Young Goalkeepers on the Rise Around Europe

cover photo from Getty Images

It’s no secret that Zack Steffen is climbing the ranks at Manchester City. He’s currently projected to be Manchester City’s backup going into the 2020-21 season. However there are a number of up and coming goalkeepers who are in their early twenties are already threatening to unseat their elders. Here’s a quick survey on some promising young goalkeepers to see how Zack Steffen fits in with his peers.

Dean Henderson (Manchester United / England)

Photo from the Independent

For years David De Gea has been the one shining light in a struggling Manchester United side, as adept at shot-stopping as he is at distributing the ball with his feet. Unfortunately for the Spanish international his form took a notable dip during the 19/20 Premier League campaign, this despite the Red Devils starting to make it back into the soccer parlays of many fans. In contrast, the young Dean Henderson was out on loan at surprise package Sheffield United, where many praised him for consistently outperforming De Gea, giving Ole Gunnar Solskjær plenty to ponder during the shortened summer break. The upshot of it all is that Henderson has just been handed a new deal, making it clear that the red half of Manchester view him as their long-term option between the sticks. Henderson fit into Sheffield United’s system well but the jump to Manchester United will require being able to sit for 89 minutes and then make a massive save in the 90th. If Henderson can handle the pressure, don’t be surprised if an exit is paved for David de Gea.

Andrei Radu (Inter Milan / Romania)

Photo from Sempre Inter

This Romanian wonder kid has been wowing everyone with his shot-stopping skills for at least a couple of seasons, being sent out on loan on a consistent basis by Inter, who will probably now look to bring him properly into the fold at the San Siro. The 23-year-old struggled to hold the starting spot for Genoa, to which Inter recalled him for a new loan in the spring. However, his second loan, this time with Parma, was even less fruitful as he sat the bench for most of his time there. There’s no doubt Radu has the ability to make an extraordinary save but dethroning legendary goalkeeper Samir Handanovic will require consistency and handling the simple saves with confidence, which he struggled to do last season.

Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao / Spain)

photo: Rex Features

David De Gea is being pressured on all fronts, because while his position as Manchester United’s number one might be under threat, so too is his national team jersey, with Unai Simón’s performances for the U21 squad and Athletic Bilbao marking him out as a keeper already worth in the region of €30 million. This was all backed up by him holding out for a bumper new five-year deal with the club from the Basque country. Simón is following in Kepa’s footsteps by earning a starting spot at Atletico Bilbao but hopefully Simón will have a more successful time - on which he’ll likely leave for a large transfer fee - at his next club than Kepa has had thus far.

Gianluigi Donnarumma – (AC Milan / Italy)

photo: Getty Images

Italy is always a rich hunting ground for clubs searching for top goalkeeping talent, so it comes as no surprise that the likes of Chelsea are pursuing AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma before he has even had a chance to turn 22 years of age. With Kepa struggling for form and the promise of Champions League football on offer at the London club, Donnarumma may be tempted to go and claim the gloves at Stamford Bridge. Although his large frame will serve him well, the EPL is built on power and speed so Donnarumma’s jump from Italy to England won’t be kind to clumsy mobility, which he’s shown at times last year.

Alexander Nübel – (Bayern Munich / Germany)

Photo: Angelo Blankespoor/Soccrates/Getty Images

You can do a lot worse than following in the footsteps of Oliver Kahn and Manuel Neuer, and that is exactly what Alexander Nübel looks set to do, having signed for Bayern Munich in the summer after impressing for Schalke 04. After the 8-2 trashing over Barcelona and fellow German goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen, Neuer looked like he found the fountain of youth by playing as fluid and aggressive as ever. Although the 23-year-old’s rise to the starting spot may have been delayed a bit with Neuer’s resurgence, it’s something that feels inevitable at this point.

Zack Steffen – (Manchester City / USA)

Photo: Angel Marchini/Getty

Zack Steffen jumps to the number two spot with Claudio Bravo exiting Manchester City. Although some have complained about the lack of games Steffen is likely to see this upcoming season, the highly competitive environment will demand more from the American goalkeeper who has easily won the number one position at every previous stop. Steffen has shown signs of the technical ability to play out of the back, but the decision making has been lacking at various stages in his career. If Steffen can play the front-footed highly possession-oriented football Pep is wanting, he might have a chance to don the sky blue jerseys before long.

