Top 100 American Goalkeepers (USMNT Depth Chart)

After over a decade of updates, the top 100 returns once again with this spring’s lineup. Each goalkeeper is ranked by a number of factors: historical individual results, current individual level of play, and projected on-field performance. The Everybody Soccer top 100 removes exterior noise from various media outlets, past accolades, and team statistics to isolate the goalkeeper’s current level of play in ranking the goalkeepers in order of who would give the US the best chance to win a hypothetical knockout game tomorrow. To see how the top 100 rankings have evolved since July 2013, click here.

The article is currently under construction.

1. Diego Kochen

Although the Fall 2026 international window featured four goalkeepers, the past decade had conditioned fansto expect the bulk of the minutes to go to one or two goalkeepers while others would return to their club scene without minutes to their name. However, the four game series not only broke that mold, but it marked the arrival of the heralded Barca product, Diego Kochen. Kochen earned his first caps with the senior team during this window and was even rewarded with a full 90 minutes against Mexico, easily the most important match in the four game stretch. The positive play has positioned the Florida native as the starting goalkeeper going forward, despite being only 20 years old.

Kochen’s developmental track raises the question about the US’s goalkeeper development. On one hand, the platform the US provided was good enough to have a kid go to Barca at 12. On the other hand, most of his development happened in Spain, not the US. The end product? A game manager who’s fantastic in complex situations, especially 1v1s. Kochen wants to be involved in the play, whether in starting the attack or stopping one. And despite the average athleticism, he’s smart enough to know how to cover the goalmouth and final third to deny chances on goal.

Not every young Florida goalkeeper can end up at Barcelona, but American fans are glad they got at least one. Kochen brings an air of confidence and excitement to the position that we haven’t seen in some time. And Pochettino naming him the starter against Mexico in a friendly at just 20 years old is a sign of more to come.

2. Ethan Horvath

Prior to joining the Red Bulls, minutes have been hard to come by for Horvath as English clubs’ hyper-competitive environment makes every goalkeeper earn their spot week-in, week-out. However, Horvath has proven himself to be a fair replica of 90’s goaltenders: good shot stoppers who can control the 18. Although he isn’t the goalkeeper to ping around 40 passes on a dime, his ability to cover the box and goal frame is hard to come by, especially in the USMNT goalkeeping pool.

After ten caps already under his belt, it’s not unheard of to see Horvath back in net for the USMNT and his strong start to the MLS season gives weight behind his name. However, Horvath isn’t known for flawless play himself, as the inconsistent minutes led to inconsistent play overseas over the past couple years. As of Mid-October, the Red Bulls sit almost dead last in goals scored yet are still in playoff contention for having a (relatively) low goals against record. If Horvath can shoulder some responsibility and help the Red Bulls in a playoff run through strong performances, look to see Horvath re-enter the national team picture. Otherwise, RBNY may end up being a disappointing landing spot for the former USMNT goalkeeper.

3. Matt Turner

Advanced stat darling Matt Turner bounced out of MLS in 2022 to the English Premier League after the once undrafted goalkeeper produced a +.38 prevented goals per 96 minutes from 2019-2021, a stat that was twice that of second place Steve Clark and essentially lapped every other starter in the league. Unfortunately, Turner finding the cheat code that an ultimate line sitter in MLS can do well in the xG column didn’t translate overseas and the tumultuous time bouncing around Europe - including a situation that saw Nottingham Forrest and Lyon fight to not have him on their roster - seems to have taken a hit to Turner’s confidence and run of form.

Towards the back part of the season, Turner had once again jumped to the top of the xG standings for goalkeepers, yet his standing in the national team is a bit of a question mark going forward. Turner isn’t terribly off the mark but still not looking like the goalkeeper with 50+ caps to his name. At 31, it’d be a shame to see Turner start declining so early but Turner’s supporters don’t have many successes to point to in warrant a return to the USMNT starting spot. If Turner can turn around the Revs winless season, he might be able to make a case for a spot on the 2026 roster.

4. Brian Schwake

Similar to Kochen, Schwake entered the Fall international window without much expectation, yet he was rewarded with two caps to his name. The 2026 season had already given the youngster some positive buzz, positioning him in the conversation for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year with his no-nonsense goalkeeping, yet his ceiling felt a little too close, and his future progression was hard to envision. However, Schwake took advantage of every opportunity, just like the DePaul alum had done prior to this moment.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Schwake spent his high school years with Sockers FC before committing to DePaul as a two-star recruit. DePaul saw the young goalkeeper as a backup for their starter and an untimely broken wrist left Schwake with zero minutes after his freshman year. But Schwake wasn’t deterred and signed with a second divsion Scottish side at the start of 2020. Over the next six years, Schwake climbed steadily year-by-year, until he circled back to Nashville and became their starter in 2026.

Schwake is a good example of a non-MLS academy product who was counted out but kept moving through open doors and, when given the chance to showcase his abilities, exceeded everyone’s expectations.

5. JT Marcinkowski

A good way to sum up Marcinowski’s current situation entering 2026 is the fact that his Wikipedia page hadn’t been updated since May of 2023. (It still could use a bit of a refresher, to be honest.) However, Marcinkowski is a modern day Rocky Balboa: knocked down but always coming back swinging. In the middle of the Earthquakes’ decade-long game of musical chairs, Marcinkowski went from a competing MLS starter to missing almost all of 2023 and 2024 due to an ACL repair. But Marcinkowski quickly took the number one spot this year, despite being slotted as a backup, and isn’t looking to give it up any time soon.

Perhaps the best news for Marcinkowski comes with Schwake’s inclusion with the USMNT. Even assuming if Marcinkowski got back to good for, not many would have ever expected him to make a run at the national team. However with the lack of consistency for the top three spots going into 2030, it’s not hard to see Marcinkowski, who is playing the best he’s ever played, enter the picture. The complex, front-footed style paired with a decent ball out of the back isn’t too different from Kochen’s approach, although it can get a little chaotic at times. When Marcinkowski is on, it’s a lot of fun, but when things go against him, the unique playstyle can put a bit of a target on his back.

All that said, the Galaxy signed the Georgetown alum through 2029 for a reason, locking him down with the team until he’s 32. If Marcinkowski can stay healthy and continue his positive momentum, don’t be surprised if the former USYNT returns to the national team fold.

6. Roman Celentano

With Marcinkowski’s free-flowing approach to goalkeeping, Celentano’s meticulous approach is the complete opposite side of the coin. The Midwesterner approaches goalkeeping with a clear black-and-white, right-and-wrong mindset for what works inside his game. There are very few moments we see Celentano look out of sorts, although his ultra-passive mindset helps sort out most of his decision-making.

