America's 100 Greatest Goalkeepers

For 250 years, America has been a melting pot of people from all types of backgrounds living all types of lives. And for over half of that time, American goalkeepers displayed a similar variety in how they played the game, making it very difficult to precisely define an American goalkeeper. They are brave. They are athletic. They are tall. They are short. They played for the national team. They played for a team you’ve never heard of. They played three other sports. They only wanted to play goalkeeper and nothing else. They won many awards. They are a forgotten hero of a time long passed. They played college soccer. They played abroad. They grew up in the heartland of the country, waiting for their time to shine. They immigrated to the US, looking to carve their own way. And for someone, they were the best goalkeeper they’ve ever seen.

When it comes to American goalkeepers proving their worth, Steve Holroyd summed up the challenge the net minders faced when earning a chance on the field, “Americans were always frowned upon. ‘You're not wanted here. We'll take your money but let us play the game.’ But as early as the 1920s, goalkeeper was the one position that Americans were welcomed to play. And the thought was, ‘What do we do well that the rest of the world doesn't?’” In nearly every international competition - especially the ones where the US national team performed less than desired - their goalkeeper was praised as not only the highlight of the team, but as being one of the better goalkeepers in the entire tournament.

With the 2026 Men’s World Cup, 2028 Olympics, and 2031 Women’s World Cup all being hosted on American soil in the next few years, it’s time to look back and recognize the nation’s top goalkeeping from over the 150 years of play. Although the photos from old newspapers can seem so foreign, the past is still extremely relevant to today’s goalkeepers in more than one way, as this venture will prove out.

For the rankings, goalkeepers were rated on their individual skill (based on individual awards, team success, and in-person accounts), national team relevancy, club career, and overall impact on the American scene. With the ever-changing landscape over the one-and-a-half centuries, it’s important to recognize that today’s high-profile teams, leagues, and tournaments shouldn’t overshadow past events when considering our country’s lineage of goalkeepers. Without a first, there is no second to come after. For some goalkeepers, the national team wasn’t always an available option, while at other times great goalkeeping occurred in leagues and tournaments that no longer exist. Additionally, some goalkeepers had shorter careers than others (some due to injury, teams folding, or even service in the war), but their ability to represent and impact a bigger picture was taken into account when trying to slot their deserved rank.

Each goalkeeper is given a short bio on why they’re important to the story of American goalkeeping and how they connect to today’s goalkeepers. Considering the graveyard of first division soccer leagues that have come and gone over the years, goalkeepers have always faced the challenge of weighing when to move on from the game versus continuing to put their body on the line for their teammates. Although moving across the country to play for a new team may seem fairly accessible nowadays, that wasn’t always the case, which is why top goalkeepers popped up in seemingly random places when looking back throughout the decades.

But perhaps the most relatable challenge that draws a line from Dennis Shay and Lori Kats to the goalkeepers of tomorrow is through the one simple task that has always been the foundation to American goalkeepers: keep the ball out of the net.

As the biographies take time to write, they will be released in groups of ten at a later date.

Goalkeepers 1-10
Goalkeepers 11-20
Goalkeepers 21-30
Goalkeepers 31-40
Goalkeepers 41-50
Goalkeepers 51-60
Goalkeepers 61-70
Goalkeepers 71-80
Goalkeepers 81-90
Goalkeepers 91-100
Honorable Mentions

America's 100 Greatest Goalkeepers (Honorable Mentions)

Clearly it’s an impossible task to neatly narrow down 150 years into 100 names so we’d be in error to overlook early pioneers like Patrick Hughes (Clark ONT’s stellar goalkeeping from 1884-1889) and J. Crossan Cooper (Princeton’s three-time All-American goalkeeper from 1920-1922). In the early part of the 20th century, goalkeepers like Cooper had limited availability to play, thus making international tournaments not only exciting and novel but also a rare moment for goalkeepers to really test their mettle. Goalkeepers like Archie Strimel (1948 Olympics) and even - what should have been - 1980 Olympic goalkeepers Paul Coffee and Peter Arnautoff should be remembered for being as good as they were, despite the lowered ceiling that was dropped on them.

