Top Goalkeepers in Women's Soccer (2019)

The Women’s World Cup has finally come to a close but for those clamoring for more, the Olympic tournament is right around the corner. Until then most of the top goalkeepers will return to their clubs in England, France, Germany, and the US. This year’s list expands to include the top 60 in the world, as well as another 30 up-and-coming goalkeepers. Special thanks to Mouhamad Rachini for assisting with the rankings. Cover photo from FIFA.

1. Almuth Schult, GER (Wolfsburg) - 28
2. Tinja-Riikka Korpela, FIN (Valerenga, Norway) - 33
3. Sari van Veenendaal, NET (Arsenal, England) - 29
4. Alyssa Naeher, USA (Chicago Red Stars) - 31
5. Karen Bardsley, ENG (Manchester City) - 34
6. Stephanie Ohrstrom, SWE (Fiorentina, Italy) - 32
7. Lisa Schmitz, GER (Turbine Potsdam) - 27
8. Christiane Endler, CHI (PSG, France) - 27
9. Carly Telford, ENG (Chelsea) - 31
10. Katarzyna Kiedrzynek, POL (PSG, France) - 28

One to watch: PSG’s goalkeeper situation. Despite Endler’s World Cup heroics, it was Kiedrzynek who started 15 of 22 matches for PSG last season. It makes sense to see one of the goalkeepers slide to another club where they’ll be the proper starter but it’s tough to say which one. Kiedrzynek has the seniority but Endler’s stock has taken a massive bump in the last month. Kiedrzynek enters her seventh season with PSG, but it feels like a coin flip as to who will receive the majority of playing time. (For more on Endler’s background and recent surge, head over to Between the Sticks’ cover story on the Chilean goalkeeper.)

11. Aubrey Bledsoe, USA (Washington Spirit, USA) - 27
12. Lisa Weiss, GER (Lyon, France) - 31
13. Ashlyn Harris, USA (Orlando Pride, USA) - 33
14. Erin McLeod, CAN (Vaxjo, Sweden) - 36
15. Sandra Paños, SPA (Barcelona, Spain) - 26
16. Stephanie Labbé, CAN (North Carolina Courage, USA) - 32
17. Lydia Williams, AUS (Seattle Reign, USA) - 31
18. Adrianna Franch, USA (Portland Thorns) - 28
19. Laura O'Sullivan, WAL (Cardiff City, England) - 27
20. Mary Earps, ENG (Wolfsburg, Germany) - 26

One to watch: Aubrey Bledsoe. Heading into the World Cup, there were many questioning Alyssa Naeher’s ability in goal for the US. Now after Naeher’s outstanding semifinal performance against Spain, Bledsoe’s job of unseating the incumbent became even more difficult. Bledsoe has been working overtime the last two years, earning 61 starts between the NWSL and Australia’s W-League in the last 24 months. Bledsoe surely knows what’s within reach, but her toughest task of becoming the number one for the US is just beginning.

21. Sarah Bouhaddi, FRA (Lyon) - 32
22. Britt Eckerstrom, USA (Portland Thorns) - 26
23. Katie Fraine, USA (Vaxjo, Sweden) - 31
24. Michelle Betos, USA (Seattle Reign) - 31
25. Kateryna Samson, UKR (Ryazan, Russia) - 30
26. Gaelle Thalmann, SWI (Reggiana, Italy) - 33
27. Sabrina D'Angelo, CAN (Vittsjo, Sweden) - 26
28. Lee Alexander, SCO (Glasgow City) - 27
29. Laura Giuliani, ITA (Juventus) - 26
30. Oxana Zheleznyak, KAZ (BIIK Kazygurt) - 32

One to watch: Sabrina D'Angelo. After running into a crowded goalkeeping situation with the North Carolina Courage, D’Angelo moved east to Sweden’s Vittsjö. While the club is struggling to stay out of the relegation zone (currently sitting just one point above the line), D’Angelo is getting the playing time she was looking for. Canada’s goalkeeping position will soon start the process of passing the torch to the new guard, but D'Angelo’s resume might need to bolster up a bit before fans feel comfortable with her in net.

31. Erin Nayler, NZ (Bordeaux, France) - 27
32. Haley Kopmeyer, USA (Orlando Pride) - 29
33. Laetitia Philippe, FRA (Rodez) - 28
34. Didi Haracic, BOS (Washington Spirit, USA) - 27
35. Meline Gerard, FRA (Free Agent) - 29
36. Karima Benameur, FRA (Paris FC) - 30
37. Katrine Abel, DEN (Brondby) - 29
38. Erina Yamane, JPN (Real Betis, Spain) - 28
39. Pauline Magnin, FRA (Arsenal, England) - 27
40. Anke Preuss, GER (Liverpool, England) - 26

One to watch: Meline Gerard. After being named a backup to American goalkeeper Casey Murphy, the longtime French national team back up walked away from Montpellier. An injury in the fall gave her another hurdle to returning the field, putting the once-promising goalkeeper a full fourteen months from her last professional match. Gerard announced in May she was working on receiving a coaching license but a Facebook post last month seems to imply she still has something left to prove on the field. Gerard might or might not have gas left in the tank, but the answer will surely come sooner than later.

41. Laura Benkarth, GER (Bayern Munich) - 26
42. Romane Munich, FRA (Soyaux) - 24
43. Patricia Morais, POR (Sporting CP) - 27
44. Barbara Lorsheijd, NET (ADO Den Haag) - 28
45. Nora Gjøen, NOR (Sandviken) - 27
46. Bryane Heaberlin, USA (Frankfurt, Germany) - 25
47. Jennifer Falk, SWE (Goteborg) - 26
48. Rute Costa, POR (Braga) - 25
49. Loes Geurts, NET (Goteborg, Sweden) - 33
50. Hedvig Lindahl, SWE (Chelsea, England) - 36

One to watch: Laura Benkarth. An ACL/MCL tear cut most of 2018 short for Benkarth but the recovery went so well she worked herself in a World Cup roster spot. Bayern Munich has a slew of strong, young goalkeepers going into next season with Austrian international Manuela Zinsberger (23), former Dutch U20 starter Jacintha Weimar (21), and Finnish U20 starter Katriina Talaslahti (18). It’s a hand-picked goalkeeping core that will be tough for Benkarth to emerge from. If she can nail down the starting spot for Bayern Munich, expect to see more from Benkarth on even bigger stages.