Three Goalkeepers Who Would Be a Good Fit for the 2021 NWSL Season

The NWSL is at the foothills of expansion, looking to grow to 10 and 11 in teams in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Racing Louisville FC is set to join the league first with a Los Angeles club following suit, although there are still rumors of Sacramento, Cincinnati, and Austin joining the league soonafter. As the NWSL has the distinction of being the best league in the world, expansion could threaten to drop the level of play if the right players aren’t brought in. Here’s a quick rundown of three goalkeepers who would be a good fit for the NWSL moving forward.

Meline Gerard (30, Real Betis, French)

After being sidelined for nearly 18 months, Gerard returned from an injury to steer Real Betis away from the bottom of the table. The Spanish side only scored 25 goals in 21 games but it was the French goalkeeper’s heroics that helped Real Betis finish with only a -8 goal differential. Gerard carries international prestige with 12 caps for the French national team but has openly admitted her desire to rejoin the French national team after her time away from the field. With longtime starter Sarah Bouhaddi struggling with decision making and conceding troublesome rebounds in the 2019 World Cup and the 2020 Champions League final, the door might be open for Gerard to make a run at France’s number one position at the 2023 World Cup, 2024 Olympics, and 2025 Euro. If Gerard can perform well in the world’s best league, it certainly will thrust her back into the conversation.

Christiane Endler (29, PSG, Chilean)

Endler exploded onto the world stage after her stunning performance against the US in the 2019 World Cup. Despite struggling to nail down the starting spot with her club team before the World Cup started, the Chilean captain’s rare blend of bravery and athleticism propelled her to take over the number one position at PSG, which were ranked 4th in Europe at the start of July. Since Endler became a household name after the 2019 tournament, she might be a good addition for a new NWSL expansion side looking to make a statement as they enter the league.

Sham Khamis (25, Canberra United, Australian)

Sham Khamis is at an exciting point in her career where she’s an established starter, earning her 50th start within Australia’s W-League this past season, yet still has several years ahead of her. For an NWSL goalkeeper coach looking for a project in developing a top goalkeeper, Khamis would be an ideal fit. Khamis’ commitment and range aren’t in question but she can shoot herself in the foot by being overaggressive or missing her angle on a diagonal shot, although both problems are seemingly fixable with a dedicated goalkeeper coach. On the international scene, Australia’s number one, Lydia Williams, moved to Arsenal but with Williams at 32 years old, the Socceroos will likely be looking to transition to the a younger goalkeeper in three or four years. If an NWSL side could prep Khamis for a year to take over the starting spot in her sophomore season, they could also be sporting Australia’s starting goalkeeper when the 2023 World Cup rolls around.

Highlights

Meline Gerard: 6:09
Christiane Endler: 4:56
Sham Khamis: 7:17

Women's Goalkeeper Hall of Fame Bios (2000-2009)

To see the full list of goalkeepers in the Hall of Fame or read more about Weighted Cap Totals (WCT), click here.

2000 - Leslie King (New Zealand, 28 caps / 115 WCT) - King’s career can best be summed up as a perennial athlete. Originally playing softball at Cal State Fullerton, King played shortstop for the New Zealand national softball team for 14 years, earning admittance into the New Zealand Softball Hall of Fame in 2017. The dual-sport athlete first suited up for the New Zealand football team in 1987 and proceeded to play every match until 1994, a total of 28 appearances.

The Football Ferns were a formidable team throughout the 1980s, topping the US, Canada, and Australia in the 1987 World Invitational. In 1991, New Zealand qualified for the World Cup, where King was praised for her goalkeeping, despite the team’s scoring woes. FIFA’s technical report commended King, who “showed great talent with innumerable saves.” In 1993, New Zealand traveled to the US for a second-place finish in the CONCACAF Invitational Tournament before missing out on the 1995 World Cup due to goal differential, whereafter King retired from international play. King’s career is highlighted by her performance in the 1991 World Cup, where she was named captain of the squad and praised as the world’s best goalkeeper by her teammates.

