Matt Turner Only Jewish Player on Team USA at 2026 World Cup
Goalkeeper Matt Turner is the sole Jewish player on Team USA — and likely the entire 2026 World Cup — as the US opens against Paraguay on June 12, though head coach Mauricio Pochettino chose Matt Freese to start in goal. Turner, 31, discovered his Jewish heritage through his paternal great-grandmother's Holocaust-era emigration papers from Lithuania. His presence is notable given Israel's absence from the tournament and the rarity of Jewish players at this level of international soccer.
Matt Turner, a New Jersey-born goalkeeper now playing for the New England Revolution in MLS, is the only Jewish player on the US men's national team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada — the first edition to feature 48 teams and three host nations. Israel did not qualify for the tournament and has not done so since 1970, partly due to geopolitical factors that placed its soccer federation in the competitive European body. Turner discovered his Jewish roots after finding his paternal great-grandmother's emigration papers documenting her escape from Lithuania during the Holocaust, a revelation that also enabled him to obtain a Lithuanian passport and pursue club opportunities in Europe, including stints in the English Premier League. Despite starting all four matches in the 2022 Qatar World Cup — where he became the first American goalkeeper with back-to-back shutouts in the tournament since 1930 — Turner was named to the bench for the US opener against Paraguay, with coach Mauricio Pochettino opting for Matt Freese. Turner has 53 career national team appearances with a 29-16-8 record and 27 clean sheets, and he expressed deep emotion about being part of the squad regardless of his starting role. Legendary Argentine-Jewish broadcaster Andres Cantor, whose iconic 'Goooooooal' calls have shaped how American audiences experience the sport, will call his 12th consecutive World Cup during the tournament, which runs through July 19.
How coverage differed
The Times of Israel and Jerusalem Post covered Turner's Jewish identity and heritage in nearly identical terms, both drawing from the same JTA wire report. The New York Post focused almost entirely on the human-interest angle of Turner's wife publicly supporting the team despite his bench role, largely omitting the Jewish identity dimension covered by the other outlets.
What different sources said
- The Jerusalem PostRight
Meet Matt Turner, the only Jewish player on Team USA in 2026 World Cup
- Times of IsraelCenter
Meet Matt Turner, the only Jewish player on Team USA in the World Cup
- New York PostRight
Matt Turner’s wife Ash stands behind USA despite World Cup bench role
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