Although the 1920’s was a bright spot for American soccer, the second ASL that followed after the Great Depression is largely overlooked in favor of the NASL or MLS, despite the league producing standout goalkeeping with Bob Yingling (4x trophy winner in the ASL during the 40’s and 50’s), Johnny Hamm (3x National Challenge Cup finalist), and Steve Rozbora (1945 ASL MVP and triple crown winner). Digging deeper leads us to the likes of Chuck Tengler (Cleveland’s perennial goalkeeper throughout the 1940’s), John Bryndza, George “Beef” Davis (contemporary ASL goalkeepers in the 1930’s and 40’s).

On the women’s side, early collegiate stars included Heather Taggart, Karen Richter, and Lori Kats (the first All-American goalkeeper in women’s soccer). And then looking outside the box a bit, American soccer history must recognize Karen Bardsley, who was born in the US but went on to be the number one goalkeeper for England’s national team.

For overlooked stars on the men’s side at the same time, we have highly acclaimed goalkeepers Randy Phillips (3x All-American 1978-80), Jamie Swanner (1983 NCAA GOTY), and Victor Nogueira (2011 Indoor Soccer HOF inductee) paving the way for MLS stalwarts like Scott Garlick, Adin Brown, and Matt Jordan. And of course, rising stars like Angelina Anderson and Jordan Silkowitz follow in the footsteps of Bella Bixby and Melissa Moore as they continue to carve out a career for themselves. From Nogueira to Anderson, each goalkeeper battled year-to-year uncertainty when navigating the professional scene yet persevered in net, showcasing their talent for whichever team was lucky enough to have them.

And lastly, some goalkeepers just didn’t get enough time for one reason or another, despite showcasing an immense level of skill. From Frank Bartkus (1936 Olympics) to Orlando Jorge (1950’s ASL standout) to Mark Dulle (1987 U16) to Phil Marfuggi (2003 U17) to Katie Meyer (2019 NCAA Champion), each goalkeeper - and several not named - is remembered fondly by those who were close to the individual, by teammates and family members alike.

The more you dig into the country’s history of goalkeeping, the more amazing stories and people you can find. A career in soccer has long been a difficult pathway for most of our country’s history. Whether it was the Soccer Wars in the 1920s, the dark times between stable professional leagues, or the early attempts at professional women’s soccer, goalkeepers continued their personal journey of stepping between the posts and playing the position most people avoid like the plague. This list of 100 goalkeepers and a handful of honorable mentions only scratches the surface of a deeper history that has always been the backbone of American soccer. Look at any accomplishment in American soccer and you’ll find great goalkeeping nearby.

Main Page
Goalkeepers 1-10
Goalkeepers 11-20
Goalkeepers 21-30
Goalkeepers 31-40
Goalkeepers 41-50
Goalkeepers 51-60
Goalkeepers 61-70
Goalkeepers 71-80
Goalkeepers 81-90
Goalkeeper 91-100
Honorable Mentions

America's 100 Greatest Goalkeepers (91-100)

91. Bob denton

After stints with Disston (1929-30) and Lighthouse (1931), Denton would make substantial waves for himself in 1933 after a quarterfinal finish in the National Challenge Cup with the Philadelphia German-Americans, as well as capturing the first of two back-to-back trophies in the National Amateur Cup (‘33 and ‘34). Denton would add to his trophy case with an ASL Championship in 1935 and winning the 1936 National Challenge Cup. The success with the German-Americans made Denton a mainstay in the conversation for top goalkeepers in the country during the 1930’s, whether amateur or professional.

For the 1936 Olympics, Denton earned an invite into the 17-person squad. Although Denton didn’t feature in the Olympics - starter Frank Bartkus was lauded as being the second best goalkeeper at the entire tournament after conceding only one goal to eventual champions, Italy - Denton continued his strong run in ASL play through the back part of the 30’s. A nearly career man with the Philadelphia German-Americans, Denton is one of Pennsylvania’s top goalkeepers of all time.

92. Ray Voltz

It’s not often a 20 year old goalkeeper suits up for the US, but Ray Voltz wasn’t your average goalkeeper. After being in the professional league for just a year, Voltz quickly established himself as one of the top goalkeepers not only in the American Soccer League, but the US as a whole. In 1937, the US called on 43 potential players to later trim down to a small squad for a three-game series against Mexico. Voltz was selected, being picked over other notable goalkeepers like Stanley Chesney and Frank Bartkus, but the trip ended up in disaster, with three blowout losses for the US as the Americans were clearly a level (or two) below the Mexican team at the time.