51. Emily Dolan, USA (Real Betis, Spain) - 24
52. Bárbara, BRA (Kindermann) - 30
53. Mackenzie Arnold, AUS (Brisbane Roar) - 25
54. Meike Kamper, GER (Duisburg) - 25
55. Nicole Barnhart, USA (Utah Royals) - 37
56. Lindsey Harris, USA (Klepp, Norway) - 25
57. Jane Campbell, USA (Houston Dash) - 24
58. Deborah Garcia, FRA (Rodez) - 24
59. Vanina Correa, ARG (Rosario Central) - 30
60. Emily Armstrong, USA (Sundsvall, Sweden) - 25

One to watch: Mackenzie Arnold. After a lackluster World Cup performance from Australian starter Lydia Williams, Arnold could theoretically work her way into the starting spot for the Olympic tournament in 12 months. Arnold hasn’t been playing regularly since February, at the conclusion of the W-League, and will probably need some more game time under her belt to truly make a push for Australia’s number one spot. But she’s certainly in a position to impress the higher-ups if the next year goes well for her.

Top 30 Under 24

1. Ellie Roebuck, ENG (Manchester City) - 19
2. Carina Schluter, GER (SC Sand) - 22
3. Elena, SPA (Fundacion Albacete) - 22
4. Elisa Launay, FRA (Lille) - 23
5. Anneke Borbe, GER (Werder Bremen) - 18
6. Zecira Musovic, SWE (Rosengard) - 23
7. Peng Shimeng, CHI (Jiangsu Suning) - 21
8. Stephanie Bukovec, CRO (ZNK Split) - 23
9. Cindy Perrault, FRA (Grenoble Foot) - 23
10. Sara Serrat, SPA (Huelva) - 23

One to watch: Ellie Roebuck. Second place WSL finisher Manchester City relied heavily on the teenage goalkeeper. Roebuck, who started 15 of the club’s 20 matches, has earned two caps with the English national team over the last year. Roebuck is so highly regarded that she not only signed a two-year extension with Manchester City but served as a surplus traveling member for England’s World Cup team this summer. When compared to her peers, Roebuck is in a league of her own.

11. Ayaka Yamashita, JPN (Nippon TV Beleza) - 23
12. Romane Bruneau, FRA (Girondins de Bordeaux) - 22
13. Cecilie Fiskerstrand, NOR (Lillestrom) - 23
14. Maria Quinones, SPA (Real Sociedad) - 22
15. Kailen Sheridan, CAN (Sky Blue FC, USA) - 23
16. Aurora Mikalsen, NOR (Kolbotn) - 23
17. Lena Pauels, GER (Werder Bremen) - 21
18. Casey Murphy, USA (Seattle Reign) - 23
19. Manuela Zinsberger, AUS (Bayern Munich, Germany) - 23
20. Sophie Baggaley, ENG (Bristol City) - 22

One to watch: Casey Murphy. Murphy is the next logical choice in the post-Alyssa Naeher era for many US fans. At 23, she’s certainly accomplished more than her American counterparts, leaving college early to play in France for two years with Montpellier. She’s recently returned stateside, filling in for Lydia Williams’ absence with the World Cup team. Murphy will likely be fast-tracked going forward by some NWSL side, whether it is Seattle or not, but the competition for a starting spot in the NWSL is unlike any other position in the league.

21. Chika Hirao, JPN (Albirex Niigata) - 22
22. Emily Boyd, USA (Chicago Red Stars) - 22
23. Lisa Klostermann, GER (SGS Essen) - 20
24. Jalen Tompkins, USA (University of Colorado) - 22
25. Ana, SPA (Rayo Vallecano) - 21
26. Mikayla Krzeczowski, USA (University of South Carolina) - 21
27. Matilda Haglund, SWE (Linkoping) - 22
28. Ella Dederick, USA (Washington State University) - 22
29. Alessia Piazza, ITA (Tavagnacco) - 21
30. Lize Kop, NET (Ajax) - 21

One to watch: Ella Dederick. Back in February, Washington State was happy to announce that Dederick was granted an additional year of eligibility after a knee injury cut last fall short. Dederick was on pace to be a top goalkeeper in the 2019 NWSL draft before the unfortunate setback. Now with a new lease on her playing career, Dederick will be a top draft pick for 2020 if everything goes as planned. Dederick’s fitness and playing level will be unveiled in August and if she can stay healthy through the grueling fall, look to see her name on everyone’s draft board in January.

Past Rankings:
2018
2017
2016

Top 100 American Goalkeepers - January 2019

cover photo belongs to Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer

2019 brings many new promises and surprises, including a brief rundown of the top 100 American goalkeepers on the men’s side. This go-round we’ll be focusing in on one specific goalkeeper, instead of giving a snapshot of 4-5 different ones, by highlighting the one who has the most riding on 2019. (Essentially the one with the most interesting narrative.) Most highlighted goalkeepers are in their mid-to-late 20s, as goalkeepers in the back end of their 20s aren’t bestowed second chances as often as early 20-year-olds are.

1. Tim Melia, 31 - Sporting Kansas City
2. Stefan Frei, 32 - Seattle Sounders
3. Ethan Horvath, 23 - Club Brugge
4. Zack Steffen, 23 - Columbus Crew
5. Brad Guzan, 34 - Atlanta United
6. Jeff Attinella, 30 - Portland Timbers
7. Joe Willis, 30 - Houston Dynamo
8. Alex Bono, 24 - Toronto FC
9. Luis Robles, 34 - New York Red Bulls
10. Jimmy Maurer, 31 - FC Dallas

Breakout or Bust Year: Ethan Horvath. With the 2019 Gold Cup this summer and the USMNT’s first run in the CONCACAF Nations League in the fall, 2019 should be a lot of fun with Horvath and Steffen duking it out for the number one spot. Public perception seems to think it’s Steffen’s job to lose but with how well Horvath played in UEFA Champions League matches - notching three shutouts against Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, and Monaco - it dwarfs Steffen’s MLS quarterfinalist run. Critics have often doubted Horvath’s consistency, which makes these next six months all the more important for him to prove himself. In some sense, it feels like Horvath and Guzan have some parallels, periodically showing flashes of brilliance paired with moments of regret. If Horvath can have a strong spring, Steffen may not be the only American goalkeeper making a big move in the summer. However if it’s more of 2017-18’s up-and-downs, Horvath could have a long road to realistically challenge for the number one spot again.

