Matt Turner (soccer)

Matthew Charles Turner (born June 24, 1994) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club New England Revolution and the United States national team. He will join Premier League side Arsenal on July 1, 2022.

Matt Turner
Turner with Richmond Kickers in 2017
Personal information
Full name Matthew Charles Turner[1]
Date of birth (1994-06-24) June 24, 1994
Place of birth Park Ridge, New Jersey, United States
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 New England Revolution
Number 30
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2015 Fairfield Stags 39 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Jersey Express 24 (0)
2016– New England Revolution 98 (0)
2016–2017 → Richmond Kickers (loan) 27 (0)
2022– Arsenal (on July 1 2022) 0 (0)
National team‡
2021– United States 16 (0)
Honours
Representing  United States
Men's soccer
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner2021
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 1, 2022
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of February 2, 2022

Youth and college

A resident of Park Ridge, New Jersey, Turner attended Saint Joseph Regional High School.[3]

Turner spent his entire collegiate career at Fairfield University. He made a total of 39 appearances for the Stags and finished with 21 clean sheets. He was named to the All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference second team during his senior season.[4]

One of the most notable plays of Turner's college career came on October 16, 2013, when he made a mistake which turned into an own goal in a 2–1 loss against Iona.[5]

He also played in the Premier Development League for Jersey Express, leading the team to the PDL national semifinals in 2014.

Club career

New England Revolution

Turner was not selected in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, but Turner signed a professional contract with Major League Soccer (MLS) club New England Revolution on March 3, 2016, after a successful preseason trial.[4][6] On April 29, he joined United Soccer League club Richmond Kickers on loan and made his professional debut a day later in a 1–0 victory over Toronto FC II.[7]

Turner made his MLS debut on March 3, 2018 in the Revolution's season opener against Philadelphia Union, making four saves in a 2–0 loss.[8]

In 2020, New England Revolution fans voted Turner the Revolution team MVP, his teammates voted him the Revolution Player of the Year,[9] and Revolution supporters group the Midnight Riders voted him the Midnight Riders Man of the Year.[10]

On August 25, 2021 Turner made two penalty saves in the 2021 MLS All-Star Game to beat the Liga MX all-stars.

Arsenal

On February 11, 2022, it was announced that Turner and Premier League club Arsenal had agreed to a deal that would see him move to the London club in the summer of 2022.[11][12] Arsenal reportedly paid a transfer fee of $6 million that could potentially rise to $10 million.[13]

International career

Turner made his international debut on January 31, 2021 for the United States men's national team, starting in goal against Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly match.[14] Turner recorded a clean sheet, saving a penalty kick from Alvin Jones.

Turner started in all six games for the United States in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He recorded 5 clean sheets, including one in a 1–0 win against Mexico in the final. For his performance, Turner was awarded “Best Goalkeeper” of the tournament.

Personal life

Turner obtained a Lithuanian passport in 2020; his great-grandmother emigrated from Lithuania during World War II.[15] His father's family is Jewish, and their surname was changed to Turner at immigration.[16]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played November 30, 2021[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Richmond Kickers (loan) 2016 USL 70———70
2017 200———200
Total 270000000270
New England Revolution 2018 MLS 27000——270
2019 20020—1[lower-alpha 1]0230
2020 22[lower-alpha 2]0——5[lower-alpha 3]0270
2021 280——1[lower-alpha 1]0290
Total 9702000701060
Career total 12402000701330
  1. Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs
  2. Includes three appearances in MLS is Back Tournament group stage
  3. Four appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs, one appearance in MLS is Back Tournament knockout stage

International
As of match played February 2, 2022[18]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
United States 2021130
202230
Total160

Honors

United States

New England Revolution

Individual

References
  1. "National team roster: 2021 Concacaf Nations League Finals" (PDF). CONCACAF. May 10, 2021. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  2. Matt Turner at Soccerway. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  3. Staff. "Soccer: Former St. Joseph star Matt Turner signs with MLS team", The Record (Bergen County), March 5, 2016. Accessed May 10, 2016. "Matt Turner of Park Ridge, a former St. Joseph standout goalkeeper, has signed with the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer."
  4. "Matt Turner Signs With New England Revolution". FairfieldStags.com. Fairfield Stags. March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  5. McCauley, Kim (October 17, 2013). "NCAA goalkeeper commits an all-time great howler". SBNation.com. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  6. "Revolution sign forward Michael Gamble and goalkeeper Matt Turner". RevolutionSoccer.net. New England Revolution. March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  7. Campos, Anthony (April 30, 2016). "Match Recap: TFC II 0–1 Richmond Kickers". TorontoFC.ca. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  8. McCarthy, Kyle (March 4, 2018). "Revs sent off for openers". BostonHerald.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  9. "New England Revolution announce 2020 team awards". revolutionsoccer.net/. New England Revolution. November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  10. "Man of the Year Award". The Midnight Riders. March 7, 2012. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  11. "Arsenal to sign US goalkeeper Turner" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  12. "Matt Turner set to join Arsenal in summer transfer | New England Revolution". revolutionsoccer.net.
  13. "Official: New England Revolution transfer Matt Turner to Arsenal for summer | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  14. "Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner backstops US men's team in shutout of Trinidad & Tobago". The Boston Globe. January 31, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  15. "New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner explains his Lithuanian passport and European aspirations | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  16. "Goalkeeper Matt Turner of USMNT & New England Revolution;". Fútbol with Grant Wahl Podcast. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  17. Matt Turner at Soccerway. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  18. "M. Turner". Soccerway.
  19. "Matt Turner of U.S. named winner of Best GK Award". CONCACAF. August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  20. "Turner, Funes Mori named to Best XI". CONCACAF. August 3, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  21. "2021 MLS All-Star Team Roster". MLSsoccer.
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