Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner has been the USMNT's Gold Cup hero - but is Gunners backup role going to become a problem?
The 29-year-old stepped up in the shootout win over Canada, but regular game time is likely to be severely limited after this summer's tournament.
The lasting memory of Sunday's Gold Cup quarterfinal match between the U.S. men's national team and Canada will no doubt be Matt Turner's stare down. It was a somewhat out-of-character moment. After stopping Steven Vitoria's penalty, having seen the Canada star score past him earlier in the contest, Turner stared into his opponent's sole, prompting a flurry of Tweets and profile picture changes across social media.
One to react was Patrick Mahomes, the star NFL quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, as he fired off a tweet immediately calling Turner an «absolute dawg». It's a term that the Arsenal goalkeeper is familiar with, stemming from an interview with his Gunners teammate Aaron Ramsdale, who told a hysterical story poking fun at Turner's American accent.
In this case, though, it is fitting. Turner does, in fact, have that «dawg» in him as his shootout heroics proved once again why he remains the USMNT's No.1 heading into the 2026 cycle.
Turner's rise has been rapid. He previously used the Gold Cup as a springboard to a World Cup qualifying chance, ultimately running with that all the way to the tournament in Qatar. This time around, the Gold Cup isn't a platform to prove himself, but rather a chance to stay sharp before returning to north London.
Once he does return, there's a real possibility that all we'll see of him is from his performances in a USMNT shirt, which is why this Gold Cup run was so important to begin with. When it ends, though, the questions will begin: what comes next for Turner? Does he need to be playing regularly? Let's take a look...
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