11. Patrick McLain, 30 - Free Agent
12. Joe Bendik, 29 - Columbus Crew
13. Tim Howard, 39 - Colorado Rapids
14. Bill Hamid, 28 - DC United
15. Nick Rimando, 39 - Real Salt Lake
16. Tyler Miller, 25 - Los Angeles FC
17. Steve Clark, 32 - Portland Timbers
18. Evan Bush, 32 - Montreal Impact
19. Spencer Richey, 26 - Cincinnati FC
20. Evan Newton, 30 - Free Agent

Breakout or Bust Year: Spencer Richey. While I believe Pat McLain showed the ability to take on a starting position in the league, the real pressure lands on Spencer Richey’s shoulders. The University of Washington alum won the starting position for Cincinnati’s last year in the USL over Evan Newton and now the newly minted MLS side has brought in a veteran keeper to challenge Richey once again. Richey has already had a brief cup of coffee in MLS but Vancouver didn’t seem to know what to do with him - or the rest of the goalkeeping core - as they opted for David Ousted (2017), Stefan Marinovic (2018), and Brian Rowe (2018) for the last two years. (None of the three goalkeepers are with Whitecaps anymore.) Richey has some doubters to prove wrong. Not only did Vancouver send him out for pennies on the dollar, but Cincinnati isn’t hedging their bets completely on Richey either. Things aren’t set in stone from day one, but Richey will want to nail down the starting position in March instead of playing catchup all year.

21. Matt Turner, 24 - New England Revolution
22. Alex Horwath, 31 - Real Salt Lake
23. Adam Grinwis, 26 - Orlando City SC
24. Zac MacMath, 27 - Vancouver Whitecaps
25. Cody Mizell, 27 - New Mexico United
26. Jon Kempin, 25 - Columbus Crew
27. Tyler Deric, 30 - Houston Dynamo
28. Sean Johnson, 29 - New York City FC
29. David Bingham, 29 - Los Angeles Galaxy
30. Ryan Meara, 28 - New York Red Bulls

Breakout or Bust Year: Adam Grinwis. The Joe Bendik-era in Orlando is officially over and the Lions picked up Grinwis for cheap (aka $0) at the end of the season. Grinwis doesn’t have a plethora of professional starts under his belt but he’s also running into a problem every goalkeeper encounters: he’s not exactly young anymore. It’s a hard sell to convince a team that a middle-aged goalkeeper without a ton of games deserves more starts. That’s typically reserved for younger goalkeepers or proven veterans. However, Orlando brought him in for a reason and it probably starts with his spring and fluidity when making a save. Orlando will surely look to mimic Cincinnati in bringing in a veteran to even out the position but all signs point to a massive opportunity for Grinwis, who turns 27 in April. If Grinwis can start for at least a chunk of the season, he’ll have a much easier time convincing his coach in 2020 that he’s a serious contender for the starting spot. If he sits the bench as he did for most of 2016, he may find himself pegged as a perennial backup.

31. Abraham Romero, 20 - Pachuca
32. Bobby Shuttleworth, 31 - Minnesota United FC
33. Brian Rowe, 30 - Free Agent
34. William Yarbrough, 29 - Leon
35. Josh Cohen, 26 - Sacramento Republic
36. Brendan Moore, 26 - Rochdale
37. Clint Irwin, 29 - Colorado Rapids
38. Trevor Spangenberg, 27 - Free Agent
39. Matt Lampson, 29 - Los Angeles Galaxy
40. Brandon Miller, 29 - Charlotte Independence

Breakout or Bust Year: Josh Cohen. There are a number of worthy candidates in this gap. Shuttleworth and Rowe are focusing on prolonging their respective careers for as long as possible, Yarbrough and Moore haven’t had a consistent season in a number of years, but Josh Cohen takes the cake here. Largely unnoticed, it’s not necessarily a poor move for him to return to Sacramento, but without a clear path to MLS, he’ll have a hard time moving out of the league. Cohen started every match in 2018 in his first year with the club - and cementing himself as one of the top USL goalkeepers for my money - but unless a team wants to take a flyer on him as Orlando did with their two current goalkeepers (Grinwis, Ranjitsingh), there really isn’t much hope for him to make the next level. Cohen checks a lot of the boxes when MLS teams are looking for a trustworthy goalkeeper, but MLS teams don’t have much of a history of bringing in a USL goalkeeper from a non-affiliated team. Cohen has the ability for the next level, but it’ll be hard to make the jump, to say the least.

41. Andrew Dykstra, 33 - Free Agent
42. Eric Klenofsky, 24 - Hapoel Marmorek
43. Chris Seitz, 31 - Houston Dynamo
44. Brad Stuver, 27 - New York City FC
45. John McCarthy, 26 - Free Agent
46. Richard Sanchez, 24 - Chicago Fire
47. Andrew Tarbell, 25 - San Jose Earthquakes
48. Brian Sylvestre, 26 - Free Agent
49. Diego Restrepo, 30 - Free Agent
50. Alec Kann, 28 - Atlanta United

Breakout or Bust Year: Andrew Tarbell. There are some implications based on how well Klenofsky, Sanchez, and McCarthy do in 2019 but Andrew Tarbell’s future in the league is running dangerously close to Zac MacMath’s path. MacMath was a heralded young goalkeeper but after immediately being thrown in the deep end and sinking, he would end up playing second fiddle for four years (and possibly a fifth, depending on how Vancouver wants to maneuver). Tarbell was abysmal in 2018 but we know he has the talent to be better, so we’re left scratching our heads as to what his ceiling actually is. Sitting behind Marcinkowski might actually be good for him to reset, but he also needs game time to keep progressing, especially at this age. Tarbell needs to make his most recent run of outings positive. If he sits for 2019, coaches are just going to look at his last line of work, which will be a sour 2018. If he ends up in an even worse situation for 2019, it’s only going to cement coaches’ uneasiness to bring him in. It’s a tightrope Tarbell needs to walk in getting games but he also doesn’t have a lot of leeway in terms of “sink or swim”.

