Matt Turner has returned to the New England Revolution after his loan was extended, and he was with the United States Men's National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While it wasn't the tournament that he had dreamed of, it was still a journey he will never forget.
Turner only appeared in one game, the United States 3-2 loss to Turkey in the group stage. The United States bowed out of the tournament in the Round of 16 in a 4-1 loss to Belgium.
“It didn’t go exactly the way I dreamt it would go, but I found a lot of small victories and smiles and memories along the way," Turner said when asked by The Blazing Musket about the tournament. "It was an honor of a lifetime to be here representing the U.S. on home soil. I think I didn’t realize the gravity of all of it until you walk out. It just felt like every seat was filled with red, white, and blue. In the last World Cup [in 2022], it was kind of like a 50-50 split in the stands. This one, that excitement was tangible, it was palpable. You could literally feel it. It was a great place to be, and I feel like obviously, in the end it ends in a disappointing way. When you see people afterwards reflecting on it and talking to you and saying how much they were captivated by the World Cup and by this team, and it’s a great feeling. It makes you disappointed because you think ‘Man, if we could have gone one or two steps further, what could it have done?’ But I think, ultimately, the feeling that a lot of people have had all around the country has been overwhelmingly positive and I know for a fact we made some memories for kids and players for generations to come.”
Currently aged 32, the goalkeeper still has eyes on the 2030 World Cup.
"It’s going to be something I want to achieve – to be at the 2030 World Cup," Turner said. "That is going to rely heavily on my performances here. And also, I want to come here to try to win things and do things that this club has never done before as well."
Turner's club future is much more certain. The Revolution extended his loan and it could be further extended through December 2027. The new deal is made even better as Turner's purchase option is 1.3 million Euros, according to his parent club Olympique Lyonnais.
The goalkeeper has accomplished a lot in his career already. He won a Supporters' Shield in 2021, broke through on the national team level, and played club soccer for the likes of Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
But Turner is still itching for more. He isn't settled by his accomplishments and wants to bring even more success to New England
"The motivation for the rest of the season is to compete for trophies," he said. "Why not try to compete for trophies? Why not try to finish in a playoff spot and get into that Leagues Cup next season? There is a lot to play for, so I think it’s a great time to be a Revs player and also a Revs fan.”