Pioresan and the Brazilian national team before a friendly match against Canada, July 4th, 1996. (From A Tarde)

2001 - Margarete “Meg” Pioresan (Brazil) - Margarete “Meg” Pioresan’s arrival to the Brazilian national football team was delayed due to her success with the national handball team, where she won a the bronze medal team at the 1987 Pan-American Games. Although she was playing football in the early 80s, she quit football altogether in 1985 and even rejected a roster spot for the 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament in favor of pursuing handball. After her retirement from handball in 1989, she returned to the field to focus her efforts on the national football team. In 1991, at 35 years old, Pioresan and Brazil breezed through qualifying to represent South American in the 1991 World Cup. Although the Brazilians were thoroughly defeated by the US in a 5-0 loss, Pioresan’s athleticism and bravery were still apparent even at such a late stage in her career. Pioresan continued on as the national team’s starting goalkeeper for the 1995 World Cup and 1996 Olympics, the latter tournament featuring the Brazilians’ first top-four finish, losing to China 3-2 in the semifinal.

Pioresan won the Taça Brasil de Futebol Feminino (Brazil’s annual tournament) multiple times with EC Radar and CR Vasco da Gama (likely around 5 although the exact number is unknown) and was capped by the national team at least 20 times, if not more. Pioresan retired in 2000, at the age of 44. In 2016, Pioresan was named as the best Brazilian goalkeeper in the team’s 30-year history by Trivela.

Sogliani featured with the Italian National Team, 1982 (Wikipedia)

2002 - Daniela Sogliani (Italy, 27 caps / 71 WCT) - Sogliani was a modern rival to fellow Italian goalkeeper Wilma Seghetti. Although a little shorter than Seghetti, Sogliani remained relevant on both the domestic and international scene for over a decade. Sogliani won the league and Italian Cup with AC Milan in 1975 before becoming Serie A champions three years in a row with Alaska Gelati Lecce (1981-1983), as well as two league cups. With the Italian national team, Sogliani debuted in 1971 and received her last cap in 1982. Most notably, Sogliani was in goal for Italy’s 1971 World Cup run. Although she was only 17, Italy drew eventual champions 1-1 in group play before a surprising loss to Mexico in the semifinals resulted in a third-place finish. Despite the disappointing finish in 1971, Sogliani’s decade long relevancy and longevity was matched by few goalkeepers throughout the 1970s.

Brenzan in 2001 (Getty).

2003 - Giorgia Brenzan (Italy, 111 caps / 168 WCT) - Brenzan’s time with the Italian National Football team stretched from 1982 to 2002, becoming one of the most dominant goalkeepers in the 1990s. Legendary Italian striker, Carolina Morace, bragged of Brenzan’s skills, saying the “whole world envied us” for having Brenzan in goal. In 1991, Brenzan made her first appearance in the European Championship, earning a fourth-place finish with Le Azzurre. Brenzan returned in 1993 and 1997, losing to Norway (1-0) and Germany (2-0) in close defeats, respectively. At the 1999 World Cup, Italy ended up in the Group of Death with Germany, Brazil, and Mexico in the group stage. Brenzan had a respectable run, seeing Italy finish with four points (including a tie against Germany) and conceding only three goals over the three matches.

Brenzan’s international success was not to be outdone by her crowded trophy cabinet from her time in the Serie A. After being a top-half club for the first third of the decade, Brenzan and Torres FO.S. won their first Serie A title in 1994. In 1998 she left Torres for AC Milan, where she won a title in her first year with the club. Brenzan won four Italian Cups (1986, 1988, 1991, 1995), two Italian Super Cups (1998, 1999), and was named the league’s best goalkeeper for four years straight around the turn of the century (exact dates are unknown). From 1990 through 2001, Brenzan’s clubs maintained a .82 goals allowed average, largely due to having one of the world’s best goalkeepers in goal.

