Matt Freese ’22 started on the bench during his freshman year at Harvard, competing in only three matches for the men’s soccer team.

Freese, who now plays for New York City FC in the MLS, came to Cambridge as a coveted recruit, even fielding offers from professional teams such as 13-time Premier League winners Manchester United in England.

In his sophomore season, he finally established himself as a regular starter — missing only three games — and was named to the All-Ivy Second Team, even though the Crimson finished with a 3-13 record.

Two seasons later, when Freese decided to forego his remaining NCAA eligibility and sign with his hometown team, the Philadelphia Union, he was the backup to three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and Jamaica national team goalkeeper Andre Blake.

When he was first called up to the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) in January 2025, it took him half a year to win the starting spot from decorated New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner.

The alum got his moment in the national spotlight that summer during the 2025 Gold Cup, saving three of six shots in the penalty shootout to lead the United States to a win against Costa Rica and legendary keeper Keylor Navas in a quarterfinal matchup.

The team eventually made it to the final, where it lost 2-1 against its continental rival, Mexico.

The United States is set to open its World Cup campaign against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, Calif., followed by a match against Australia in Seattle before returning to Inglewood to face Turkey.

After a disastrous qualification campaign resulted in the team missing the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the United States slowly revived itself by fighting its way to a Round of 16 loss against the Netherlands in 2022.

Despite a talented roster with many of its players competing in the highest professional leagues across Europe, the United States has struggled as of late, exiting the 2024 Copa América and 2025 CONCACAF Nations League early. In its most recent friendly matches, the USMNT lost 5-1 to Belgium and 2-0 to Portugal, raising questions about whether the team is prepared for fierce global competition.

Under the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino — a renowned Argentine coach who has managed premier clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Tottenham — the expectations of the United States are high this cycle, especially on home soil.

Freese, who was named to the World Cup squad on Tuesday, is a leading contender for the United States’ starting spot in net.

Harvard’s former goalkeeper coach, Vasili Uspensky, said Freese was frustrated with not being able to play many games his freshman year, but his work ethic empowered his eventual rise.

“He was really, really good at channeling whatever frustration he had right into that, and then, of course, over time his development continued,” Uspensky said. “Then he got his chance, and he ran with it.”

Christian Sady ’18, a senior on the team during Freese’s freshman year, explained that the goalkeeper’s work ethic was noticed by his fellow teammates.

“He was someone that was extremely disciplined in all aspects, so he could get his work done, he could, again, hang out with friends,” Sady said. “He would be the first one at the training facility, and last one to leave, whether or not he was starting that game, whether or not his trajectory at college was completely clear.”

Former Crimson goalie Philip Geanakoplos ’21 particularly recalled Freese’s standout performance in a game against Yale — Harvard’s only Ivy League win during Freese’s sophomore campaign.

“Our team was just much worse than theirs, and we scored maybe the cheapest goal of all time,” Geanakoplos said. “We ended up winning 1-0 because Matt Freese put in an absolute performance. He stopped three or four breakaways, and that game always stuck very vividly in my mind about how a goalkeeper can dominate a game.”

After Freese’s performance in the 2025 Gold Cup, he recalled his analytical side in an interview with FOX Sports, crediting a previous research project on penalty kick strategies.

“He was very good at PKs, and still is. I think that was something he really took pride in,” former Harvard goalie David Paquette ’22 said. “He still has such a big reach and is so explosive that he’s able to make saves that other people can’t, which you saw in the Gold Cup.”

“He knows the mental side of the game pretty well. He doesn’t back down, he doesn’t get intimidated. He’s super confident himself, which is extremely important for PKs,” he added.

Unsurprisingly, Freese chose Harvard, his former coaches and teammates say, because of his simultaneous commitment to academics. While a professional soccer player, the Eliot House resident continued to take classes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and graduated from the College with a degree in Economics.

“He had a bunch of different aspects to him, including a significant interest in economics and various academic pursuits that I think are foundational to who he is,” former Harvard teammate Benjamin Bryant ’22 said. “He obviously puts in a ton of work and effort into soccer, but he’s more than just a footballer.”

Bryant asserted that Freese, despite his competitiveness, exemplified the qualities of a supportive teammate.

“I distinctly remember coming on to the pitch against Princeton,” Bryant said. “I had made a mistake. I was a little bit frazzled, and I remember hearing a steadying voice from the back.”

“I definitely appreciated moments like this because it helped build an atmosphere where I really felt empowered to grow as a player, to grow as a person, as a competitor,” he added.

Jared Small ’02, a former Harvard coach, said Freese’s thoughtfulness extended beyond the field.

“My best memories would be spending hours in Annenberg talking to him,” Small recalled. “We would have a meal together, and then stay there long after we were done eating, just talking about his goals.”

“90 out of 100 people are going to be like ‘Let me go to Manchester United, whatever happens, happens, this is the coolest thing ever,” he added. “And Matt was like, ‘No, I know where I want to get in my career, in my life, and that’s not the right move yet,’ and that just shows maturity and humility — that’s part of his success.”

Freese is the first-ever Harvard men’s soccer alum to play at the World Cup. This comes after Harvard women’s soccer player Josefine Hasbo ’25 played for the Danish national team in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a tournament of many firsts. It is the first time in history that the tournament will be jointly hosted by three nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It is also the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 national teams, an expanded format from the previous 32.

It is the first World Cup since 1994 – coincidentally also hosted by the U.S. – to not feature newly constructed stadiums, as the organizers will instead use and renovate existing stadiums across 16 major metropolitan areas.

Boston is no stranger to major professional soccer events: Foxborough Stadium, situated on the grounds of present-day Gillette Stadium, was one of the selected venues of the 1994 World Cup, hosting six matches, including Italy’s triumph over Spain in the quarterfinal. Soccer legend Diego Maradona played his unexpected final two international games at the stadium before a failed drug test barred him from the latter stages of the tournament.

During the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, Boston also hosted six group-stage soccer matches at Harvard Stadium. Then-Vice President George H. W. Bush attended the opening of the competition in the city, and 27,832 fans witnessed France defeat Norway. Harvard’s Quincy House served as the Olympic Village for these matches.

Gillette Stadium, which will be renamed Boston Stadium during the tournament due to FIFA’s marketing rules, is set to host seven World Cup games, including five group-stage matches and two knockout matches. One day after the USMNT takes the field in Los Angeles, Haiti will open play in Boston against its Group C opponent, Scotland.

Soccer’s superstars will then descend into Boston, with Manchester City’s star forward Erling Haaland representing Norway in its game against Iraq on June 16. Previous semi-finalist Morocco plays on June 19, while England, with its renowned striker Harry Kane, plays on June 23.

The most anticipated match-up of the group stage is on June 26, when Haaland’s Norway plays against France’s superstar attacking lineup, including Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and reigning Ballon D’Or winner Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé.

Boston’s focus will then shift to two knockout matches, with the last matchup in Beantown featuring a quarterfinal game to close the slate.

The United States has two remaining matches to tune up before its World Cup quest begins, facing Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6.

“Matt Freese is capable of that sort of performance. Coupling that with the talented roster, the U.S. can definitely win a game against a top team with Matt Freese making 10 great saves,” Fernando Docters ’21, a close friend and former teammate, said.

“I’m excited to see what happens this summer,” he added.

—Staff writer Uy B. Pham can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at ubp.88. Follow him on X @uybpham.

—Staff writer Nghia L. Nguyen can be reached at [email protected].

—Staff writer Jason Deng can be reached at [email protected].