51. Matt Bersano, 26 - San Jose Earthquakes
52. Charlie Lyon, 26 - Free Agent
53. Akira Fitzgerald, 31 - Free Agent
54. Matt Pyzdrowski, 32 - Varbergs BoIS
55. Mitch Hildebrandt, 30 - Free Agent
56. Andre Rawls, 29 - New York City FC
57. Matt Pickens, 36 - Nashville SC
58. Eric Dick, 24 - Sporting Kansas City
59. Zac Lubin, 29 - Phoenix Rising
60. Earl Edwards, 27 - DC United

Breakout or Bust Year: Eric Dick. Last year the MLS SuperDraft saw a record number of goalkeepers fly off the shelf, with Butler’s Eric Dick leading the way. Dick possesses the frame most MLS teams are looking for and with Tim Melia conceivably retiring around the same time Dick would be coming into his peak years, it seemed like a natural fit. However 2018 was an up and down year for the former Bulldog, where most of Dick’s limitations where centered on mobility and catching up to the pace of the game. It seems MLS sides are becoming quicker to move on from projects that aren’t working out and with how quick players trade value can plummet, Dick might be on the trading block if SKC doesn’t think he can make the jump to the next level. If Dick can sort out some of the finer points of his footwork, he’ll remind coaches why he was worth the early pick last college draft. If not, SKC may look to get a return for Dick through other avenues.

61. Scott Angevine, 29 - Mikkelin Palloilijat
62. Kyle Zobeck, 28 - FC Dallas
63. Wade Hamilton, 24 - Los Angeles Galaxy II
64. Rafael Diaz, 27 - Sacramento Republic
65. Will Dieterich, 31 - Stjarnan
66. Carl Woszczynski, 30 - Free Agent
67. Logan Ketterer, 25 - Free Agent
68. Tomas Gomez, 25 - St. Louis FC
69. Quentin Westberg, 32 - AJ Auxerre
70. Connor Sparrow, 24 - Nashville SC

Breakout or Bust Year: Wade Hamilton. If Hamilton has a poor year in 2019, it won’t tank his career, but it’ll likely remove the possibility of him succeeding in LA. After a lackluster year, David Bingham left the door open for any worthy challengers. It’s a tall task for the twenty-four-year-old, but similar to Eric Dick’s situation, at some point your potential is just your current ability. With Hamilton nearing his peak and not getting a ton of starts with either MLS or USL side, Hamilton’s time could be dwindling out west unless he’s able to give Galaxy fans reason to believe that Kevin Hartman won’t be the last young, successful goalkeeper in LA.

71. Cody Cropper, 25 - New England Revolution
72. Joe Kuzminsky, 25 - Charleston Battery
73. Matt Van Oekel, 32 - Birmingham Legion
74. Travis Worra, 25 - DC United
75. Tim Murray, 31 - FC Honka
76. Austin Guerrero, 29 - Free Agent
77. Bryan Meredith, 29 - Seattle Sounders
78. Kris Devaux, 27 - Bryne FK
79. Jeff Gal, 25 - BK Forward
80. CJ Cochran, 27 - Fresno FC

Breakout or Bust Year: Jeff Gal. Gal has quietly stowed away in the lower levels of Sweden for the past couple years and while playing overseas is always an admirable accomplishment, Sweden’s third division isn’t anyone’s desired final destination. If Gal can’t find a proper suitor to move up to, he may need to look for another country to conquer. Gal possesses the increasingly popular thin, agile frame a number of modern teams are looking for in the starting goalkeeper. He would most likely be successful in USL were he to choose that route, but wherever he ends up, he’ll surely won’t be content without finding out the limit to his abilities.

81. Jesse Gonzalez, 23 - FC Dallas
82. Sean Lewis, 26 - St. Louis FC
83. Jake Fenlason, 25 - Tulsa Roughnecks
84. Kendall McIntosh, 25 - Portland Timbers
85. Alex Mangels, 25 - Portland Timbers II
86. Michael Nelson, 23 - Houston Dynamo
87. Stefan Cleveland, 24 - Chicago Fire
88. Andrew Putna, 24 - Real Salt Lake
89. Kyle Morton, 24 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds
90. Dan Lynd, 24 - Free Agent

Breakout or Bust Year: Jesse Gonzalez. It’s been the same story for a couple years now: a good save followed by a disheartening goal. It wouldn’t be completely off base to say FC Dallas’ season came to an end because Gonzalez couldn’t figure out a fairly typical through ball situation. The once highly sought-after dual citizen who ended up making the bench for the 2017 Gold Cup is now struggling to be the popular choice in Frisco. Pareja backed him in 2018 but with a new coach brought in, the tune may change. At only twenty-three, Gonzalez enters his seventh year with the organization and if he can’t convince the staff he’s still not the clear number one choice, Gonzalez may end up in a similar position as Sean Johnson found himself: out of town.

91. Jeff Caldwell, 22 - New York City FC
92. Eric Lopez, 19 - Los Angeles Galaxy II
93. Mike Kirk, 24 - Free Agent
94. Bobby Edwards, 23 - Mount St. Mary's
95. Drew Shepherd, 24 - Toronto FC II
96. Tim Dobrowolski, 25 - Free Agent
97. Todd Morton, 23 - Delaware
98. Matt Cardone, 25 - San Antonio FC
99. Jake McGuire, 24 - Free Agent
100. JT Marcinkowski, 21 - San Jose Earthquakes

Breakout or Bust Year: Drew Shepherd. One of the footnotes of last year’s draft, Shepherd landed with Toronto only to get injured in the first game of the year. It’s coming up on eight months since the injury and Toronto has already been linked with drafting Dayne St. Clair as another goalkeeper within the organization. For a goalkeeper who only lost a dozen times in college, it’s clear he’s no stranger to overcoming the odds but he only has 16 professional minutes to his name thus far. If Shepherd wants to avoid earning only 16 minutes in two years, he’ll need to show coaches that he’s been worth the wait one way or another.

Top 100 American Goalkeepers - April 2018

It's been a while since our last update so I suppose it's fair to have seen so many names move around. Every spring there are few guarantees on how goalkeepers will enter the season and 2018 is no exception. Most notably Tyler Miller and Matt Turner have exceeded expectations and presented strong cases as why they're more than just dependable backups.

Only twelve of the top 100 goalkeepers aren't playing in the US, although goalkeepers playing stateside has been a growing trend for the pbuschast few years. There aren't many goalkeepers on the list currently playing in Europe but the likes of Jonathan Klinsmann (20) and Brandon Austin (19) should start to make waves for themselves in the next couple years.