2004 - Gao Hong (China) - Gao Hong played for the Chinese national football team from around 1995 to 2000. While Gao’s exact cap count is unknown, she likely had around 110 caps (114 WCT) with the national team. (Hong is listed with 62 caps during coverage of the 1999 semifinal match against Norway.) Although Gao is typically known for the goalkeeper who lost in penalties in the 1999 World Cup Final, Gao was not unfamiliar with the pressure of a shootout. In the semifinal match during the 1995 World Cup, Gao saved two penalties against Sweden, helping China rebound from a disappointing 1991 World Cup to a fourth-place finish in 1995. (Watch the penalty saves here.) A year later, China drew the US 0-0 at the 1996 Olympics, before losing a close 2-1 match for the gold medal a week later. Between the 1995 and 1997 AFC Championships, China conceded one goal and won ten straight matches with Gao in goal. The 1999 edition of the Algarve Cup finished with China as champions, winning 2-1 over the US in the final. At the 2000 Olympics, China would not move past a very difficult group, tying the US 1-1 (where she saved a penalty to maintain the tie) then losing to eventual champions Norway 2-1 on a late goal, ending their shot at the knockout round. After 2000, Gao retired from international play and focused solely on her final years in the WUSA, playing two seasons for the New York Power and reaching the semifinals in 2001.

Similar to Brazil in the first part of the 21st century, China’s lack of trophies doesn’t mean they weren’t on the cusp of winning multiple tournaments around the turn of the century, largely due to their stellar goalkeeping in Gao Hong. Her aggressive play style and bravery off her line could be difficult for her American teammates when playing for the Power, and her scrambling methodology propped China up as an elite side, one that the team hasn’t been able to replicate since Gao’s retirement.

2005 - Pauline Cope (England, 60 caps / 114 WCT) - Once hailed by England manager Ted Copeland as “the best female goalkeeper in the world”, Cope was a mainstay with the English national team from 1995 to 2004. Cope was featured in goal during England’s first World Cup appearance (1995) and England’s semifinal finish in the 1995 Euro. Although the national team struggled with relevancy for the next decade, Cope’s standard of goalkeeping regularly helped England avoid “hideous embarrassment”, as such in the defeats to Norway and Germany in the 1995 World Cup.

Cope’s domestic career featured alternating stints with Arsenal and Millwall, where she amassed 11 trophies from the Premier League National Division (England’s top league), the FA Cup, and the League Cup. In 2004, Cope retired, citing that she “wasn't enjoying it as much as in the past” In 2008 she was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, where she praised by former teammate and then-current English manager Hope Powell as “a tremendous presence in goal for England. She had no fear, which is a great attribute, but there was more to her goalkeeping than courage. She also had great ability in terms of positioning and shot-stopping. As a character in the dressing room, she was very competitive, and she had a huge influence on the side.”

2006 - Svetlana Petko (Russia, 144 caps / 199 WCT) - For a decade and a half, Petko oversaw the peak years in Russian football. Petko was in goal for the 1999 World Cup, where Russia advanced from the group stage with surprise drubbings over Japan and Canada. Petko followed up the historic finish - one that has not been topped to date - with a 7th place finish at the 2001 Euro. In 2002, Russia climbed to be a top ten team in the world. Their golden age of football would span from 1999 to 2005, before stumbling back down the rankings.

In the Russian Football Championship, Petko retired as a decorated player. Petko won the league with Interros Moscow (1992) and CSK VVS Samara (1994, 1996, and 2001), along with five more top-three finishes. Petko won the Russian Cup twice (Interros Moscow, 1992 and CSK VVS Samara, 1994) and reached the final in 1995 and 1996 as well. In 2003, CSK VVS Samara made it to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal before losing to Arsenal.

In 2013, Petko was named to the 25th-anniversary team for the Russian national team. Petko holds the record for most caps received with 144 appearances.

2007 - Stefania Antonini (Italy, 32 caps / 44 WCT) - Combined with fellow Italian goalkeeper Eva Russo’s suspension and winning the Serie A league title with Reggiana Zambelli in the spring of 1990, Stefania Antonini made her first appearance with the national team at 20 years old. Over the course of the next year, Antonini was in goal for Italy’s sixth-place finish at the 1991 World Cup, losing to eventual runner-ups, Norway, in a 3-2 extra-time loss. Antonini was featured in and out of the national team for five years as well as all of the three Euro campaigns in 1991, 1993, and 1995, although she split appearances with Giorgia Brenzan. Despite struggling to find a consistent club environment, Antonini won five Serie A titles (1990, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1998) and three Italian Cups (1992, 1993, 1994).