Despite an impressive career 1.82 PPG in MLS league play, Celentano and Cincinnati have struggled to connect the pieces in the playoffs, compiling a meager 7-6 record in postseason play and 2026 has seemingly been a bit of a backwards step, with just a 57% save percentage through mid-October. Admittedly, it’s tough to be critical of a goalkeeper who plays for a team that’s near the top of the charts in shots conceded, but fans are still waiting for Celentano to break the ceiling he’s been sitting at since 2022. He’s a steady MLS shot-stopper but when is his big breakout year coming?

Although it’d be nice to see Celentano stick around until Cincinnati can finally lift the Cup, there are several cases of young goalkeepers who stayed in MLS too long and the efforts to push the boulder up the hill only amounted to it rolling down the same side. If Celentano wants to continue his upward trajectory, leaving MLS needs to happen sooner rather than later to challenge himself in a league where he must take more responsibility on the field, lest he become one of the many goalkeepers who stayed comfortable in MLS as a 10 year starter and plateaued in their mid 20’s.

7. Matt Freese

After turning down Manchester United to start his degree at Harvard University, Freese eventually made a name for himself as a “steady Eddy” type of goalkeeper. Freese would rarely concede poor goals in MLS play and always gave his team, New York City, a chance to stay in the match. Freese did this so well that when Matt Turner’s form plummeted while navigating England’s lower divisions, Freese was given a chance last summer as the number one for the US. Since June of 2025, Freese amassed 13 caps but it’s a different beast at the international level. Shortcomings like misplaying a through ball, retreating to his line on a collectable slotted ball, sitting too deep on his line, struggling to handle a backpass on his weak foot, spilling rebounds in front of goal, and simply not diving on shots - ones you’d see the likes of Tim Howard or Kasey Keller sprawl out for with every inch of their body - have led to Freese struggling to maintain shutouts when his predecessors did.

Although there have been positives in Freese’s past twelve months, most recently his performance against his former MLS team, USMNT fans expect to see game-saving saves from the starter, not just reliable play in covering the middle third shots on the goal. If the former Crimson goalkeeper can continue to play at his peak, expect him to maintain the number one jersey through the summer. Otherwise, look for the USMNT number one to continually get passed around.

8. Chris Brady

Admittedly, it’s hard to put any goalkeeper at the number one slot for the US at the moment as the goalkeeping department has dipped to its lowest point since the 1980’s. Brady is awarded top billing largely for a combination of his big-time save ability and, unfortunately, every other goalkeeper continuing to have nervy moments or struggle to simply keep the ball out of the net. Considering that the US will be the underdog to any top soccer nation, they need a reliable goalkeeper to limit mistakes while making the big-time save in the knockout rounds that past American goalkeepers are known for. Simply having a goalkeeper that’s good in possession won’t be enough to beat the Belgians of the world (see 2014).

Long after being in Slonina’s shadow, Brady’s decision to carve his pathway in MLS is paying off as 2025 saw Brady surpass Slonina in career shutouts and games played. Chicago Fire’s goalkeeper coach, Zach Thornton, seemingly has given Brady a massive green light to play how he wants, not instilling hard guidelines on how he has to play every situation. The upside allows Brady to lean on his intuition and showcase his ability to make saves that few Americans can pull off. The downside is that some odd approaches can arise in Brady’s game, as shown in the 2026 opener for the Fire with an odd rebound and awkward attempt on the second save.

Understandably Brady’s window to prove himself as the number one will likely be after this World Cup, leaving fans to likely grind their teeth and tense their shoulders through the summer tournament, hoping whoever the number one for the USMNT can simply limit mistakes and not cost the team the game.

9. Drake Callender

It’s never a good look to bounce from team to team so quickly but greener and snowier pastures seem to be working out for the former Inter Miami starter. With Messi’s arrival in Miami, American starters quickly became a thing of the past and it didn’t take long for Callender to be relocated out of Miami completely. Callender thrives on being allowed to play with his gut and embrace chaos. Harnessing his inner Steve Clark, Callender doesn’t shy away from the gritty plays, but his success in those moments can waver severely. In 2023, Callender was rewarded with a national team call-up, while in the following seasons he looked like someone who might put his gloves on the wrong hands, playing beyond poorly and not shocking fans when he finally was told to pack his things. It’s a high ceiling, low floor situation with Callender but so far 2026 has gotten off to a good start for the California native. Here’s hoping Callender can continue to advocate for himself with strong “do whatever it takes to keep the ball out of the net” play for the rest of the season.


10. Andrew Thomas


Outside Looking In

11. Patrick Schulte, 25 - Columbus Crew
12. Brad Stuver, 35 - Austin FC
13. John Pulskamp, 25 - Sporting Kansas City
14. Josh Cohen, 34 - Chicago Fire
15. John McCarthy, 34 - New York Red Bulls
16. Pablo Sisniega, 31 - San Diego FC
17. Julian Eyestone, 20 - Brentford (England.1) #
18. Evan Louro, 30 - FC Cincinnati
19. Joe Willis, 38 - Nashville SC
20. Gabriel Slonina, 22 - Chelsea FC (England.1)

#- on loan with Rotherham United (England.4)

Bill says:

Best of the Rest

21. Tyler Miller, 33 - Charlotte FC
22. Vicente Reyes, 22 - Norwich (England.2)
23. Luis Barraza, 29 - Inter Miami
24. George Marks, 26 - Philadelphia Union
25. Paul Walters, 22 - FC Cincinnati
26. Kendall McIntosh, 32 - Oakland Roots
27. Mike Lansing, 32 - Kristiansund (Norway.1)
28. Mason Stajduhar, 28 - Real Salt Lake
29. Earl Edwards, 34 - San Jose Earthquakes
30. Sean Johnson, 37 - DC United

31. Stefan Frei, 40 - Seattle Sounders
32. Alex Bono, 32 - DC United
33. Jacob Jackson, 26 - San Diego FC
34. Eric Dick, 32 - Indy Eleven
35. Gavin Beavers, 21 - Brondby (Denmark.1)
36. Sean Lewis, 34 - Spokane Velocity
37. Stefan Cleveland, 32 - Sporting Kansas City
38. Danny Vitiello, 30 - Sacramento Republic
39. Edward Delgado, 28 - FC Naples
40. Kayne Rizvanovich, 19 - Minnesota

