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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Keeper explored chance to play for Lithuania</li><li>Had hoped to line up against England</li><li>Now No.1 for country of his birth</li></ul>

‘Never texted me back’ – USMNT were not Matt Turner’s first choice but international snub led Nottingham Forest goalkeeper towards World Cup finals

The 29-year-old goalkeeper had <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/usmnt-matt-turner-didnt-take-goal-kick-until-20-nottingham-forest-keeper-baseball-basketball/bltb294dd10489665a2" target="_blank">established himself at the New England Revolution</a> by that point, but had not forced his way into the U.S. camp. As a result, he reached out to the nation that he qualified for through his great grandmother.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Turner got no response from Lithuania and made his debut for the United States a year later, before going on to earn a transfer to Arsenal, grace the 2022 World Cup and end up as <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/nottingham-forest-usmnt-matt-turner-blush-arsenal/bltde4ac04526eee231" target="_blank">first-choice at Nottingham Forest</a> in the Premier League. That career path could have played out very differently.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Turner has told <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1709708235853217865 " target="_blank">‘Kickin’ It’ on CBS Sports</a>: “My great grandmother emigrated from Lithuania during the war, fled religious persecution. She came to Ellis Island, New York and lived the dream that way. We had to move my grandfather out of his house and I found these old immigration papers from her, so my dad and I were able to reinstate our [Lithuanian] citizenship. I actually contacted the Lithuanian FA. I was like, ‘I want international games.’ They were going through a Euro qualifying cycle. This was after my first year really playing for the Revs, so this was 2018.“I’m like, I have my passport, I’m reinstating my citizenship. I would love to get in touch with my roots, which is true. I would love go to Lithuania, but obviously Covid threw a huge wrinkle into everything. But I would love to get in touch with my roots and be there and feel the culture but also, I’m a soccer player and I want to represent the national team. They were about to do Euro qualifiers and I think they were going to play England and Portugal in the window. I’m like, this is my opportunity. If I could get in there, then I’m going to play against England and Portugal and all I need is a crack in the door and I’ll ball and then I’ll get my move. But they never texted me back or emailed me back.”

WHAT THEY SAID

Turner is now the regular No.1 for the country of his birth, with the New Jersey native up to 33 caps. He has faced the odd question at club level since leaving Arsenal for Forest, but he <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/how-usmnt-star-matt-turner-squeaky-bummed-out-nottingham-forest-initiation-song-what-sang-arsenal/blta92972765901913d" target="_blank">has Steve Cooper’s trust for now</a> and will be <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/explained-why-matt-turner-leaving-usmnt-camp-early-boss-calls-him-back-international-duty/bltabfc77df75c41636" target="_blank">heading off with the USMNT squad during the latest international break</a>.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

‘Never texted me back’ – USMNT were not Matt Turner’s first choice but international snub led Nottingham Forest goalkeeper towards World Cup finals | Goal.com

Matt Turner has revealed that the USMNT were not his first choice at international level, with Lithuania snubbing his initial advances in 2018.