Antonini’s career was cut short, not for injury but by her own hand. After the 1998-99 season, Antonini hadn’t been called into the national team since 1996 and was frustrated at the lack of stability in the Serie A. After playing for four different clubs in six years, Antonini announced her retirement at the age of 29. The Dizionario del Calcio Italiano describes Antonini as a “rare talent… capable of making extraordinary acrobatic saves” and teammate Carolina Morace praised Antonini in 1990, saying, “she is only twenty years old but leads the defense with the determination and authority of the champion.” (translated from Italian, May 1990)

2008 - Marleen Wissink (Netherlands, 141 caps / 230 WCT) - For almost 20 years, Wissink was nearly the only goalkeeper featured for the Dutch national team. Although the Netherlands struggled to reach any serious notoriety, the back half of the 90s saw some positive moments. In 1996, the Netherlands earned a 3-1 victory of the US and followed it up with surprising wins over Russia and the Czech Republic in the 1997 Euro qualifying. The next year, the Netherlands had a respectable showing in the qualifying process for the 1999 World Cup, even pulling out a shocking 1-0 win over Germany. Although the Dutch struggled to find a consistent stream of goals, their defensive prowess in Wissink always kept games close. Over the course of seven years (1994-2000), the Netherlands only lost by more than one goal twelve times, despite not qualifying for a major tournament until 2009.

While Wissink’s international accolades were fairly limited, to say she excelled on the club scene is an understatement. Through her decade long tenure with 1.FFC Frankfurt, Wissink won the German Cup five times (1999-03), the Bundesliga another five times (1999, 2001-03, 2005), and the UEFA Women’s Cup twice (2002 and 2006). In a time when fielding a foreign goalkeeper was rare, Wissink’s run with a dominant German team stands out as an impressive achievement.

2009 - Silke Rottenberg (Germany, 125 caps / 124 WCT) - Rottenberg enters the Hall of Fame as one of the most decorated goalkeepers of all-time. On the heels of her winning her first Bundesliga title in 1992 (the other four coming in 94, 96, 07, 08), Rottenberg received her first start with the national team in 1993. Four years later, Germany won the 1997 Euro with Rottenberg at the helm, conceding only one goal over the five games and shutting out Italy 2-0 in the final. At the 1999 World Cup, Germany struggled to match the success, finishing 8th after a 3-2 loss to the USA. However, Germany would capture revenge four years later, topping the United States at the 2003 World Cup in-route to Germany’s first of two World Cup titles. Rottenberg was slated to start at the 2007 World Cup, which Germany also won, before a cruciate ligament tear would sideline her in favor of a young Nadine Angerer.

Over the course of a two-decade professional career, Rottenberg won the World Cup (2003), the Euro three times (1997, 2001, 2005), the Champions League (2008), the Bundesliga five times (1992, 1994, 1996, 2007, 2008), the German Cup (1991, 1993) as well as two bronze finishes at the Olympics (2000, 2004) and the second-ever women’s treble (2008). Rottenberg’s relevancy in both club and international play has rarely been matched, before or since.

Click here to return to the main page for the complete list of goalkeepers

The Future of the USMNT: The 15 Best U24 American Goalkeepers

cover photo from Stanford Athletics

After surveying the up-and-coming goalkeepers in the women’s game last month, we return to dive into the USMNT goalkeeping pool. Building off the previous scouting reports, the following goalkeepers are given a current and projected ranking, as well as evaluating the goalkeepers on the same nine categories. Although the limited ratings do not completely encompass the position, the brief survey and following paragraph for each goalkeeper is intended to give a decent foundation for new observers in understanding each goalkeeper’s approach to the position.

A 1-7 scale is used to gauge each goalkeeper. A “7” is a world-class level, a “4” is a low professional or high Division I collegiate goalkeeper, and a “1” is dreadful. Numbers in green are the current rankings for each goalkeeper, while the numbers in gold are projections of where they are expected to end up. Definitions for each category can be found at the bottom.

