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The 28-year-old Bergen County native who began playing soccer as a teenager is the starting goalie for the US Men's National Team as they face Group B leaders England Friday, Nov. 25, in the second of three games before the knockout rounds of the World Cup.
The USMNT — this year helmed by another Bergen County native, Gregg Berhalter — remains undefeated against England in the World Cup matches, with one major upset in 1950 and another victory in 2010.
Turner, who attended Saint Joseph Regional High Schoo, began playing soccer around the time he watched his first World Cup in 2010.
"It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before," he said in a recent editorial published in Newsweek. "When Landon Donovan scored the goal against Algeria that sent us through to the knock-out rounds, I jumped and screamed at the TV. No other sport had ever made me feel like that. It made me fall in love with the game."
That led to a bit of imposter syndrome for Turner, especially while playing for the New England Revolution, he said.
In today's match, Turner will go up against his teammate on Premier League club Arsenal, Bukayo Saka.
Turner hopes that the future generations of soccer players will be inspired by the USMNT's performance in the World Cup and say, "This is the moment that made me fall in love with the game," the way he did when he was 16.
The match in Qatar will begin at 2 p.m., EST. If America wins, the men advance. If they lose, they'll have to win the third game.
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