41. Hunter Sulte, 24 - Portland Timbers
42. Nicolas Hansen, 25 - Colorado Rapids
43. Michael Collodi, 25 - FC Dallas
44. William Yarbrough, 37 - Toronto FC
45. Rashid Nuhu, 30 - Union Omaha
46. Luke Dennison, 30 - Drogheda United (Ireland.1)
47. Danny Rogers, 32 - St. Patrick's Athletic (Ireland.1)
48. Jeff Gal, 33 - Chicago Fire
49. Logan Ketterer, 32 - Lexington SC
50. Jordan Farr, 32 - DC United

51. Colin Shutler, 28 - Colorado Springs Switchbacks
52. Ethan Bandré, 28 - Loudon United
53. Antonio Carrera, 22 - Tigres UANL (Mexico.1)
54. Antony Siaha, 28 - Hartford Athletic
55. Luis Zamudio, 28 - Charleston Battery
56. Hunter Morse, 28 - Hearts of Pine
57. Adrian Hrvojevic, 19 - Hajduk Split (Croatia.1)
58. Carlos Herrera, 29 - Detroit City
59. Carlos Merancio, 28 - Spokane Velocity
60. Jake McGuire, 32 - Sporting JAX

61. Alec Smir, 27 - Minnesota United FC
62. Christian Olivares, 24 - St. Louis City SC
63. Jonathan Kliewer, 25 - AC Boise
64. Adrian Zendejas, 31 - Vancouver Whitecaps
65. John Berner, 35 - Charleston Battery
66. Seth Torman, 27 - Greenville Triumph
67. Carlos Saldaña, 30 - Detroit City
68. Johan Penaranda, 26 - Lexington SC
69. Brady Scott, 27 - Los Angeles Galaxy
70. Rocco Rios Novo, 24 - Inter Miami

71. Artemio Olvera, 19 - Atlético de San Luis U21 (Mexico.1)
72. Andrew Pannenberg, 28 - New Mexico United
73. Andrew Rick, 20 - Philadelphia Union
74. Trey Muse, 27 - Portland Timbers
75. Duran Ferree, 20 - San Diego FC
76. Jared Mazzola, 27 - Las Vegas Lights FC
77. Ryan Troutman, 26 - Louisville City FC
78. Abraham Romero, 28 - El Paso Locomotive
79. Jacob Castro, 26 - Rhode Island FC
80. Richard Sanchez, 32 - San Antonio FC

81. George Tasouris, 30 - Charlotte Independence
82. Jonathan Burke, 28 - Knoxville
83. Benny Diaz, 27 - FC Juarez (Mexico.1)
84. Adam Beaudry, 20 - Colorado Rapids
85. Emmanuel Ochoa, 21 - CD Cruz Azul (Mexico.1)
86. JD Gunn, 26 - New England Revolution
87. Dane Jacomen, 25 - FC Tulsa
88. William Popp, 32 - Shonan Bellmare (Belgium.2)
89. Benjamin Machini, 30 - Hapoel Kfar Saba (Israel.2)
90. Daniel Kuzemka, 28 - Charleston Battery

91. Nicholas Holliday, 20 - Charlotte FC
92. Max Weinstein, 22 - New England Revolution II
93. Michael Stone, 27 - Akademisk BK (Denmark.2)
94. Francesco Montali, 26 - San Jose Earthquakes
95. Kris Shakes, 25 - New Mexico United
96. Zackory Campagnolo, 19 - Colorado Rapids
97. Mike Sheridan, 25 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds
98. Cabral Carter, 22 - LAFC
99. Nicolas Montoya, 19 - North Texas SC
100. Bryan Dowd, 24 - Colorado Rapids

History of College Goalkeepers

The history of college soccer is akin to a winding road. Some schools have ebbed and waned in their dominance on the national scene, while others have folded completely. But throughout its entire tenure, our top amateur players could often be found playing collegiate soccer.

In an attempt to not only document once-celebrated goalkeepers who never got a chance to leave a digital footprint, but also connect a more tangible thread to the position’s early beginning in America, the History of College Goalkeepers lists each year’s top goalkeepers in college soccer.

Prior to the NCAA, the ISFA ran for most of the first half of the 20th century. However, national champions were awarded by voting committees and the concept of a “Top 25” ranking for end of year polling was still decades away. To shed light on more goalkeepers, as well as putting a modern lens on past years in college soccer to better understand the levels, this chart has retroactively named a top four for every year in men’s soccer, excluding the first few years when there were limited teams playing.

Although the national tournament started in 1959, it would still be three decades until the tournament saw proper seeding for the top four teams entering the tournament. Prior to this, the tournament was split into four regions to help with travel, regardless of strength. The four seeds at this time are determined by Everybody Soccer based on record and strength of schedule.

Additionally, the ISAA Goalkeeper of the Year award was a prestigious goalkeeper award that began in the mid-1980s and was ended after 1995. As Everybody Soccer has given a yearly ranking of the top goalkeepers for ten years, the site’s rankings are considered a spiritual successor to the ISAA Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Lastly, the men’s chart condenses Third-Team All-Americans and All-American Honorable Mentions. There was no year where a third-team and an honorable mention were given out in the same year, so historically they were called different things at different times. For simplicity’s sake, they are listed all as third-team.

The Forgotten All-American: Rediscovering Ted Bondi’s Goalkeeping Legacy

This article is supported by shared photographs from Ted Bondi’s family. Ted Bondi maintained a scrapbook of his athletic career, and, combined with newspaper clippings, Bondi’s goalkeeping career is pieced back together for this article. Thank you to the Bondi family for sharing the photographs. All pictures are from the scrapbook, unless noted as newspaper clippings.

Like many great American goalkeepers before him, Theodore “Ted” Bondi was a first-generation American. After his parents, Peter and Philomena Chiara Bondi, immigrated to the States in 1912, the Italian couple welcomed Theodore “Ted” Bondi in 1929. The young Italian-American grew up in Geneseo, less than an hour south of Rochester, New York and attended Geneseo High School from 1944-1947, lettering in basketball, baseball, track, and soccer.