Unbeingknown to Voltz at the time, these would be the last matches for the US for ten years, not playing again until 1947. Despite the federation’s disappearance, Voltz returned to Philadelphia to keep playing with Philadelpia Passon, shining brightly before joining the Philadelphia German-Americans in 1939. Before stepping away at the age of just 26 years old to join the war, Voltz had racked up two Lewis Cups and an ASL championship, as well as deep National Challenge Cup runs in ‘42 and ‘43.

Although Voltz never got a chance to redeem his time with the national team and his club career was cut short due to the war, Voltz was a top goalkeeper in the country and a significant “what if” story for an emerging goalkeeper in the league.

93. Gino Gardassanich

Thinking of today’s youth goalkeepers’ pathway to reaching the USMNT, the discussion often does not include being born in Flume (a former independent state that is now a part of Croatia), saving people from the SS when Nazi Germany occupied his hometown, and playing for a decade before ever setting foot in the US. But Gino Gardassanich’s pathway was not like most other kids’.

After playing several years across Europe, an eventual marriage led to his move and, reportedly, earned his citizenship with the US without Gardassanich even knowing he had obtained it. Gardassanich joined the Chicago Slovaks in 1949 and was promptly named to the 1950 World Cup roster as a replacement when fellow Chicago goalkeeper Joe Silovsky stepped down. Although Gardassanich never played for the USMNT, he would go on to have a successful ten-year run with the Slovaks in the hotbed of Chicago, winning the National Soccer League’s top goalkeeper award in 1950, three league titles (1951, 52, and 54), the 1951 Peel Cup, and was a finalist in the 1953 National Amateur Cup. Gardassanich’s time with the national team was brief, but his winding road is a testament to the goalkeeper’s great composure and positioning, not letting his hardships prevent him from being at the right place at the right time.

94. Dragan Radovich

Over the many years of college soccer’s existence, there have been many standout goalkeepers, including Randy Phillips, Skip Gilbert, Peter Mannos, Peter Arnautoff, and Ed Gettemeier. Although all these goalkeepers were standouts for a time, Radovich matched their efforts and then some. A 1978 graduate of St. Francis College, Radovich was a three-time first-team All-American goalkeeper and a first-round draft pick for the NASL’s Washington Diplomats. Radovich reached the playoffs in his rookie season but was later signed by the Timbers in 1982, before the team - and then soon after the league - both ceased operations. Radovich finished with 48 appearances in the NASL during his limited time, 11th all-time for American goalkeepers.

Despite the NASL closing its doors, Radovich’s passion for the game would not be subdued, playing wherever he could for as long as he could. In 1986, Radovich was featured in the NY Mundalito (a "Long Island version of the World Cup") while in1989, Radovich was featured in the Northeastern Super Soccer League All-Stars squad, facing off against Zalgiris Vilnius of the Soviet Union's First Division. But Radovich’s career was not without its bumps in the road. In 1989, Radovich and the Greek-Americans made it to the US Open Cup final only to fall in extra time. The following year was even more heartbreaking for Radovich, now with the Brooklyn Italians, as a soft goal by the Croatian-American ended up leading to a 2-1 loss in the final. However, in 1991, Radovich’s third trip to the final would appropriately cap off a long and winding career with a 1-0 win over the Richardson Rockets. “We kept our cool,” Radovich would say after the game.

Radovich would later go on to tackle other great feats of strength, but his career can be summed up as a goalkeeper who did everything to continue playing, regardless of each setback and hurdle placed in front of him.

Hartford Courant (1965 07 25)

95. Victor Gerley

In 2015, I interviewed Gerley when I realized there was nearly zero information on the goalkeeper available online. The interview was originally published on Soccer Over There (RIP) but like most things in American soccer, it too has gone the way of the dodo. But Gerley embodies a lot about the time he grew up. Gerley played on local semi-professional clubs but never got a shot in the NASL, all the while the federation was largely spinning its wheels in mud. Despite the lack of professional opportunities or decent backing from the federation, Gerley and the US almost slipped past Mexico in the 1966 World Cup qualifying but a controversial penalty was called in the US’s home game against the heated rival, leading to a tie and still being a thorn in Gerley’s side later in life. “So I just brushed him, barely touched him. And he fell to the ground, faking it. Faking it! And the referee gave a penalty kick, which I didn’t save. I should have saved but I didn’t. It would have been wonderful to make it to England.”

