Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 26
Key Stats: 73.4% save percentage (fourth-best in MLS), 8.9 goals prevented (second-best in MLS)
Matt Freese needs no introduction. The star goalkeeper, who had a breakout year last season, is loved by New York City fans and rightfully so. He had the fourth-best save percentage in the league (73.4%) and prevented the second-most goals (8.9), trailing only MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina. Freese’s 135 total saves in 2024 was the third-best in MLS, behind just John McCarthy (138) and Brad Guzan (137).
After a season of success, Freese was finally awarded for his exceptional performances with his first-ever call-up to the United States Men’s National Team for the January friendlies against Venezuela and Costa Rica in Florida. For reasons known only to USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino, he didn't play, and instead sat on the bench while Zack Steffen started in last Wednesday's friendly win over Costa Rica.
What went right last season
Still, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Freese was set to grab headlines in 2024. After all, he took the starting goalkeeper spot from Luis Barraza and impressed in 2023, but his level of form skyrocketed last season.