The 15 Best U24 American Goalkeepers

1. CJ dos Santos (Benfica) - 19

Scouting Report: CJ dos Santos embraces the Benfica spirit of playing a high line at all costs. Constantly active in the offensive build, dos Santos is also quick to snuff out through balls and breakaways. Although he can get a little over-reliant on using his speed to solve counters on goal, which can make him impatient with slow attacks in the final third, his ability to read the game and explosiveness help him cover more of the goal than goalkeepers who solely rely on their speed.

2. Rocco Rios Novo (Club Atletico Lanus) - 18

Scouting Report: The former U17 Argentine goalkeeper, Rocco Rios Novo, has a fair amount of parallels to Zack Steffen. Playing with an impressive amount of poise, Novo lets the game come to him and never looks overwhelmed with the odds aren’t in his favor. Novo was born in Los Angeles but he’s already played for Argentina’s U17 national team multiple times, including their ninth-place finish in the 2019 U17 World Cup, making his switch to the US very unlikely.

3. Andrew Thomas (Stanford University) - 21

Scouting Report: Andrew Thomas joined Stanford University after spending a year inside Watford FC’s youth academy. Thomas gained some notoriety after his penalty heroics against Seattle and Clemson in last year’s national tournament before looking a little out of sorts against Georgetown in the semifinal. Thomas’s issues will rarely ever be found in his prep work, possessing a fantastic eye for the play and an impeccable balance to respond to any situation, but his athleticism’s ceiling will likely dictate just how far his career can go.

4. Victor Vidal (Lleida Esportiu) - 20

Scouting Report: Victor Vidal instills many common traits of Spanish goalkeepers: high mobility and an eagerness to get involved with building out of the back. As of recent, Vidal has struggled with playing time, earning only spare minutes over the past couple of years. If Vidal can get a heavier commitment from a club, he could go from just another goalkeeper in Spain’s lower divisions to a top prospect for the USMNT.

5. Ethan Wady (Chelsea) - 18

Scouting Report: Ethan Wady clocks in at 6’4” and he looks every bit of it. Wady is at the bottom of a long depth chart, featuring youth internationals from Croatia, England, Finland, and Ivory Coast ahead of him. As for any goalkeeper blessed with height, cleaning up footwork to take advantage of his imposing frame. If Wady can make the tiny, micro-movements with ease, he should have a bright future ahead of him.

6. Brooks Thompson (Sporting Kansas City) - 18

Scouting Report: Brooks Thompson has long been rumored to be a top prospect within higher up goalkeeping circles. This season, Thompson played four of the first six matches for SKC II and has yet to look out of place. Thompson shows signs of a career beyond MLS but mobility and explosiveness don’t always come naturally for 6’4” goalkeepers. If SKC can continue to develop Thompson, they may be looking at a decent transfer fee sooner than later.

7. John Pulskamp (Sporting Kansas City) - 19

Scouting Report: John Pulskamp trialed with Bournemouth AFC in the summer of 2018 before returning stateside with Sporting Kansas City. Pulskamp’s 2019 campaign with SKC II wasn’t pretty - conceding 34 goals in 14 games and finishing dead last the goals saved above replacement - but the shelling didn’t seem to waver Pulskamp’s confidence. Building off a strong resolve will carry any goalkeeper far but now Pulskamp must increase his “bubble” in terms of how much of the goal he can cover if he’s wanting to make a run as an MLS starter.

8. Chituru Odunze (Leicester City) - 17

Scouting Report: Chituru Odunze broke onto the scene last year by signing for Leicester City and taking over the number one spot at the 2019 U17 World Cup. Odunze’s size is hard to overlook but there are many questions surrounding his non-shot stopping attributes. Striking a ball seems a bit of a chore for Odunze and handling crosses isn’t his specialty, despite the size. Leicester City should be an ideal environment for Odunze to round out his game but he has some work ahead of him.

