Former USMNT goalkeeper Kasey Keller, the all-time clean sheet leader for the United States, has shared his thoughts on the team's prospects ahead of their crucial World Cup 2026 Group C clash against Australia. Keller, who represented the US at four World Cups (1990, 1998, 2002, and 2006), is now a pundit and expressed optimism after the USMNT's 4-1 demolition of Paraguay.
Keller's Optimism and Concerns
When asked to rate his gut feeling on a scale of 1-10 following the Paraguay win, Keller replied with an enthusiastic "11," calling the performance arguably the best in American football history. However, he also warned about the team's inconsistency under manager Mauricio Pochettino over the past 20 months.
Favorites Against Australia
The United States faces Australia in Seattle on Friday. Despite Australia's 2-0 victory over group favorites Turkey, Keller believes the US should view themselves as favorites. "I think the US is better than Australia, but Turkey was clearly better than Australia and lost," Keller said. He highlighted Australia's defensive resilience and counterattacking ability, noting that the US dismantled Paraguay's similar but superior setup.
Inconsistency Under Pochettino
Keller pointed out that the USMNT has struggled to replicate strong performances under Pochettino. "I haven't seen the US [repeat strong performances] under Pochettino. We're talking about that inconsistency. I haven't seen them be able to replicate performances," he added.
Goalkeeping Decision
Regarding Pochettino's choice of Matt Freese as starting goalkeeper, Keller was not surprised by the manager's lack of transparency. He noted that if it were an open competition, Pochettino would have given more opportunities to other keepers like Matt Turner or Jonathan Klinsman. "There was so much change in lineups throughout that process, except for Matt Freese, and so somehow that decision had been made at one point," Keller explained.
Pochettino's Communication Style
Keller expressed a preference for more transparency but acknowledged Pochettino's right to operate as he sees fit. "Pochettino could have come out and said, 'This is my goalkeeper,' but that's not something he does. ... I'm a bigger fan of more transparency, more honesty, and that's just not the way Pochettino works," he said.
World Cup Atmosphere
Keller also commented on the World Cup atmosphere, noting that fears of half-empty stadiums and lack of European fans have been unfounded. "The reports have been, the European fans have come over, are falling in love with America. The stadiums are full. I mean, oh my god. Did the Dutch show up or what?" he said, referring to the vibrant Dutch support in Texas.
