Explained: Why Matt Turner is leaving USMNT camp early as ‘boss’ calls him back from international duty

The 29-year-old shot-stopper played the full 90 minutes for his country as they collected a 3-0 friendly victory over Uzbekistan. Turner starred in that contest, earning Player of the Match recognition, but is now leaving Gregg Berhalter’s squad.

That is because his partner, former NFL cheerleader Ashley Herron, is due to give birth to the couple’s second child. Turner had to get permission to travel to St. Louis during the international break, but it will be a case of one and out for him as his focus shifts away from professional matters and back to personal ones.

Turner, whose son Eaton was born in June 2022, has told the USMNT’s official media of why he is heading home early: “It was a clear message from the boss back home that I needed to make sure that if I was going to come, that I was going to make it worth it. A clean sheet and a win is all I could ask for. Now focused completely on the safe delivery of our baby girl into the world.”

Turner is up to 33 caps for his country and is enjoying a productive 2023-24 campaign. Alongside the imminent birth of his baby daughter, he has also been celebrating regular first team football at club level after completing a summer transfer from Arsenal to Forest.