Like most goalkeepers in the era, Gerley wouldn’t get another shot at playing in such a high-profile game for the USMNT, despite continuing to play for many years after. Unsurprisingly, Gerley was a talented multi-sport athlete as his skillset translated well to handball, leading him to represent the US one more time, in the 1970 World Championship in France. Although Gerley’s career is filled with “what ifs,” Gerley shone bright in the limited opportunities the late 60’s and early 70’s.

96. William Yarbrough

The pathway to the national team has never been a straight shot. For some, they attend a prestigious university or a heralded European club overseas, while Yarbrough is one of the few American goalkeepers to first find success in Mexico, before playing professionally in the US. Yarbrough played almost a decade for Leon, capturing several titles from 2011-2014 for the club, earning the nickname “White Puma”, as well as a call-up by Jurgen Klinsmann in 2015. Yarbrough’s swapping from Mexico, where he played with their youth national teams, marked the start of a bigger wave of Mexican-Americans who would be highly sought after by both nations. Yarbrough earned three caps with the national team and eventually joined the Colorado Rapids for a four-year stint, with the high point being runner-up in the league table in 2021. Looking back to goalkeepers from a hundred years ago, when the sport was still in its infancy in the US, Yarbrough’s career is a strong reminder that American goalkeeping can include those who weren’t born in the US but were still willing to dive into the fray for their team and country.

97. Jack “Chick” Albion

Like most top goalkeepers in the early 20th century, Albion’s fame was heavily tied to his performances in the National Challenge Cup. A three-time finalist (1916-1918), Albion won the cup twice with Fall River Rovers (1917, 1918). After winning his first final in 1917, The Evening Herald praised Albion’s performance after playing “a wonderful game and three of his six stops were spectacular and seemingly beyond the realm of possibility”. Although Albion reached the American Cup semifinals twice (1916, 1921) and showed well in his lone season with Morse Dry Dock, notching another semifinal appearance in the National Challenge Cup (1919), his “sensational goaltending” (The Standard Times, July 22, 1921) against the talented Scottish side, Third Lanarks, earned him the right to being a part of “the best team in the States today”. Albion’s ability to hold the Third Lanarks to a 2-2 tie broke a 24-game win streak during their summer tour.

In the spring of 1922, Albion became severely ill with stomach trouble. A match was organized by Albion’s former teammates, raising $425 ($8168 in 2025) for Albion. The star goalkeeper had his gratitude published in the Evening Herald. Albion wrote, “I want especially to thank my former teammates, Connie Lynch and Martin Riley, who worked so diligently to put this benefit across. Both of these men have won my lifelong admiration and have certainly given me the greatest of aid through their kindness and sympathy for me in my trouble… Thanking everybody again for their brilliant testimonial. I remain yours in sport, ‘Chick’ Albion”.

Although Albion would not suit back up to play in goal, except for the occasional Old Timers game, Albion’s strong connection with his teammates resonates with every goalkeeper who has had a defender clear a shot off the line, make a perfectly timed tackle, or help them get out of the mud after an opposing shot found the back of the net.

98. Marianne Johnson

Although Title IX was signed into effect in 1972, it would be almost a decade before NCAA women’s soccer would see a fraction of today’s level of investment. Marianne Johnson would join goalkeepers such as Lori Kats, Karen Richter, and Joan Schockow as early pioneers to navigating the position without any blueprint to look to. No YouTube, female goalkeeper coaches, or former goalkeeping teammates could really help goalkeepers like Marianne Johnson, because they hadn’t existed yet. Johnson’s reign at UNC was short, playing only two years before graduating, but impactful. While UNC goalkeepers would later split time or get overlooked when it came to postseason accolades, Johnson really shined for the Tar Heels, winning second-team All-American honors in back-to-back years and established herself as the starting goalkeeper as a first year, earning praise from Dorrance himself saying that “She’s awesome” and “I venture to say she’s the best goalkeeper in America.” Although there was no professional scene, nor national team around in 1983, Johnson’s final year with UNC, Johnson stood tall despite having nearly zero hints as to how to play the position and truly embraced the DIY aspects of goalkeeping to its fullest.

