In a world that is so divided, there is something beautiful about soccer. A locker room can be filled with players and coaches who have various different backgrounds, ethnicities, races, religions, and walks of life.
This is why Matt Turner loves the game. Whether it be during his time in Major League Soccer or in Europe, the goalkeeper has made friendships that span across the entire globe.
The goalkeeper left the New England Revolution in his mid-20s and returned to the club in his 30s. Whether it be his experience on the field, in the locker room, or life in general, Turner has become a leader and someone that teammates can go to for support.
"I've always been somebody that loves to have a chat, loves to sit down and talk, but my understanding of the game has also grown tremendously," Turner told media. "And I want to be somebody that people can always come to with any of their problems. As much as my game experience has grown, my life experience has grown tenfold. As a father, as a husband, as a brother, and as a son. A lot of things that people can struggle with in a professional environment, in the locker room, outside of the locker room, you can imagine, I've probably struggled with them at some point in my life and in my career as well. I think my story is very relatable and I'm not afraid to share it. That helps guys, and that’s something that I can also have that side of me that's loving and caring because I understand the emotional side of a lot of things.
"Then the way I train, the way I prepare for games, the way I play on the pitch, is the other side where I can be very demanding once we cross the white line," he continued. "It's a balance of things: Emotional intelligence and then just performance. You have to earn the respect of everybody around you and also be a constant force, because if you're there for people than maybe what you have to say on the field might land a little bit better. It might make somebody run the extra 5 yards to close a cross down or make the tackle on the goal line or whatever it is. I've always loved soccer because of the relationships that you build. That's really why I love the game. People come from different backgrounds, different places, trying to relate to people – it's amazing. It's just like a microcosm for the world. I've gotten to meet so many amazing people and the relationships that I build are extremely authentic. I keep in touch with everybody from every club I've ever been at because I just try to be as real as I can. But I also am very demanding, so I think you have got to have a little bit of fear as well.”
Additionally, Turner is still a top goalkeeper in MLS. While New England has yet to record a point, the team would be much worse for wear if he weren't between the sticks for the Revs.
Especially for such a young club, head coach Marko Mitrovic believes that Turner's ability on and off the field is extremely valuable.
“Matt [Turner] is really doing great," Mitrovic said. "His effort, his attitude, his experience, and his presence in the locker room, not just on the field but off the field, Matt is a great voice for the very young team that we have. He’s someone who can support and lead younger guys. I’m also very happy with his performances in the trainings and in the games. I know we can say the number of goals he conceded in Nashville, but I also believe he had exceptional actions. For those goals, it’s not that he could have done much. In general, I’m very positive with Matt and very happy with him.”
2026 is a big year for Turner. While he is focused on the job at hand in New England, the 2026 FIFA World Cup looms large.
At one point, Turner was the clear No.1 goalkeeper for the United States Men's National Team, due to a lack of playing time while over in Europe that has changed. While time is running out, Turner still has the chance to prove to Mauricio Pochettino that he should be starting for the USMNT when the tournament kicks off.
