Leading up to the 2022 World Cup, there has been a debate over which U.S. goalkeeper would start in Qatar: Zack Steffen or Matt Turner.
On Wednesday, USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter answered that question in emphatic and stunning fashion by leaving Steffen off his 26-man roster entirely.
There wasn’t much indication that this was coming. Steffen and Turner split duties in World Cup qualifying nearly evenly, with Turner starting eight games and Steffen starting six.
Some considered Steffen to have the edge due to his history with Berhalter, with the two working together previously during their time at the Columbus Crew. There was also plenty of speculation over Berhalter’s tepid endorsement of Turner after his strong displays in September’s friendlies.
In 2022 Berhalter has not had to decide between the two goalkeepers much. Injuries and family reasons have kept the pair from being on the same roster, save for the January/February World Cup qualifiers.
But it seemed certain that one would be starting in the World Cup with the other taking on a backup role. Instead, Turner will be joined by Sean Johnson and Ethan Horvath on the roster.
In search of more playing time ahead of the World Cup, Steffen moved on loan from Man City to Middlesbrough this summer. He’s been the starter when healthy, while Turner has had to be content with sporadic starts at Arsenal while serving as backup to Aaron Ramsdale.
Turner’s performances with Arsenal and the USMNT have won him the starting role, which isn’t necessarily a huge surprise. But Steffen not being his backup, or even the third-stringer, will go down as one of the biggest U.S. World Cup roster stunners in recent memory.
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