9. Damian Las (Fulham) - 18

Scouting Report: Damian Las left the Chicago Fire for Fulham last fall and was regularly featured with Fulham’s U18s right up until the break for COVID-19. Las has a good eye for the play and never backs down from a challenge but speed of play has been a thorn in the 18-year-old’s side. Las has all the tools to be successful but the last checkbox is finding the rhythm of the game’s demands and responding to them in correct time.

10. Luca Lewis (Torino) - 19

Scouting Report: Luca Lewis has spent time with the US U20s and had some notable backing from Torino over the past two years, getting plenty of playing time with the Italian club’s youth teams. While Lewis isn’t error-prone, he has a knack for the dramatics and making chances on goal seem more complicated than need be. Lewis’ ceiling will follow his ability to make more of the game look manageable and instilling some calmness in handling what the opposition has to offer.

11. Evan Louro (Tampa Bay Rowdies) - 24

Scouting Report: New York Red Bulls fans should be familiar with Louro, who joined the Red Bulls academy in 2008. For close to a decade, many assumed Louro would be the answer for the post-Robles era but instead the Michigan alum is making waves for himself in Tampa. Louro has the unique ability of possessing a game-changing save but the consistency of executing it is still in question. Louro was number one in goals saved above replacement in USL action last year so his time until he arrives in MLS is less a matter of “if” but “when”.

12. Nicholas Defreitas-Hansen (Everton) - 19

Scouting Report: Nicholas Defreitas-Hansen is easily the most rounded out goalkeeper in the crop and his projection follows suit. There are pros and cons to being so even across the board, but perhaps the most concerning aspect is going under the radar without having any standout quality. On the other hand, some managers want a goalkeeper who can cover every aspect of the game. Defreitas-Hansen’s future is only made cloudier by the fact that he’s represented both the US’s and Denmark’s youth national teams.

13. JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes) - 23

Scouting Report: JT Marcinkowski has played at virtually every level for the USYNTs but his time since leaving Georgetown University has been a tumultuous one. Marcinkowski is extremely quick and handles crosses well (a rare trait for a USYNT goalkeeper) but seems to get tied up on atypical situations. Too often it feels like Marcinkowski is getting beat by goals that aren’t outright howlers but are ones he’s more than capable of saving. Marcinkowski looks clean from shots atop the 18 but outside of that it’s a gray area.

14. Justin Vom Steeg (Los Angeles Galaxy) - 23

Scouting Report: Justin Vom Steeg is at a point where he’s due for more responsibility. At 23, if Vom Steeg has any aspirations for playing beyond MLS, he doesn’t need to be playing against teenagers anymore. Vom Steeg is another goalkeeper with all the tools but his decision making can be spotty at times. If Vom Steeg can find a good balance between timid and tense and continue to push his ceiling, he should be able to make a run at an MLS starting spot.

15. Jonathan Klinsmann (Free Agent) - 23

Scouting Report: At the start of the month, it was quietly announced that Jonathan Klinsmann would not be returning to his Swiss club, St. Gallen. Klinsmann’s career has felt like one step forward, one step backward and this exit doesn’t help Klinsmann’s momentum. Klinsmann’s next step will be an interesting one but his chances at getting to an MLS-equivalent level seem to be closing quickly.

Technical

• Footwork, Angle Play – Efficiency in micro-adjustments, balance, and angles taken vs. shooter

• Hands – The goalkeeper’s ability to hold shots, prevent easy rebounds, and drop crosses

• Distribution – Success with distribution from throws, balls from ground, and punts

Athleticism

• Post-to-Post time – Acceleration speed for goalkeepers’ forward and lateral (post-to-post) movement

• Explosiveness – A goalkeeper’s ability to cover the goal width as well as reaction speed. A good “shot-stopper” will have high explosiveness and footwork ratings

• Breakaways –  Success in 1v1 situations and generally handling through balls

Tactical

• Crossing – Comfortability with incoming aerial service on crosses, free kicks, and corners

• Improvisation – A goalkeeper’s success can solve an unfamiliar situation.

• Consistency – How often a goalkeeper is playing to their top ability. Inversely it takes into account how often a goalkeeper gives up a soft goal. A “clutch” goalkeeper will have a high consistency rating as well.