1. Tim Melia, 31 - Sporting Kansas City (USA.1)
2. Brad Guzan, 33 - Atlanta United (USA.1)
3. Luis Robles, 33 - New York Red Bulls (USA.1)
4. Joe Bendik, 29 - Orlando City SC (USA.1)
5. Tim Howard, 39 - Colorado Rapids (USA.1)
6. Stefan Frei, 32 - Seattle Sounders (USA.1)
7. Bill Hamid, 27 - FC Midtjylland (Denmark.1)
8. Jimmy Maurer, 30 - FC Dallas (USA.1)
9. Zack Steffen, 23 - Columbus Crew (USA.1)
10. Tyler Miller, 25 - Los Angeles FC (USA.1)

Bill says: 2017 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Tim Melia, retains the crown after just being placed on MLS's Team of the Week for his ten save performance. Robles did more than his part in guiding the Red Bulls to a semi-final run in the CONCACAF Champions League. Hamid recently debuted for his new club, taking part in 2-1 win in the Danish Cup quarterfinal. Maurer has quietly filled in extremely well for injured Jesse Gonzalez, conceding only three goals in four games for FC Dallas. Despite being Zlatan'd, Miller has had an outstanding start to the season, making Sounders fans disappointed to see him leave during the expansion draft.

11. Alex Bono, 24 - Toronto FC (USA.1)
12. Steve Clark, 32 - DC United (USA.1)
13. Bobby Shuttleworth, 30 - Minnesota United FC (USA.1)
14. William Yarbrough, 29 - Leon (Mexico.1)
15. Sean Johnson, 28 - New York City FC (USA.1)
16. Joe Willis, 29 - Houston Dynamo (USA.1)
17. Jeff Attinella, 29 - Portland Timbers (USA.1)
18. Ethan Horvath, 22 - Club Brugge (Belgium.1)
19. Chris Seitz, 31 - Houston Dynamo (USA.1)
20. Alex Horwath, 31 - Real Salt Lake (USA.1)

Bill says: It's hard to pin down Alex Bono's ceiling but if he keeps making saves like these, he may not be in MLS too much longer. Yarbrough was recently dropped from the first team selection after maintaining only two clean sheets this year. Matt Pzydrowski recently published a piece on Sean Johnson's return to form and why he's starting to perform with more consistency. Horvath hasn't played for Club Brugge since November of last year and will most likely move elsewhere after the end of the season.

21. David Bingham, 28 - Los Angeles Galaxy (USA.1)
22. Jon Kempin, 25 - Columbus Crew (USA.1)
23. Nick Rimando, 38 - Real Salt Lake (USA.1)
24. Evan Newton, 30 - Cincinnati FC (USA.2)
25. Patrick McLain, 29 - Chicago Fire (USA.1)
26. Brian Rowe, 29 - Vancouver Whitecaps (USA.1)
27. Evan Bush, 32 - Montreal Impact (USA.1)
28. Cody Mizell, 26 - Tampa Bay Rowdies (USA.2)
29. Richard Sanchez, 24 - Chicago Fire (USA.1)
30. Abraham Romero, 20 - Pachuca (Mexico.1)

Bill says: It's only six games into the season but I don't think Bingham has proved why he was worth the $200,000 in allocated money just yet. There's still time left in the season but it's starting to look like the Galaxy missed an opportunity to capitalize on Kempin, who filled in admirably in Zack Steffen's absence a few weeks ago. There isn't much press on USL goalkeepers but Newton and Mizell are doing well to set the bar for the rest of the league. While Romero is most definitely leaning towards playing for Mexico, Sanchez is a good example of how a promising U20 Mexican goalkeeper can actually have more success in MLS, if not the US.

31. Matt Lampson, 28 - Minnesota United FC (USA.1)
32. Zac MacMath, 26 - Colorado Rapids (USA.1)
33. Matt Pickens, 36 - Nashville SC (USA.2)
34. Ryan Meara, 27 - New York Red Bulls (USA.1)
35. Trevor Spangenberg, 27 - Richmond Kickers (USA.2)
36. Clint Irwin, 29 - Toronto FC (USA.1)
37. Matt Turner, 23 - New England Revolution (USA.1)
38. Matt Pyzdrowski, 31 - Varbergs BoIS (Sweden.2)
39. Brendan Moore, 26 - Rochdale (England.3)
40. Charlie Lyon, 26 - Los Angeles FC (USA.1)

Bill says: I don't know how Pickens continues to do it but even at 36 he still manages to end up in Save of Week compilations. MacMath and Moore patiently await in the wings to return to the field but like Horvath, will likely have a better chance elsewhere than their current team. While Matt Turner may seem a little low at the moment, he wasn't even listed on last year's top 100 so we're going to curtail his meteoric rise just a little bit, but if you're impressing Brad Friedel then you're doing something right.

41. Brandon Miller, 28 - Charlotte Independence (USA.2)
42. Mitch Hildebrandt, 29 - Atlanta United (USA.1)
43. Adam Grinwis, 26 - Orlando City SC (USA.1)
44. Spencer Richey, 25 - Cincinnati FC (USA.2)
45. Eric Dick, 23 - Sporting Kansas City (USA.1)
46. Brad Stuver, 27 - New York City FC (USA.1)
47. Quentin Westberg, 32 - AJ Auxerre (France.2)
48. Diego Restrepo, 30 - San Antonio FC (USA.2)
49. Brian Sylvestre, 25 - Los Angeles Galaxy (USA.1)
50. Earl Edwards, 26 - Orlando City SC (USA.1)

Bill says: It's unfortunate Orlando City folded their USL team for the 2018 season as promising goalkeepers Adam Grinwis and Earl Edwards are limited to training sessions behind Joe Bendik now. Stuver was linked to Oxford United back in January but it seems the rumor either fell through or had no legs to stand on to begin with. 2015 USL Goalkeeper of the Year Brandon Miller still looks for his first start, currently sitting behind Andrew Dykstra in Charlotte. Restrepo recently penned his own story on USL's site, covering his journey from almost retiring to becoming the 2017 USL Goalkeeper of the Year.

