'Absolutely needs to make a move' - USMNT legend Tony Meola on Matt Turner's club frustrations, fight to keep No. 1 goalkeeper job

Legendary U.S. goalkeeper Tony Meola made headlines for questioning USMNT's Matt Turner on Panama’s game-winning goal in Thursday’s 1-0 loss. Ahead of the third-place match, Meola revisited his comments and further discussed what the Crystal Palace backup must do to secure his spot on the 2026 World Cup roster.

Meola believes Turner remains the No. 1 choice due to his competitors’ lack of experience but insists he needs a club move away from Crystal Palace to solidify his role.

“Matt Turner, right now,” Meola said on CBS when asked who the current favorite for No. 1 is. “What I think will happen in 2026 is he’s going to make a move - he absolutely has to. If he doesn’t, you and I will be having a different conversation down the road.”

"I'm going to guess sometime in May or June that he's going to be in a position," Meola said of a potential club move for Turner. "As the [No. 1] goalkeeper right now, he needs to find a way to get 30-40, games before the World Cup, and in a rhythm. I don't care if that's in Major League Soccer or if it's in Europe, if he wants to make a World Cup team and have them be successful [he needs to move]."

Turner knows all too well how form and playing time can turn things for a goalkeeper. In 2022, he supplanted Zack Steffen as the No. 1 as the latter had struggles as a backup at Manchester City. Now, Turner finds himself in a similar position, as Steffen and Schulte are among several options trying to compete for the No. 1 job.

Turner has made just four appearances for Crystal Palace, a club he joined on loan after losing his No. 1 job at Nottingham Forest.

Outside of Turner, the amount of caps for other goalkeepers on the USMNT on the current roster is limited. Steffen, the former No. 1, has 30. Schulte has three. Often called in Ethan Hovrath has three caps as well.

The U.S. will reconvene in June, playing in two friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland before kicking off in the 2025 Gold Cup.