The United States are aiming to make history in this World Cup campaign.

As co-hosts of their first World Cup since 1994, the United States national football team stand just 90 minutes away from securing a fourth Round-of-16 appearance in the past two decades.

Goalkeeper Matt Freese has been instrumental to Mauricio Pochettino’s preparations ahead of their clash with Belgium, though his path to the tournament has been anything but conventional.

Freese’s remarkable journey could easily have taken a very different turn. The 27-year-old, now the No. 1 goalkeeper for Major League Soccer side New York City FC – part of the City Football Group which also owns Manchester City – once had the opportunity to join Manchester United as an apprentice.

Rather than chasing the Premier League dream at Old Trafford, Freese made a bold decision to pursue a degree in economics at Harvard University, while also representing the Ivy League school’s Crimson team.

Choosing Cambridge, Massachusetts over Carrington proved a wise move. In 2018, Freese led the Ivy League in saves per game, averaging six per match, a statistic that underscored both his athletic and analytical prowess.

Freese’s intellectual curiosity extended beyond the pitch. He wrote an academic paper analysing penalty kick strategies, though he has declined to reveal its contents publicly, keeping its insights under wraps.

However, his most memorable moment from 12 yards came during last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica, where he heroically saved three penalties in the shootout, earning him widespread acclaim.

Former USA and Everton legend Tim Howard, who famously recorded 16 saves in the 2014 World Cup Round-of-16 match against Belgium — a record that still stands — has publicly backed Freese to shine on the global stage.

That 2014 encounter remains etched in American footballing memory, when Howard’s heroics were not enough to prevent the “Stars and Stripes” from a heartbreaking extra-time defeat to the Red Devils.

Now, a decade later, the title of “Secretary of Defense” could pass from Howard to Freese — with the veteran’s full support — should the Harvard-educated shot-stopper produce another iconic performance against Belgium.