51. Akira Fitzgerald, 30 - Tampa Bay Rowdies (USA.2)
52. Zac Lubin, 28 - Phoenix Rising (USA.2)
53. Andrew Tarbell, 24 - San Jose Earthquakes (USA.1)
54. Cody Cropper, 25 - New England Revolution (USA.1)
55. Alec Kann, 27 - Atlanta United (USA.1)
56. Andrew Dykstra, 32 - Charlotte Independence (USA.2)
57. Logan Ketterer, 24 - Columbus Crew (USA.1)
58. Andre Rawls, 28 - Orange County SC (USA.1)
59. Kyle Zobeck, 28 - FC Dallas (USA.2)
60. Wade Hamilton, 23 - Los Angeles Galaxy II (USA.2)

Bill says: Lubin was playing in Sweden this time last year but returned to the states and is currently the number two behind Carl Woszczynski. It hasn't been a smooth start for Andrew Tarbell as he's conceded eight goals in four games but San Jose doesn't seem to be hinting at having doubts in the young goalkeeper. Portland let Hamilton walk after last season and the 23-year-old has settled nicely into LAG's USL side.

61. Jon Busch, 41 - Free Agent (None)
62. John McCarthy, 25 - Philadelphia Union (USA.1)
63. Matt Bersano, 25 - San Jose Earthquakes (USA.1)
64. Matt Van Oekel, 31 - Oklahoma City Energy FC (USA.2)
65. Travis Worra, 25 - DC United (USA.1)
66. Austin Guerrero, 29 - North Carolina FC (USA.2)
67. Will Dieterich, 31 - Stjarnan (Iceland.1)
68. Carl Woszczynski, 30 - Phoenix Rising (USA.2)
69. Cody Laurendi, 29 - Oklahoma City Energy FC (USA.2)
70. Kris Devaux, 26 - Bryne FK (Norway.2)

Bill says: McCarthy (Bethlehem Steel) and Worra (Richmond Kickers) have both found some success in the USL this year, combining for seven starts and eleven goals allowed. Bersano hasn't returned to my favorite USL side, Reno 1868 FC, as he's moved up to the backup spot for the Earthquakes instead. Cohen and Sacramento haven't seen an L on their schedule yet, going 3-0-1 in their first four games.

71. Josh Cohen, 25 - Sacramento Republic (USA.2)
72. Rafael Diaz, 26 - Sacramento Republic (USA.2)
73. Jesse Gonzalez, 22 - FC Dallas (USA.1)
74. Tomas Gomez, 24 - St. Louis FC (USA.2)
75. Jake McGuire, 23 - Philadelphia Union (USA.1)
76. Kendall McIntosh, 24 - Portland Timbers (USA.1)
77. Jeff Caldwell, 22 - New York City FC (USA.1)
78. Brad Knighton, 33 - New England Revolution (USA.1)
79. Kyle Morton, 24 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USA.2)
80. Eric Lopez, 19 - Los Angeles Galaxy II (USA.2)

Bill says: Gonzalez and Gomez are currently nursing respective knee and hip injuries, although Gonzalez could have trouble regaining his starting spot with Jimmy Maurer doing so well in goal. McIntosh still has some rough edges to smooth out but he's had some really fantastic saves this early into his season. While UVA alum Jeff Caldwell hasn't made his professional debut yet, Kyle Morton notched his first start last weekend in a 4-0 route over Toronto II. U20 US goalkeeper Eric Lopez is looking to quickly rebound from his only start this year, a 3-0 loss to neighboring Orange County SC. 

81. Tim Dobrowolski, 24 - Louisville City FC (USA.2)
82. Ben Lundgaard, 22 - Indy Eleven (USA.2)
83. Mike Lansing, 23 - Aalborg BK (Denmark.1)
84. Todd Morton, 22 - Delaware (USA.N)
85. Drew Shepherd, 23 - Toronto FC II (USA.2)
86. Alex Kapp, 23 - Minnesota United FC (USA.1)
87. Austin Pack, 24 - Portland Timbers II (USA.2)
88. Bobby Edwards, 22 - Monmouth (USA.N)
89. JT Marcinkowski, 20 - San Jose Earthquakes (USA.1)
90. Evan Louro, 22 - New York Red Bulls (USA.1)

Bill says: Lundgaard was quite the sought after prospect during the MLS SuperDraft but surgery on his thumb has delayed fans on getting to watch the Virginia Tech alum in goal. Collegiate goalkeepers Todd Morton (highlights) and Bobby Edwards (highlights) go into their senior years as some of the top MLS prospects. USYNT alumni Marcinkowski and Louro will spend most of 2018 season in the USL, with hopes of landing in MLS down the line.

91. Connor Sparrow, 23 - Real Salt Lake (USA.1)
92. Nick Gardner, 22 - Denver (USA.N)
93. Andrew Putna, 23 - Real Monarchs (USA.2)
94. Stefan Cleveland, 23 - Chicago Fire (USA.1)
95. Kyle Ihn, 23 - Reno 1868 FC (USA.2)
96. Michael Nelson, 23 - Houston Dynamo (USA.1)
97. Nico Corti, 22 - Rio Grande Valley FC (USA.2)
98. Dan Lynd, 24 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USA.2)
99. Scott Levene, 22 - New York Red Bulls II (USA.2)
100. Austin Rogers, 22 - FC Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia.1)

Bill says: Ihn recently made his first professional start, showcasing a nice smothering save across the goalmouth. Rookie Michael Nelson has yet to make his first start as RGV has opted for Stanford alum Nico Corti for their first three matches. Austin Rogers returns to Ulaanbaatar for the 2018 season after being named the league's goalkeeper of the year.

Projecting the Top 100 American Goalkeepers for the 2022 World Cup

cover photo belongs to the Denver Post

Back in 2015, Everybody Soccer predicted the 2018 depth chart for American goalkeeping. For predictions three years out, they did about as well as you would expect. Reviewing the predictions, there were some significant errors.

Predicting an aging goalkeeper's descent is anyone's best guess. Josh Wicks and Jon Busch were great examples of more goalkeepers who proved they had more gas in the tank than expected. Nick Rimando was also much too low on the list. As for young goalkeepers, they were largely underrated. Steffen and Horvath were far too low and are already in the national team picture while Kempin, McMath and Meara were too high. Overall, most of the names were in the right room, but it was the order that was the issue.