Although he played multiple sports throughout his time at Geneseo High, Bondi developed a fondness for several sports but his development in becoming a top soccer player came from one of the least likely places: harvesting vegetables at the Birdseye Factory in Lester. Although Bondi was familiar with the sport at this time, it was there that World War II German POWs taught Bondi the finer details of the game through their skill with the ball, laying the foundation for many years to come.2

In a 1999 interview, Bondi explained how he eventually transitioned from playing in the field to goalkeeper: “Our goalie [at Geneseo High School] wasn’t too good so if we were ahead, my coach put me in goal in the second half to protect the lead.” Bondi tasted some early success in the sport. His junior year at Geneseo featured a 2-1 win over Spencerport before ultimately falling in the Class A championship game, losing 4-2 to John Marshall High School.1 During Bondi’s senior year, Geneseo ended in a close semifinal loss to Brighton in late October of 1946. But despite the setback, the 5’10” multi-sport athlete was just at the beginning of his storied athletic journey, one that Geneseo would proudly boast of for many years to come.

Bondi, bottom left, with Geneseo High. The Times-Union, November 6, 1945

Bondi (middle, back row) at Geneseo High, 1946

Bondi at Geneseo High. Likely 1947 or 1948.

Bondi Heads to Brockport State

Various clippings from Bondi’s first year at Brockport

Bondi attended Brockport State, just 30 miles north of Geneseo, and the school’s soccer team immediately welcomed the spry goalkeeper. Bondi was named the starter in his first year, replacing outgoing goalkeepers Joe Costello and Ed Stackwick. In his opening match, a 2-0 win over Buffalo State, Bondi was complimented for making “many nice stops, feinted deceptively, and kept himself out of trouble with long accurate boots and tosses.”3

In the third match of the season, Bondi seemed to have made a name for himself despite the team suffering a 2-1 loss to Cortland. “Ted Bondi’s sensational goal-tending feat will long be a favorite topic of discussion around college. Time after time he had the fans gasping as he made unbelievable saves, dashed out to intercept onrushing linesmen, and feinted past hard charging checkers. Yessir, Mr. Bondi was really terrific; ask anyone who saw the game.”4

Bondi and Whatford featured in the all-star game following their freshman years.

In the final match of the 1947 campaign, Bondi’s excellence was noted as something of common expectation. “Once again Ted Bondi was forced to demonstrate his good tending skill to the delight of the crowd.” Another article echoed the sentiments: “The Sampsonities [of Sampson College] broke loose to force Ted Bondi to again display his wares. To the delight of the fans, he gave another stellar exhibition of how a goalie should perform.”5

With his exploits on full display, Bondi was awarded the second-team All-American award in his freshman year, a rare award for any freshman player. But his goalkeeping wasn’t the only thing catching attention, as his character received high praise just a year later. “Not only should Geneseo be proud of Ted for his playing ability but also for the spirit of fair-play and sportsmanship which he displays on and off the playing field. He is a fine example of ‘All-American Youth’. Keep up the good work, Ted, and may a lot more deserving honors come your way.”6

The honors indeed continued to come Bondi’s way. On November 23rd, 1947, Bondi and teammate Howard “Weasel” Whatford - the college’s first two All-Americans in Brockport’s history - were featured in a collegiate all-star matchup between New England and New York. Despite hailing from the smallest school on the billing, Bondi and Whatford made Brockport proud as they were happy to punch up a weight class. Both players were thrilled at the opportunity, as well as their own performances. Whatford was quick to compliment his teammate, “All of the fellows on our team cooperated well and didn’t try to be ‘heroes’. Every one of the players was good. Bondi really played a swell game and made several beautiful stops.”7

1948 Olympic Tryouts

After an extremely successful freshman year, Bondi was invited to the tryouts for the 1948 Olympic team. The tryout process was a novel idea that matched small regions of teams playing one another. Regardless of the scoreline, the best individual players would “make the cut” and be invited to the next round. The following rounds would repeat the process until a final squad was assembled. Bondi was featured on the New England squad, which rolled the All-Connecticut Amateurs 7-0 on April 18th. As reported, the best players would “play the All-Amateur team from Massachusetts… This game will determine who will play on the All-North Team in a game at the Polo Grounds on May 8 against an All-South squad. From that contest will be determined the players who will be on the All-East team. That group will play an All-West aggregation (which has already been picked) and from that encounter the players for the Olympic team will be selected.”8

What happened next is hard to piece together, although Bondi’s ire, understandably, burned decades after. Reports of Bondi’s inclusion in the Olympic qualifying extend through April 20th, with Bondi and collegiate teammate Whatford both making the cut for the next round to face the representatives from Massachusetts. On April 30th, the North Adams Transcript reported a 2-1 win for the Massachusetts squad, featuring players from the heralded amateur side Ponta Delgada SC. Although Bondi was not named specifically in the matchup, his rival Morton “Mort” Thau of Springfield College and another goalkeeper, Tony Almeida (Gremio Lusitano), were listed as making the cut to the new round.9 A later matchup between an all-New York squad and an All-New England squad was held on May 8, 1948, with Bondi once again not listed.10

In a 1999 article, Bondi recalled being told he and several other college players had made the Olympic roster at one point, but ultimately the federation pivoted to non-collegiate amateurs, mostly from St. Louis and Massachusetts.11 Bondi’s exclusion is even more odd, as his peers who were featured in later rounds, such as Springfield’s Morton Thau and Navy’s Al Schaufelberger, were goalkeepers that Bondi was nationally recognized as at least on par with, if not better than. However, the final exclusion of nearly every collegiate player is the biggest head-scratcher, especially considering the Olympics’ focus on amateur athletes. While historically the common belief has been that the collegiate game was lagging behind the rest of the country’s semi-pro leagues, the final roster of America’s top amateurs excluded all collegiate players, including All-Americans Howie Whatford and Bill Sheppell (Seton Hall), both of whom would later play for the full national team before the end of the decade.

David Litterer wrote in his recap of the 1948 Olympic trials that the federation’s plans to bankroll the needed $14,000 for the tournament rested on ticket sales of the trials, which ultimately fell short by a significant margin. The miscue was yet another failed opportunity in a long line of errors by the federation. Whether it was the federation’s inability to move the needle in maintaining soccer in the 1932 Olympics, or the federation’s role in the American Soccer Wars leading to the dissolution of the country’s top league in 1933, or their fumbling of the momentum out of the 1950 World Cup, the federation was in a multi-decade-long stretch of underserving the player base, and 1948 was another chapter in that story.

The Olympic efforts came crashing down in August of 1948 when the US Olympic soccer team had an embarrassing 9-0 loss to Italy in their lone match at the tournament. Bondi’s frustration at a limited opportunity through qualifying - especially seeing the team fall on their faces at the London Olympics - would understandably still resonate 50 years later.

Democrat and Chronicle, April 20, 1948

Bondi speaking on his experience in trying out for the 1948 Olympics (July 29, 1999).