Reder (right) with Boston Red Sox teamtes Earl Webb (left) and Marty McManus (central).

99. Johnny Reder

As the debate on specialization vs. multi-sport rages on in 2026, it’s nothing new, as Johnny Reder faced this problem 100 years ago. Like many American goalkeepers, Reder was praised in a losing effort during the 1929 National Challenge Cup before joining Fall River FC later in the year, starting a three-year stretch where the defensive standout won six trophies. With no goalkeeper coming near his exploits at the time, Reder put his boots in the backseat at just 23 years old, favoring his glove and bat. Reder joined the Boston Red Sox in 1932 as the American Soccer League started waning in money and investment. Reder’s abilities carried over well and helped him become a defensive standout, although his offensive contributions at the plate limited his ability to find success at the top level. Still, the multi-sport standout continued earning praise for his work with his new leather glove. Although many can weigh in on the debate for specialization, Reder is a good reminder that everyone’s pathway is a little different, and that ultimately only the individual can make the hard decisions of where and when they should dive into the dirt.

100. Mark Dougherty

For a generation that grew up on the glitz and glamor of the NASL, it seems criminal that those players had to navigate an era without a fully professional league to aspire to, not to mention their alma mater shutting down their soccer team not long after their college graduation. Mark Dougherty was a standout player at Fresno State (a top four school from 1986-1987) and successfully navigated the wild wild west of post-NASL but pre-MLS years. After appearing in the WSL/APSL final three years in a row with the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks (1989-1991), Dougherty was rewarded as a first-round pick in the 1996 MLS inaugural draft. (The second goalkeeper selected in the draft? Fellow Fresno State alum, David Kramer.) In spite of Dougherty’s first MLS team eventually closing its doors, Dougherty’s pathway is a great testament to individual determination and a reminder that just because a team doesn’t suit up anymore, it doesn’t mean their players weren’t willing to test their mettle as far as it could go.

Main Page
Goalkeepers 1-10
Goalkeepers 11-20
Goalkeepers 21-30
Goalkeepers 31-40
Goalkeepers 41-50
Goalkeepers 51-60
Goalkeepers 61-70
Goalkeepers 71-80
Goalkeepers 81-90
Goalkeeper 91-100
Honorable Mentions

Is the USWNT Avoiding the USMNT's Goalkeeping Problems?

For several decades, the starting goalkeeper for the US national team possessed a supernatural aura that convinced fans the US would always have a chance at a result, no matter how difficult the opponent was. From Borghi to Scurry to Howard, each goalkeeper provided iconic moments that now live on as some of the greatest performances by an American goalkeeper. However, the two national teams’ goalkeeping pools have diverged significantly in recent years. Whereas the USMNT’s goalkeepers have clearly failed to uphold their reputation as English Premier League-level talent, there’s some debate on whether the USWNT’s goalkeepers are still in the conversation for best in the world. So has the USWNT managed to avoid the USMNT’s woes? Or has the USWNT learned nothing from the USMNT’s problems?

How the USMNT Got Here

There are many factors that go into a country’s goalkeeping pipeline and the USMNT has unfortunately struggled to continue to execute on most of them in the 21st century. After the USSF decided to not replace Peter Mellor as the federation’s goalkeeping director in 2005 and continue on without anyone overseeing the goalkeeping department, the federation’s goalkeeping education decayed so badly that in 2015, they pulled it off the shelf. Although the USC would continue with its grassroots goalkeeping courses during this time, the federation would also pull back any serious goalkeeping focus on the common letter licenses (A, B, C, etc.) for aspiring head coaches.

On top of the removal of goalkeeping education, the distilling of traditional pathways like ODP in favor of MLS academies ended up outsourcing the position’s development to a handful of turbulent places, instead of being led by a clear governing body. MLS’s goalkeeper coaches arrived and left every 3-5 years, continually bringing new ideas and discarding old philosophies, making the American goalkeeping pipeline akin to a truck spinning its wheels in mud.