For the 2022 projections, the first hurdle is drawing a line on who will and won't be retired. Goalkeepers can certainly have longer careers, but currently MLS only has three goalkeepers over 35 years old. It's unlikely many will play that long but Brad Guzan and Tim Melia have the inside track at the moment. Hopefully Stefan Frei (36 by the 2022 World Cup), Steve Clark (36), and Bobby Shuttleworth (35) will all still be playing but it'll require a strong commitment from them to stay in the game. And of course there will likely be a young hotshot who is 15 or 16 right now, but will be training with a top club by the time they turn 20 or 21. Perhaps Nicolas Defreitas-Hansen at Everton or Quantrell Jones?

Many people are claiming the goalkeeper position for the USMNT is absent of any meaningful competition heading towards 2022. On the contrary, there are a number of outstanding prospects that are on pace to challenge for the number one spot. It could conceivably be the tightest goalkeeping competition the USMNT has ever witnessed with no clear standout but a number of quality goalkeepers vying for minutes.

Understanding that five years is a long time and anything can happen between now and then, here are 100 American goalkeepers to keep an eye out over the next five years.

1. Ethan Horvath, 27 - Club Brugge (Belgium.1)
2. Abraham Romero, 24 - Pachuca (Mexico.1)
3. Zack Steffen, 27 - Columbus Crew (USA.1)
4. Eric Lopez, 23 - Los Angeles Galaxy II (USA.3)
5. Jeff Caldwell, 26 - Virginia (USA.N)
6. Brandon Austin, 23 - Tottenham (England.1)
7. Ben Lundgaard, 26 - Virginia Tech (USA.N)
8. JT Marcinkowski, 25 - Georgetown (USA.N)
9. Tim Melia, 35 - Sporting Kansas City (USA.1)
10. Will Pulisic, 24 - Duke (USA.N)

Bill says: Of any American goalkeeper, Horvath is easily playing at the highest level and the dividends are sure to pay off. Romero will likely end up getting cap-tied with Mexico, but for the moment he's still available for the USMNT, barring a one-time switch to play for the US. Caldwell, Lundgaard, Marcinkowski, and Pulisic lead a very strong collegiate group and are already ready to report to duty.

11. Eric Klenofsky, 27 - DC United (USA.1)
12. Jesse Gonzalez, 27 - FC Dallas (USA.1)
13. Bill Hamid, 31 - DC United (USA.1)
14. Jon Kempin, 29 - Los Angeles Galaxy (USA.1)
15. Joe Bendik, 33 - Orlando City SC (USA.1)
16. John McCarthy, 30 - Philadelphia Union (USA.1)
17. Brendan Moore, 30 - Rochdale (England.3)
18. Paul Christensen, 26 - University of Portland (USA.N)
19. Brad Guzan, 37 - Atlanta United (USA.1)
20. Cody Cropper, 29 - New England Revolution (USA.1)

Bill says: With all the instability in LA and DC, Kempin and Klenofsky are in great positions to take over their respective MLS sides in the next year or two. It sounds like Bill Hamid isn't re-signing with DC United and is headed towards Europe for 2018. Unfortunately he'll be on the wrong side of 30 by the time the next cycle comes around. Of course any goalkeeper can play at 31, but it's a little more of an uphill climb, especially for a goalkeeper who has struggled to stay healthy. Brendan Moore has yet to be a part of a winning team overseas but he's always been a commanding force in the box and it's why he's finding work in England.

21. Richard Sanchez, 28 - Chicago Fire (USA.1)
22. Alex Bono, 28 - Toronto FC (USA.1)
23. Adam Grinwis, 30 - St. Louis FC (USA.3)
24. Tyler Miller, 29 - Seattle Sounders (USA.3)
25. Bobby Edwards, 26 - Monmouth (USA.N)
26. Wade Hamilton, 27 - Portland Timbers II (USA.3)
27. Parker Siegfried, 25 - Ohio State (USA.N)
28. Zac MacMath, 30 - Colorado Rapids (USA.1)
29. Charlie Lyon, 30 - OC Blues FC (USA.3)
30. Spencer Richey, 30 - Vancouver Whitecaps (USA.1)

Bill says: It'll be an odd world where Zac MacMath isn't a young goalkeeper in MLS but 2022 will be just that. Alex Bono bounced back from a mediocre 2016 for a strong showing this year, getting the bulk of starting time in Toronto FC's historic run. With rumors that David Ousted isn't returning to Vancouver next year, Richey will throw his name into the hat for the starting spot in 2018. Lyon's lateral mobility makes him an interesting prospect moving forward and Richard Sanchez resurfaced in MLS this season, already owning a win under his belt.

31. Matt Bersano, 29 - San Jose Earthquakes (USA.1)
32. Todd Morton, 26 - Delaware (USA.N)
33. David Greczek, 27 - Sporting Kansas City (USA.1)
34. Kevin Silva, 24 - UCLA (USA.N)
35. Evan Louro, 26 - New York Red Bulls II (USA.3)
36. Ryan Meara, 31 - New York Red Bulls (USA.1)
37. Earl Edwards, 30 - Orlando City SC (USA.1)
38. Paul Blanchette, 28 - PEPO Lappeenranta (Finland.3)
39. Kyle Dal Santo, 27 - SIUE (USA.N)
40. Cody Mizell, 30 - Charlotte Independence (USA.3)

Bill says: The once heralded Ryan Meara could easily lose favor to up-and-coming goalkeeper Evan Louro, who skipped his last year at Michigan to pursue a career with RBNY. Blanchette has quietly earned 18 starts for third place PEPO. While Morton and Dal Santo are a little off the radar at the moment, they both possess the size and speed to excel at the next level, even if they don't hear their names called next SuperDraft. Kevin Silva is finishing his sophomore season with UCLA but don't expect him to stay all four years. He has the talent and prestige to follow in Louro's footsteps. And perhaps in 2022, FIFA will bump up Bersano's speed rating.

