Overview
- Freese made his World Cup start on June 12 in the U.S. opener against Paraguay and has established himself as the starter through the first two group matches.
- Across those two games he has conceded one goal, recorded a clean sheet against Australia, and faced only three shots on target.
- Match data show Freese has had few actions both inside and outside the penalty area, a result of the U.S. defense controlling possession and limiting opponent chances.
- Freese’s rise followed an unconventional path: he left the Philadelphia Union academy for Harvard, graduated in 2022 with an economics degree, and broke out after a 2023 move to New York City FC that led to MLS starting minutes and his 2025 national-team call-up.
- With the U.S. already topping Group D and Türkiye eliminated, Pochettino may rotate the lineup in the final group game, keeping Matt Turner as the designated backup and shaping how much more World Cup exposure Freese receives.