Sophomore Stride

Never one to pout in a corner, Bondi’s persistence would pay off for the entire Brockport squad. The Golden Eagles kicked off their 1948 season in late September with a 6-0 win over Geneseo. On October 9th, Brockport won a match over the “Rochester All-Stars” 4-3, although additional reports on the match are unavailable. Brockport doesn’t cite the match in their official record for the year but the scheduled match gives a testament to the seriousness of the season. Head Coach A. Huntley Parker would later speak about the squad in a 1954 interview, “We would have played anybody then, and still will”.12

1948 Brockport State Soccer Team

Various newspaper clippings mostly from Bondi’s sophomore year.

Brockport welcomed an international challenge for their third match of the season with Western Ontario coming down to play on October 16th. The Democrat and Chronicle did their best to hype up the international matchup. “The visitors [Western Ontario], reported to be the strongest collegiate team in Canada, will provide the first major college competition for BSTC."13 Unfortunately, the match did not live up to the billing as Brockport won the game handily, 6-0. However, the following schedule proved to be a tough ask for any college. With four games in eight days - all in different locations across New York - Brockport had a mountain to climb to challenge for the title of National Champion.

After a 12-0 drubbing over Utica College - which saw four goals in the opening ten minutes and the first string quickly getting pulled - Brockport’s perfect run hit a bump in the road with a 2-2 tie at Hamilton on October 23rd. The fourth game in eight days was filled with a fair amount of drama. “As the score indicates the first encounter was a complete rout, the varsity tallying four goals in the first 8 1/2 minutes before being yanked. However, a poor playing field, bad breaks and one questionable decision, a refusal to give the penalty kick to Brockport on an unnecessary roughness violation within the Hamilton penalty area, by the official told the story.”14

With maintaining an undefeated season still on the line, Brockport traveled two hours east to Cortland State to seek their first win against their in-state rival in program history, losing to the Red Dragons twice in the previous two years. On October 27th, Bondi’s booters earned a 3-1 win over one of their fiercest rivals. Brockport captured their final two victories of the season with relative ease, the finale featuring a 9-0 win over Sampson Air Force Base, where Bondi would later be stationed in just a few years.

As one of the few undefeated teams in the nation, Brockport was undoubtedly in the conversation as a potential national champion. However, an annual postseason tournament wouldn’t begin until 1959, and previously the ISFA (the governing body of the sport and precursor to the NCAA) would simply elect a national champion.15 The honors were given to the University of Connecticut after an astonishing 11-0 season, including a win over the previous year’s reigning champion, Springfield College. However, Brockport State shared many spoils as Bondi, Whatford, and Bob Rowan all notched All-American honors for their efforts in the season. The 1948 team finished with a 7-0-1 record with forty-four goals scored and only six conceded.

On April 23, 1949, Bondi and the College All-Americans took on an all-star squad from New York and held the all-star squad to a 2-2 tie with a goal by the collegians in the last thirty seconds to level the score. The spring and summer were otherwise quiet for Bondi’s soccer efforts, although it’s safe to say he was the first one cheering on Brockport teammate Howie Whatford during his first appearance with the US Men’s National Team. In June of 1949, during a 4-0 loss to Scotland in front of 17,000 fans, Whatford received his lone career cap with the senior national team, marking yet another collegiate player to eventually represent the US on the international stage.16

The College All-Americans tied the New York All-Stars 2-2 in the spring of 1949.

1949: Junior Year, 7-1, 0.38 GA

Eager to build off last year’s success, Bondi’s junior year kicked off with an 11-0 drubbing over Geneseo State Teachers College in late September. For Brockport’s second match, the Golden Eagles hosted Buffalo State in a 4-2 win, with Whatford only playing the final quarter due to a lingering knee injury. The two goals Bondi conceded in this match would account for 2/3rds of all the goals conceded in the entire 1949 season. After back-to-back 2-0 wins over Hamilton and Panzer, Brockport’s chance at a claim for the national championship would be put to the test.

Seton Hall boasted one of the few collegiate players who had been named to the alternate list in the 1948 Olympic tryouts, just a year and a half prior: Bill Sheppell. Sheppell would later earn 11 caps for the national team, playing for the US until 1954. The matchup of All-Americans proved to be in Seton Hall’s favor as the Pirates notched a 1-0 victory, scoring in the final minutes of the game. Unsurprisingly, Bondi was praised by the Democrat and Chronicle in the defeat: “Ted Bondi, stellar Golden Eagles' goalie, was outstanding for the Brockporters, staving off at least five possible Seton Hall goals with brilliant saves.”17

Brockport wrapped up three more shutout victories to close Bondi’s junior year with a 7-1 record, conceding only three goals across the eight competitions, with a 1-0 loss away at Seton Hall proving to be the only thorn in Brockport’s aim at a perfect season. Bondi was, unsurprisingly, awarded his third All-American award for his efforts with Brockport.

Following the fall season, Bondi quickly returned to the field, this time with the Rochester Thistles, on December 18th to face the Buffalo Becks in the National Challenge Cup, the precursor to the US Open Cup. The Thistles had tied reigning champions Morgan SC earlier in the year in a 0-0 draw, but with the addition of Bondi, fans’ hopes skyrocketed. “The Thistles are considered much improved this year and are expected to make a better showing. Milt Pierce, Ted Bondi, Len Hackshaw and Les Mort are wearing the Orange and Black this year for the first time and have strengthened the Thistles to the extent that team followers have high hopes of a national championship”18

Unfortunately, the Thistles faced difficult conditions in the early-round matchup. “The game was played in a sea of mud - on the Lexington Ave. Sports Club field. But despite the miserable playing conditions, it was a hard-fought battle, with tempers flaring on several occasions.” The heated match would feature a stoppage when a fight broke out, seemingly some time after the Becks gained an early lead when “Eddie Adams, left wing, caught Thistle goalie Ted Bondi out of the nets after staving off one Beck scoring attempt.”19 Although Rochester regained their composure to level the score, the Becks were awarded a penalty with six minutes left and recaptured the lead to win 2-1.

1950: A New Decade With New Foes

True to his nature, Bondi would kick off 1950 by playing whenever and with whomever he could. In January, Bondi and the Rochester Thistles raised $351.50 (nearly $5,000 in 2026) for the Poli Fund in a muddy matchup against the Italian-Americans. The Thistles won 4-0, but “the contest itself, played in the mud, was much closer than the final score indicates, and All-American Goalie Ted Bondi gets much of the credit for the Thistles’ victory. He repeatedly turned back Italian thrusts as his mates pecked away to build up their margin.”20

Then on May 12, Bondi received quite possibly one of his greatest compliments. The Brockport goalkeeper was selected to play on a Western New York all-star team against touring German squad Hamburg SV. Hamburg was not only the first German club to tour the United States after World War II, but they were a potent foe for any American or German squad. Hamburg had just steamrolled almost the entire competition in Germany, finishing top of the table in Oberliga Nord with a +62 goal differential, and reached the quarterfinals of the German Football Championship after a 7-0 drubbing of Union 06 Berlin. This was not any ordinary German squad, as Bondi and the all-stars quickly found out.