41. Benjamin Machini, 25 - RCD Mallorca (Spain.3)
42. Trevor Spangenberg, 31 - Puerto Rico FC (USA.2)
43. Brad Stuver, 31 - Columbus Crew (USA.1)
44. Travis Worra, 29 - DC United (USA.1)
45. Logan Ketterer, 28 - Columbus Crew (USA.1)
46. Adrian Zendejas, 26 - Sporting Kansas City (USA.1)
47. David Bingham, 32 - San Jose Earthquakes (USA.1)
48. Tyler Deric, 33 - Houston Dynamo (USA.1)
49. Brian Sylvestre, 29 - North Carolina FC (USA.3)
50. Andrew Tarbell, 28 - San Jose Earthquakes (USA.1)

Bill says: While the NASL may not be around by 2022, Spangenberg should be able to build off his strong performances with Puerto Rico to continue to compete for a starting spot somewhere. Similarly, Sylvestre has made positive strides with North Carolina FC and has past experiences in MLS that he may be able to build off of. Tarbell has played ten straight games for San Jose and is the frontrunner to start the 2018 season for the Earthquakes. With Deric's game built so much on his explosive reactions, it'll be interesting to see how he fares in his later years.

51. Bill Heavner, 28 - MLS Pool (USA.1)
52. Jake McGuire, 27 - Philadelphia Union (USA.1)
53. Jonathan Klinsmann, 25 - Hertha BSC (Germany.1)
54. Justin vom Steeg, 25 - Los Angeles Galaxy II (USA.3)
55. Tomas Gomez, 29 - Rochester Rhinos (USA.3)
56. Matt Turner, 28 - New England Revolution (USA.1)
57. Austin Rogers, 26 - FC Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia.1)
58. Sean Johnson, 33 - New York City FC (USA.1)
59. Eric Dick, 27 - Butler (USA.N)
60. Elliott Rubio, 25 - Utah Valley (USA.N)

Bill says: Vom Steeg has recently returned to California from playing abroad and LAG2 put him in goal quick, already earning four starts in the last month. Klinsmann is doing well to already be making inroads with Hertha Berlin. Rogers is taking an unconventional route by playing in Mongolia but he looks like he's getting his money's worth in the Eastern Hemisphere. Gomez has recently become a back-to-back USL Golden Glove winner.

61. Alec Kann, 31 - Atlanta United (USA.1)
62. Connor Sparrow, 28 - Real Salt Lake (USA.1)
63. Carlos dos Santos, 21 - Benfica (Portugal.1)
64. Nick Gardner, 26 - Denver (USA.N)
65. Matthew Jegier, 26 - Elon (USA.N)
66. Jimmy Hague, 27 - Michigan State (USA.N)
67. Michael Nelson, 27 - SMU (USA.N)
68. Bennett Sneddon, 25 - Los Angeles Galaxy II (USA.3)
69. Ryan Cretens, 26 - UNC Wilmington (USA.N)
70. Tim Dobrowolski, 28 - Louisville City FC (USA.3)

Bill says: Admittedly dos Santos is a bit of an surprise pick as he's currently the backup to the U17s. However it's hard not to see shades of David de Gea when you see the young Philadelphian move in goal. Dobrowolski played only two games in 2016 but did well to concede just 11 goals in his 12 appearances with Louisville this year. Garner continues to build off of last year's Goalkeeper of the Year performance in his conference, currently holding a .91 GAA. Young Galaxy goalkeeper Bennett Sneddon has room to grow but the twenty year old is developing well against USL competition.

71. Ben Hale, 24 - Furman (USA.N)
72. Andrew Putna, 27 - Real Monarchs (USA.1)
73. Andrew Shepherd, 27 - Western Michigan (USA.N)
74. Mason Stajduhar, 24 - Orlando City SC (USA.1)
75. Drake Callender, 24 - California (USA.N)
76. Trey Mitchell, 31 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USA.3)
77. Kris Devaux, 31 - Bryne FK (Norway.2)
78. Matt Lampson, 32 - Chicago Fire (USA.1)
79. Evan Finney, 27 - Penn State (USA.N)
80. Joe Willis, 33 - Houston Dynamo (USA.1)

Bill says: Hale had a wonderful start to the season, being named TopDrawerSoccer's national player of the week back in early September. Shepherd assisted the Michigan Bucks' US Open Cup run this spring, topping Indy Eleven to reach the third round. Mason Stajduhar is still searching for his first professional cap but he already has good experience with the U20s. Willis and Lampson will probably hold backup roles by 2022 but their consistency will be the main reason why they'll likely still be playing into their 30s.

81. William Yarbrough, 33 - Leon (Mexico.1)
82. Collin Partee, 27 - Loyola Marymount (USA.N)
83. Drew Romig, 24 - North Carolina (USA.N)
84. Josh Cohen, 29 - Phoenix Rising (USA.3)
85. Keith Cardona, 29 - Indy Eleven (USA.2)
86. Kyle Morton, 28 - Rochester Rhinos (USA.3)
87. Mike Lansing, 28 - Aalborg BK (Denmark.1)
88. Jimmy Slayton, 24 - Hartford (USA.N)
89. Alex Kapp, 27 - Minnesota United FC (USA.3)
90. Jimmy Maurer, 34 - New York Cosmos (USA.2)

Bill says: Many people want Yarbrough to re-enter the USMNT goalkeeping scene, as he's currently sitting top five in saves and clean sheets in the Liga MX's spring season. Unfortunately he'll on the wrong side of 30 by the World Cup. Partee has an option of signing as a Timbers homegrown after this fall. Romig has split time with freshman Alec Smir and junior James Pyle, making the goalkeeper situation in Chapel Hill easily the most competitive in the country.

91. Luis Barraza, 25 - Marquette (USA.N)
92. John Berner, 31 - Colorado Rapids (USA.3)
93. Rafael Diaz, 30 - New York Red Bulls II (USA.3)
94. Kris Schultz, 29 - Canterbury United (New Zealand.1)
95. Dakota Havlick, 25 - Santa Clara (USA.N)
96. James Pyle, 26 - North Carolina (USA.N)
97. Jeff Attinella, 33 - Portland Timbers (USA.1)
98. Brian Rowe, 33 - Los Angeles Galaxy (USA.1)
99. Mark Pais, 31 - Toronto FC (USA.1)
100. Jon Busch, 45 - Indy Eleven (USA.2)

Bill says: Attinella and Rowe enter 2018 nearing, or at, their peak but they only combine for just 100 MLS appearances in their 13 seasons as a professional. (Attinella also has 52 appearances in NASL action.) Continued development is hard to come by for any goalkeeper this late into their career. Barraza has a possibility of an homegrown contract with Real Salt Lake, if the decide to go that direction with the Marquette goalkeeper. Jon Busch should be nearing 700 games played by 2022.