() Turner was excellent in that first real run of matches with the U.S., earning the golden glove award as the Gold Cup’s top keeper. He has been exceptional for the Revolution for a number of years, but the Gold Cup was Turner’s first extended run for the U.S., and an opportunity to put himself in position to push for the starting job come World Cup qualifying. That is, until the CONCACAF Gold Cup this past summer.Ĭoinciding with Steffen’s lack of playing time at the club level has been the rise of 27-year-old New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner. ![]() However, just like when he was at Columbus, there would come a point when he would stagnate in that role, and he would once again need playing time to develop or risk losing his place as the U.S.’s No.1.ĭespite only making a handful of appearances in cup competitions since returning to City from a loan spell with Fortuna Düsseldorf for the 2019-20 season (where he was the German club’s starter and played 18 games in all competition before an injury cut his season short), Steffen’s starting spot for the U.S. Specifically, the chance to train and play alongside a goalkeeper of Ederson’s quality in a world-class environment, while being coached by someone with the experience of Pep Guardiola is something Steffen just wouldn’t get in MLS. When I wrote about Steffen’s transfer back in 2018, I said that even though he wasn’t going to be getting much playing time for City, there was still an opportunity for him to develop his game in Manchester. However, unlike Howard - who was purchased with the expectation of competing for a starting spot right away - Steffen was arriving in Manchester as the clear backup to Ederson. Not since Howard’s move to Manchester United in 2003 had there been such a high profile move for an American goalkeeper. No.1 jersey, he earned a transfer to then reigning Premier League champions Manchester City. Crucially, he was also getting consistent minutes for Columbus, giving him a platform to prove his worth over and over again.Īfter winning the 2018 MLS goalkeeper of the year award and firmly establishing himself as the frontrunner for the U.S. His size, reach, agility and speed, in addition to his solid fundamentals (positioning, balance and footwork) gave him a foundation that he could continue to build upon. Steffen’s rise was sudden and rapid, as his performances for both club and country (his performances in the 2017 MLS Cup playoffs and against France in June of 2018 come to mind) shot him to the top of the U.S. Then up stepped 23-year-old Zack Steffen, who did something none of the others were able to do: firmly shut the door behind him and make the position his. But all of them failed to step out of the shadows cast by USMNT great Tim Howard. Initially, Sean Johnson, Bill Hamid and William Yarbrough all looked promising, and would be in their goalkeeping prime (the window is later for goalkeepers than outfield players - generally 27 to 33 years old) by the time the 2022 World Cup rolled around. Without a clear front runner, many names emerged, offering encouraging performances, but no one immediately broke through. A long-standing point of strength, the USMNT’s goalkeeper position was at a crossroads following the World Cup qualification failure in 2017 and up for grabs for the first time in nearly 20 years.
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