Hamburg’s top players included Josef Posipal and Edmund Adamkiewicz, both featured with West Germany’s national team, as well as Herbert Wojtkowiak, who would promptly score 40 goals in the upcoming 1950/51 Oberliga Nord season. The three players accounted for six of the seven goals scored in the 7-2 win for Hamburg, but not without Bondi making a name for himself. The Times-Union praised Bondi’s efforts, despite the high scoreline, “Now [scoring seven goals] is quite a trick, for Mr. Bondi is today one of the best goalies in the United States-in the opinion of local soccer officials and in the opinion of the Hamburg Sports Verein, which unanimously acclaimed his feats last night... The score could easily have gone into double figures had it not been for the terrific defensive play of Bondi.” Another newspaper praised Bondi for keeping the scoreline down as well, “Again Hamburg impressed, playing soccer with a chess-like precision. Had it not been for Northwestern goalie Bondi of the Rochester [Thistles], who stopped the most impossible balls during the first 30 minutes, the score would have run into double figures. About 4200 spectators filled the grounds completely and watched with ever-growing enthusiasm.”21

Just two years after being turned down by the United States Olympic team, Bondi was now playing with some of the best players in the world and not only being recognized as a top player, but the German coach reportedly wanted Bondi to join their team.11 Despite the US federation overlooking the Genesean, Bondi was rightfully lauded by some of the world’s top players and staff.

Bondi’s Senior Year: Four in Four

With excellent back-to-back years, it’s understandable that Brockport had some high expectations for the 1950 season. However, the team struggled with the graduation of three-time All-American Howard “Weasel” Whatford in 1949 and seemingly couldn’t quite overcome his absence, as well as mounting injuries throughout the season. After going 14-1-1 over the previous two years, the Golden Eagles fell to 3-2-3 (W-L-T) to cap off Bondi’s time with Brockport. The season started off strong with a 4-0 win over Albany State but Brockport would turn around a day later to drop a difficult 2-0 loss to Rensselaer Poly, a national contender of the era. Yet once again, Bondi’s efforts would not go unnoticed in the loss: “Ted Bondi at goal and left half Don Thompson were outstanding for Brockport in a losing cause.”22

A newspaper clipping from the 1950 contest between Seton Hall and Brockport (right). On the left, a picture from a baseball game against Oswego.

The early loss seems to have derailed the team’s momentum as Brockport squeaked by their next two opponents (2-1 over Oswego and 5-4 over Buffalo State) before tying the next three matches and losing the final match of the season, scoring only four goals in the final four matches of the season. Brockport’s season felt like it was akin to rolling snake eyes repeatedly, as even their last four matches all went to double overtime, but the offense just couldn’t break the deadlock.

Despite struggling to notch their expected number of wins, Bondi would still receive compliments for his performance in net. Against Seton Hall, in a 0-0 tie, “Seton Hall was robbed of what looked like a sure goal midway through the fourth quarter when Brockport's All-American goalie, Ted Bondi, made an outstanding save of the shot that was earmarked for the net from the time it left the toe of Seton Hall Forward, Johnny Kelly.”23 The fierce battle led to many players being carried off the field, yet the Eagles were given life from the homecoming crowd, which featured most of Bondi’s teammates from “the Thistles squad, amateur champions of Rochester”.24 Seton Hall’s all-star player, Bill Sheppell, would go scoreless against Bondi in his two matchups, as Bondi was no stranger to rising to the occasion against a strong opposition.

On November 3, 1950, Bondi played his last game with Brockport in a 2-1 loss to Cortland. However, the disappointing final chapter of his collegiate run didn’t stop Bondi from capturing more hardware for his trophy case. Most notably, Bondi captured his fourth All-American award, placing him into an elite category. Across all years of collegiate soccer, there have been nine goalkeepers who won three All-American awards (including Kasey Keller, Winston DuBose, Andre Blake, and J. Crossan Cooper), yet just one goalkeeper who has won four All-American awards: Ted Bondi.

In reflection on Bondi’s time with Brockport, Norm McCarthy wrote in the Times-Union, “It's a joy to watch Bondi in front of the nets. His uncanny ability to anticipate the impending drive of the opposition and his quickness to recover after a brilliant save in order to be ready for a successive thrust makes the difference between him and the ordinary goalie. He's as quick as the trigger of a gun and is seldom caught off balance."25

Bondi finished his collegiate career with a 77% win percentage and 16 shutouts and helped elevate the new program to the equivalent of a modern day top 10 side, as well as paving the way for Brockport to be awarded the 1955 National Championship.26

Life After Brockport

Bondi rejoined the Thistles in mid-November to capture the Northwestern New York State Championship over the Buffalo Becks. On November 19th - less than three weeks from his last game with Brockport - Bondi kept a 2-0 shutout against the Becks in the first of a home-and-home series. On November 26, 1950, Bondi captured another shutout in a 3-0 win to cement the Thistles as the area champs, marking their third successive year in capturing the trophy.

The Thistles returned to Open Cup play on December 3rd against Rochester Sports Club in a match with ankle-high mud, a fractured leg for Thistle left fullback Milt Pierce, and a 2-2 draw that prompted a replay to decide who would move on to the Western US Division Championship. A week later, the Thistles lost a 2-1 lead with a handball in the final eight minutes (culminating in a converted penalty) and a poor turnover by the Thistle defense, leading to a close-range shot for the final goal against Bondi to take a 3-2 win over the Thistles.

Bondi played with the Thistles in the Inter-City Soccer League through the spring of 1951, as well as featuring in another exhibition match-up against a German side (this time Eintracht Frankfurt) during the middle of his final baseball season with Brockport.27 In the fall, Bondi headed south to start his graduate degree in physical education at the University of North Carolina.

Despite the change in scenery, the near-lifelong New Yorker still circled back to the sport he had excelled so greatly at by coaching UNC’s freshman team. The young Tar Heels went 9-0, not conceding a single goal across their entire season. Bondi finished his degree over the two semesters at North Carolina, helping out with the swimming, baseball, lacrosse, and tumbling programs.

