Matt Turner: “It’s something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.” (Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports)
By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor
When they heard of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing last week, Matt Turner and Brenden Aaronson admit they were outsiders and didn’t know the full impact Elizabeth had in the country after being queen for 70 years.
Both English Premier League players learned in a hurry what the Queen meant to England. Elizabeth had been Queen since 1972.
“It’s been a hard time for a lot of people, actually,” Turner, an Arsenal goalkeeper, said during an afternoon Zoom call with the U.S. media. “So, I’m not sure how I feel like. it was weird being an outsider there at the same time. But just having conversations with people understanding the impact that the Queen had on so many people in a 70-year reign, she impacted so many countless lives across the time.”
Turner made his Arsenal debut on Sept. 8, a 2-1 win at FC Zurich in the UEFA Europa League. So, it will be a day he will never forget for multiple reasons.
“I’ll never forget it because it was it was the night of my debut and when we gave a moment of silence at halftime,” he said.
There also was a moment of silence prior for the Queen prior to the Gunners’ 3-0 EPL victory at Brentford on Sunday.
“I was trying to ground myself and just thought about how momentous all of this was and kind of how it was great that the country stopped and, and took a second,” Turner said. “In this world we can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of things and something crazy happens and we just put it in the rearview mirror.
“To really take the time to honor her life and her legacy, I thought was really spectacular. And it’s something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
Leeds midfielder Brenden Aaronson, whose team did not play last weekend, still had similar feelings.
“It was kind of weird because you’re an outsider, you’re coming in and it’s a different environment,” he said. “You don’t really know how much of a big deal it really is. Then you do a little research and talk to some people, and it means so much to people to be there during that time.
“Yes, it’s tough. You see a lot of people that are going through some tough times because she affected so many people’s lives. It really opened your eyes. I think everybody mourns. It was tough times.”
Both players are at U.S. men’s national team camp in Dusseldorf, Germany for Friday’s international friendly against Japan. The Americans will play Saudi Arabia in Murcia, Spain on Tuesday, Sept. 27 in their final match before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar in November.