In an attempt to bolster the newly minted league, MLS Next started pulling in more clubs with the promise that the non-MLS-affiliated sides would receive solidarity payments, but only if they joined MLS Next. These efforts put young, talented goalkeepers in a bind, leaving them with essentially the choice of finding an MLS Next team in order to receive any investment from the federation or being left out in the cold. Fast-forward to 2025 and this half-baked effort led to a league that rarely produces American goalkeeping talent and plays more foreign than domestic goalkeepers, while the country faces a unique problem of a goalkeeping logjam where goalkeepers’ professional pathways get choked out, stifling their development at a crucial stage.

In 2025, MLS featured more foreign goalkeepers than American for the first time in the league’s history.

But what’s to say about the women’s setup? Four former professional goalkeepers from the women’s game weighed in on the current USMNT/USWNT goalkeeping situation: Saskia Webber (Rutgers, USWNT), Jill Loyden (Villanova, USWNT), Michele Dalton (Wisconsin, Chicago Red Stars), and Emily Armstrong (UConn, IBV).

Are the USWNT Avoiding the USMNT’s Potholes?

For most of its existence, the women have largely been forced to carve their own path as the federation would not treat the two national teams equally. As former NT goalkeeper Janine Szpara explained it, “US Soccer has a pattern of not supporting and giving the women what they need or what they deserve.” Even in more recent years, we’ve still seen an imbalance in investment. In 2018, when the USSF tried to kickstart a new goalkeeping license, it was MLS coaches, not NWSL coaches, who were invited to the pilot course.

So left adrift from the federation, the main saving grace for the women’s goalkeeping pipeline was that the US had the elite youth system in the entire world for the last 50 years, and, whenever afloat, a top professional league as well. The US enjoyed an early advantage in goalkeeping due to these investments. Emily Armstrong, who finished her career with UConn in 2016, spoke on her difficulty in going from the US to Europe when it came to what she expected to receive.

“While training with the Thorns and the Spirit, I had access to goalkeeper training on a daily basis, and even had opportunities for additional training outside of the daily practices. This was not the case overseas. In some situations, there was no goalkeeper-specific training offered, and I had to advocate for myself. At the time I was a little frustrated by this fact, but looking back on my experience, I am thankful that I was put into situations where I had to speak up, and find ways to improve my game without the routine goalkeeper training I was used to at UConn and in the NWSL. In Norway, I would train with the men’s keepers, because the women’s team did not have a goalkeeper coach of their own.”

But as the US gained a significant and early lead, with early stalwarts of Brianna Scurry and Hope Solo shining brightly on the world stage, these advantages started to erode. What Armstrong faced just ten years ago is now largely referred to as “back then” or a time that’s not really relevant to top European clubs. The US, in turn, didn’t do much.

“We haven’t put resources into education,” states Loyden. “Our goalkeeper coaches thought, ‘Oh, it’s a technical position.’ Coaches became overly technical and killed athleticism. Then the game evolved for goalkeepers to use their feet and we were even further behind.”

Exiting 2025, the NWSL’s top goalkeeper has now come from outside the US three out of the last four years and they’re starting to see a similar trend line that MLS faced just five years ago: games for Americans are going down while games for international goalkeepers are at an all-time high.

So while the US was once reaping the rewards of having the top league in the world filled with American goalkeepers, NWSL coaches are looking more and more overseas to find goalkeepers who are well-rounded out, having less trust in the underdeveloped American goalkeepers. Webber and Dalton express concern about the next steps for the USWNT when trying to replace Naeher.

“I don’t know if I would say [the USWNT] are having an easier time [than the men],” writes Webber, “None of the goalkeepers in the [USWNT] pool right now have enough experience or have proven themselves in a major tournament to grab the number one spot.”

“I actually don’t think the USWNT is having an easy time replacing Naeher,” echoes Dalton. “I do think Naeher replaced Solo pretty seamlessly. The men seem to always be behind the rest of the world, and instead of closing that gap, we continue to further ourselves. On the women’s side, more resources are becoming available to women internationally, so other countries have been able to close the gap.”