After a year at UNC, Bondi enlisted in the Air Force and returned to the Rochester area to briefly join the Rochester Celtics for the start of their 1952-53 season. In the Celtics’ first Inter-City Soccer League match, they could only field nine players, but with Bondi in net, the Celtics held the opposing Italian-Americans to a 1-1 tie in their opening match on September 14, 1952. A couple of weeks later, the Democrat and Chronicle praised Bondi for “again playing a whale of a game, including a save of a Sports Club penalty kick” in a 7-1 win in late September.28

It was a short stint with the Celtics, as mid-October proved to be his last time with the team before joining the Air Force after a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Becks, where Bondi “thwart[ed] any and all Buffalo threats to score by some pretty goal play… [the match] was the final for Celtics’ goalie Ted Bondi who leaves the pitch wars for a much bigger and more important war Wednesday as he joins the U.S. Air Force. The husky, brilliant goalie has been the fan’s favorite soccer player… A native of Geneseo, N. Y., he takes the best wishes of Rochester soccerdom to wherever his country finds the most need for him.”29

Being enlisted didn’t stop Bondi from playing whenever he could. On October 25, 1952,  the Sampson Air Force Base soccer team topped Union College 6-0. Union’s offense “was stymied by the stellar work of the Sabres’ goalie, Ted Bondi”. A later matchup in the season featuring the same sides resulted in a 3-2 win for Union, with a personal note written next to the article in Bondi’s scrapbook explaining the loss, “I was on KP. Never again by orders of C.O.”30

Sampson topped the Steuben County All-Stars 7-0 as “Bondi turned in another exceptional game in the nets for the Sabres, saving better than half-a-dozen goals.” Bondi followed up the performance and led the team to a 2-1 win over the University of Rochester the following month as well.31

Although Brockport would face the Sampson AFB squad each year from 1951-1955, Bondi narrowly missed all the matchups against his alma mater, including Brockport’s 1955 National Champion squad. Joe Boorish, who played at Brockport from 1955-1958, recounts Bondi’s lasting legacy: “I played there from 1955 to 1958. The ’55 team was national champs yet all we heard about were the exploits of former goalkeeper Ted Bondi.”32

Bondi was honorably discharged in late 1954, and the following year seems to be Bondi’s last time in goal. In April, Bondi was reported with the Polish-Americans in both Inter-City Soccer League play, as well as the Northwestern New York State Soccer Cup Championship. Once again, the two All-American teammates of Bondi and Whatford were on the same side. But in August, Bondi was back with the Celtics in what looks like both Bondi’s and Whatford’s last season on the field together. But despite taking time off from regularly playing, Bondi would still be cited as having a positive impact on his team: “The return of goalie Ted Bondi to the Celtics’ lineup was noticeable in the team’s effective defense.”33

Bondi’s last recorded appearance in goal seems to be October 30, 1955, when the Rochester Celtics lost 1-0 to the Italian-Americans in the first round of the National Amateur Cup at Red Men's Field. The game was hyped as a defensive battle just days prior: “This game also pits two of the greatest goalies ever to play in the Rochester area, the Celtics' All-American Ted Bondi and the Italians' Al Nicolini.”34

However, as one chapter ended, another one began for Bondi. With 1955 being the last year he played, 1956 marked the start of his relationship with Mary Loud Darling, his future wife. Mary Lou recalls Bondi’s most outstanding qualities: “Confidence. He never thought anything was impossible. *laughs* He instilled that in his players when coaching. He was diplomatic and charming. Very enthusiastic. Any of those positive words you can think of, he fit into that slot.”2 Ted and Mary Lou would marry a few years later and raise four daughters in Geneseo who, unsurprisingly, wound up playing soccer and volleyball for Geneseo High.2

Lasting Impact and Continued Recognition

For most athletes, their story typically quiets down once they retire, but not for Ted Bondi. The length of this article could easily be increased tenfold if it simply discussed Bondi’s accomplishments once returning to Geneseo. With his playing days being a thing of the past for the 26 year old, Bondi quickly returned the town’s investment in him as he coached the football, basketball, wrestling, and baseball programs at Geneseo, in addition to being a science teacher.

Unfortunately, the school ended its boys’ soccer program in 1948, in favor of the school adding football, and it wouldn’t be until 1979 that the boys’ team would officially return. With Bondi’s efforts in the community, soccer fever once again blossomed, and he coached the first team back, while also serving as the school’s Athletic Director at this point.

In addition to spearheading the return of the boys’ soccer team, Bondi expanded the sporting programs from three to thirty-three in his time with the school, as well as leading the high school basketball team to multiple county and sectional championships. Upon finishing his coaching career, he joined the Section V Athletic Council as well as being a part of the executive committee for the New York Public School Athletic Association to continue giving back to the community. In fact, Bondi’s off-field exploits were so extensive that simply naming all the accolades and Hall of Fames he was inducted into seems to best sum up his impact.

  • Brockport Hall of Fame, 1985

  • “Ted Bondi Field” dedication ceremony, October 20, 1990

  • Geneseo Sports Hall of Fame, 2002

  • Geneseo Central School Alumni Hall of Fame, 2005

  • Brockport Hall of Heritage, 2006

  • NY Section V Basketball Hall of Fame, 2008

  • NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame, 2009

  • NY Section V Athletics Hall of Fame, 2017

  • NYSAA Hall of Fame, 2018

In September of 2010, Ted Bondi passed away at the age of 81. A lifelong resident of Geneseo, Bondi left an immeasurable impact on his community as a constant not only in the athletics scene, but in his community at large. Whether it was being a cornerstone for Geneseo athletics or being an inspiring leader off the field, Bondi would spend the majority of his life being affectionately known as “Mr. Geneseo” while serving as a steady force in dismantling long-standing prejudice against Italian-Americans.

In October of 2011, the Ted Bondi Field was rededicated to Ted and his family, honoring Ted’s legacy as the local hero who climbed into a tier of his own. His continued dedication to those around him - spanning his service to the country, as well as his commitment to his teammates on the field - not only makes him one of the greatest American goalkeepers to have ever played, but one of the most relatable goalkeepers as well. His loyalty to those who first supported him still resonates decades after he concluded the greatest career any goalkeeper has ever had in men’s college soccer.

References

[^] 1. Goals scored (excluding penalties) counted as two goals, and Len Hackshaw scored the game-winner before joining Bondi at Brockport State.

[^] 2. Details drawn from conversations with the Bondi family.