Substance Over Style

Continuing to invest in American goalkeeping poses a difficult question. “What exactly is American goalkeeping? What does it look like? How does one define it?” These questions are difficult to answer largely because it’s hard to find a consistent thread from the top. From Friedel to Howard to Freese, the USMNT has started three very different goalkeepers in a relatively short time. From Scurry to Solo to Naeher, again, three very different goalkeepers wore the number one shirt for the national team. And while the lack of a specific identity may not be met with a consensus, all four retired goalkeepers speak about the importance of a clear blueprint to uplift American goalkeeping, even if it is just a detailed approach for one specific individual.

“What is our identity?” asks Loyden. “I don’t know what that is. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. We teach the ABCs at The Keeper Institute. Adaptable, brave, and consistent problem solvers. But consistent problem solvers can do that in a variety of ways.”

Loyden’s modern approach works well for goalkeeper coaches, as one team may have three vastly different skillsets that the coach must now work with collectively. And for the goalkeepers themselves, the intangible focus of the ABCs is a breath of fresh air, allowing the individual to figure out what works best for them, as opposed to shoehorning a calloused approach.

“I had goalkeeper coaches who worked with my style of play and made adaptations as needed,” said Armstrong. “I also had goalkeeper coaches who tried to change my style to fit theirs. I believe there is always room for growth, but I also think it’s important to meet the goalkeeper where they are, and progress from there. Every keeper has their own style, and there really is no ‘correct’ approach to the position. The goalkeeper coaches I appreciated most were those who would break down film and give me pointers, plus also listen to my perspective. I had the most growth with goalkeeper coaches who I could discuss both positive and negative plays in the game.”

Both Armstrong and Dalton now work with the next generation of goalkeepers and they haven’t forgotten what did and didn’t work for them in their playing careers. The intangible lessons learn are a signficiant compass in how their now coaching young, aspiring goalkeepers.

“An individual’s ability to take in new information while staying true to themselves is pretty paramount in being successful. I’m a big believer that instilling confidence and belief in a goalkeeper has to come above style. Maintaining consistent principles is key when styles vary,” says Dalton.

Tracking all the way back through playing in WUSA, Japan, and at Rutgers, Webber recognizes the problem young goalkeepers today face when they’re pulled in too many different directions. “The funny thing is all my coaches [across my career] had the same basic philosophies around the position and training. Possibly because they had all worked together. The problem today is that doesn’t happen as much, so young goalkeepers can be all over the place when they move from team to team or coach to coach.”

Optimistic Future

As we enter the next quarter of the century, our retired goalkeepers are still making positive impacts on the game, whether it is by becoming a goalkeeper coach themselves or offering insightful goalkeeping-specific commentary on nationally televised broadcasts. These efforts go a long way but the need for a federation-coordinated effort is still paramount. In Fall 2024, Jack Robinson was hired as Head of Goalkeeping after a nearly two-decade run through the highest ranks in England. Recently, Robinson talked about his efforts with the federation to help goalkeeping in our country, highlighting an expansion in goalkeeping education, more talent identification across the country, and the benefit of national team managers who want to utilize their goalkeepers as something more than a line sitter. These are encouraging signs, but for the last twenty years, American fans have been waiting on the federation to fulfill its promise that goalkeeping investment was on the way.

As of right now, the USWNT are still able to boast about having one of the top goalkeepers in the world between the posts. So things aren’t currently as dire for the women as they are for the men. However, when looking back to where the USMNT was with their 2002 and 2006 World Cup rosters - featuring Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, Kasey Keller, Tony Meola, and Marcus Hahnemann - Ernest Hemingway’s quote comes to mind. “How do you go bankrupt? Two ways, gradually. Then suddenly.”

Can the USWNT avoid the USMNT’s pitfalls? Time will tell. If we embrace the country’s strengths and continue ramping up investment into the position, the ceiling will skyrocket. On the other hand, unkept promises will only put the US further behind with its goalkeeping for not just the men, but the women as well.

“I don’t believe there’s one way to play the position,” Loyden says. “You can interpret it in so many ways. The more adaptable you are, the more solutions you have. If we’re not preparing goalkeepers for the demands of ten years from now, that’s a problem. We won’t know what they will look like [in ten years], but if we develop them to be adaptable goalkeepers, they’ll be able to play in that modern game.”