[^] 3. Quotes from newspaper clippings taken from Ted Bondi's scrapbook. Quotes can be found on the picture with the subtitle, "Various clippings from Bondi’s first year at Brockport".

[^] 4. Ibid.

[^] 5. Ibid. Sampson College was two-year institution operating from 1946 to 1949.”

[^] 6. Quotes from newspaper clippings taken from Ted Bondi's scrapbook. Quotes can be found on the picture with the subtitle, "Various newspaper clippings mostly from Bondi’s sophomore year".

[^] 7. Quotes from newspaper clippings taken from Ted Bondi's scrapbook. Quotes can be found on the picture with the subtitle, "Bondi and Whatford featured in the all-star game following their freshman years".

[^] 8. The Republican, April 20, 1948.

[^] 9. Tony Almeida and Chicago-based goalkeeper Joe Silovsky were named as alternates to the eventual Olympic squad. Walter Romanowicz, who featured twice for the USMNT in 1947 turned down the invite to participate in the Olympic trials, despite winning three National Amateur Cups with Ponta Delgada from 1946-1948 due to not wanting to travel. He would turn down an invite for a chance at the 1950 World Cup squad as well, citing work being a barrier.

[^] 10. Thau and Almeida faced goalkeeper Irvin “Buzz” Seymour (West Chester) and Al Schaufelberger (Navy) at the Sterling Oval. Schaufelberger and Almeida were selected to represent the East team in Saint Louis on May 18th. The West team featured Archie Strimmel (Pittsburgh) and Joe Silovsky (Chicago).

[^] 11. Quotes from newspaper clippings taken from Ted Bondi's scrapbook. Quotes can be found on the picture with the subtitle, "Bondi speaking on his experience in trying out for the 1948 Olympics (July 29, 1999)".

[^] 12. Democrat and Chronicle, February 14, 1954.

[^] 13. The Democrat and Chronicle, October 15, 1948.

[^] 14. The Times-Union, October 27, 1948.

[^] 15. After 1935, the ISFA had grown so large yet without enough common ground, the ISFA stopped electing national champions from 1936-1940 and instead named a list of "outstanding teams" to reward undefeated - or nearly undefeated - teams from the season. However, World War II and enlistment led to dwindling teams. (By 1945, there were only 22 teams left.) So from 1941-1944, no national champion was named due to these reasons. By 1945, the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCA) named national champions, despite no playoff occurring until 1959. Cornelius R.P. Cochrane Jr.'s thesis, A Study of Intercollegiate Soccer Data in the United States From 1905 to 1961, details the ISFA's struggles to name a cohesive national champion over the decades, especially in the 1940s. No voting totals for the national champion were retained.

[^] 16. 1949 matchup against Scotland featured Howie Whatford starting for the USMNT

1949 Scotland v USMNT

[^] 17. Democrat and Chronicle, October 20, 1949.

[^] 18. Democrat and Chronicle, Dec 14, 1949.

[^] 19. Democrat and Chronicle, Dec 19, 1949.

[^] 20. The Times-Union, January 23, 1950.

[^] 21. Quote from a newspaper clipping taken from Ted Bondi's scrapbook. Quote can be found in the gallery of six pictures on the match against Hamburg SV.

[^] 22. The Times Record, Oct 2, 1950. In addition to the rough season, Bondi received ACL reconstruction surgery prior to the 1950 season. It's unclear how much it played a role in the season, if at all.

[^] 23. Democrat and Chronicle, October 22, 1950.

[^] 24. Quote from a newspaper clipping taken from Ted Bondi's scrapbook. Quote can be found on the picture with the subtitle, "A newspaper clipping from the 1950 contest between Seton Hall and Brockport (right)".

[^] 25. The Times-Union, October 28, 1950.

[^] 26. Brockport became a Division III program in 1973.

[^] 27. The match against the Western New York All-Stars and Eintracht Frankfurt took place on May 11, 1951 in front of "some 3500 huddled under glistening umbrellas in the steady night rain". The match finished 13-1 to the German side as Bondi was subbed in when the game was around 6-0 after less than 20 minutes. At halftime, "while the All-Stars rested on the bench and caught their breath after 45 minutes of futile chasing, the Eintracht team scampered around the field, polishing shots and holding an impromptu practice session." (The Buffalo News, May 12, 1951)

[^] 28. Democrat and Chronicle, September 29, 1952.

[^] 29. The Times-Union, October 13 1952.

[^] 30. Quote from a newspaper clipping taken from Ted Bondi's scrapbook.

[^] 31. Ibid.

[^] 32. Taken from an email correspondence with Joe Boorish.

[^] 33. Democrat and Chronicle, August 28, 1955.

[^] 34. Democrat and Chronicle, October 28, 1955.

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?’”

Time and again, the US would play in an international competition and their goalkeeper was praised as not only the highlight of the team, but also as being one of the best 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, American goalkeepers have yet another chance to establish that they’re a foundational component to their team’s success. But before the tournaments get underway, we look back at our country’s top goalkeepers, dating all the way back to the 19th cenutry.

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 past 150 years, 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. For some goalkeepers, the national team wasn’t an available option, while at other times, great goalkeeping occurred in leagues and teams that no longer exist. Simply moving across the country for a new club wasn’t even a realistic option for most of these goalkeepers. So then rankings consider a goalkeeper’s historical context (injuries, limited playing opportunities, service in the war, etc.) when slotting each goalkeeper on the list.

Each goalkeeper is given a short bio on how their story is relevant to today’s goalkeepers. From day one, goalkeepers have faced countless hurdles on and off the field that still resonate for today’s goalkeepers, as little could stop them from putting their body on the line to give their team a chance at hoisting a trophy. Their continued pursuit drew from their own internal motivation, not fame or financial reward, to chase the challenge that connects goalkeepers of the past like Dennis Shay and Lori Kats to the goalkeepers of tomorrow: keep the ball out of the net.

As the biographies take time to write, they will be released at a later date when completed. For goalkeepers that just missed the cut, read about the honorable mentions here.

The series is dedicated to Steve Holroyd, who passed away on April 5, 2025. Steve’s dedication to understanding the past was incredibly helpful in compiling this project. Since the inception of the site, Steve appeared on the Everybody Soccer podcast multiple times, often at the drop of a hat and for extended, lengthy conversations. Steve’s last recorded episode on the podcast is aptly centered on the very beginnings of American goalkeeper. Steve’s selfless attitude, inquisitive mind, and countless hours spent digging into American soccer history will be a reliable cornerstone for soccer historians for many generations to come.