Women's Goalkeeper Hall of Fame

The Women’s Goalkeeper Hall of Fame honors the top goalkeepers in the history of women’s football. Starting in 1990, the Hall of Fame retroactively inducted the most qualified retired goalkeeper from each respective year and continued forward with an annual recipient. Eligible goalkeepers for the Hall of Fame are evaluated on their international and domestic accolades and the goalkeeper’s overall ability.

To help evaluate a goalkeeper’s playing career with proper context, Weighted Cap Total (WCT) is used as a guideline. WCT balances a player’s international appearances based on the number of available games during the player’s ages from 19-34 to show if the player’s cap count is inflated (due to an above-average amount of available games to play) or undervalued (due to a lack of available games). For example, if player A had the opportunity to play in 500 games during their career while player B only had 125 available matches, player A’s WCT would be cut in half while player B’s would be doubled, as the latter had fewer opportunities to receive caps.

Each goalkeeper is listed with their current cap total, their WCT, and highlights from their career. To learn more about each goalkeeper and why they’re considered one of the best goalkeepers of all time, click their name to read a short biography on their playing career.

Legend

* - estimates
RU = runner-up
SF = semifinal
WC = World Cup
Oly - Olympics
QF - Qualifying

Year Goalkeeper Country Caps WCT Major Accomplishments
1990 Annie Hastie England --- --- Dick, Kerr Ladies FC
1991 Wilma Seghetti Italy 35* 83* '70 WC RU, '79 Euro RU
1992 Birte Kjems Denmark 12* 48* 1971 WC Winner
1993 Marianne Riis Denmark 27 84 1979 Euro Winner
1994 Sue Buckett England 30 170 8x FA Cup Winner
1995 Theresa Wiseman England 60 167 1984 Euro RU
1996 Elisabeth Leidinge Sweden 112 239 '84 Euro Winner, '91 WC 3rd
1997 Marion Isbert Germany 58 85 '89/91 Euro Winner, '95 WC RU
1998 Manuela Goller Germany 45 47 '95 WC RU, '95 Euro Winner
1999 Eva Russo Italy 57 87 '84/86 Mundalito Winner
2000 Leslie King New Zealand 28 115 1991 WC Standout
2001 Margarete Pioresan Brazil 22* 212* 1996 Olympics 4th
2002 Daniela Sogliani Italy 27 71 1971 WC 3rd
2003 Giorgia Brenzan Italy 111 168 '93/97 Euro RU
2004 Gao Hong China 110* 114* '96 Olympics RU, '99 WC RU
2005 Pauline Cope England 60 114 '95 Euro SF, '95 WC 7th
2006 Svetlana Petko Russia 144 199 '99 WC 5th, '97/01 Euro
2007 Stefania Antonini Italy 32 44 '91 WC 6th, 5x Serie A Champ
2008 Marleen Wissink Netherlands 141 230 4x Euro QF, 6x Bundesliga Champ
2009 Silke Rottenberg Germany 125 124 '03 WC Winner, '00/04 Oly 3rd
2010 Bente Nordby Norway 172 159 '95 WC Winner, '00 Oly Winner
2011 Briana Scurry USA 175 125 '96/04 Oly Winner, '99 WC Winner
2012 Sandrine Roux France 70 127 6x French League Champ, '97 Euro 6th
2013 Caroline Jönsson Sweden 80 72 '01 Euro RU, '03 WC RU
2014 Carla Brunozzi Italy 55 66 3x Serie A, 2x Italian Cup
2015 Ursula Holl Germany 5 4 2x UEFA CL, 3x Bundesliga Champ
2016 Nadine Angerer Germany 146 134 '07 WC Winner, 2013 FIFA POTY
2017 Hope Solo USA 202 119 '15 WC Winner, '08/12 Oly Winner
2018 Emma Byrne Ireland 134 256 11x English League Champion
2019 Precious Dede Nigeria 99 182 '04 Oly 6th, 4x WC Starter
2020 Ingrid Hjelmseth Norway 138 125 2013 Euro RU, 2009 Euro SF
2021 Rachel Brown-Finnis England 82 98 '10 FA Cup, '07 WC 7th, '09 Euro 2nd
2022 Sari van Veenendaal Netherlands 91 109 '17 Euro, '19 WC RU, '19 World Best XI
2023 Karen Bardsley England 81 92 '15 WC 3rd, 8 trophies w/Man City
2024 Stephanie Labbé Canada 86 91 '16 Oly 3rd, '19 NWSL, '21 Oly Gold

World Goalkeeping Report Card

cover photo from fcbarcelonanoticias.com

In an attempt to survey the world standard for goalkeeping, Everybody Soccer enters 2023 with a deep dive on the top 50 nations when it comes to the goalkeeping department. Each country is graded on three categories:

  1. National Team production

  2. Domestic League level of play

  3. Youth National Team development

For the top fifty countries, the most common grade given out was a C to maintain a decent but not impossible standard to reach.

For the most part, the top 25 countries have excelled in two if not all three categories. Although there are some exceptions, a good goalkeeping nation will not only have a clear pathway for young goalkeepers to reach their ceiling, but also have the depth that the next 25 nations do not possess.

Nations ranked 26-50 each have one strong aspect to their goalkeeping production. Whether it is a strong national team starter, a handful of talented internationals in their domestic league, or a promising, young core, as in Ireland’s case, these countries are close to reaching another level but haven’t quite reached it.

NCAA Men's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2022)

Seniors

1. Jassem Koleilat (New Hampshire, Canada)
2. Oliver Semmle (Marshall, Germany)
3. Dominic Peters (San Diego)
4. Kris Shakes (Penn State)
5. Michael Collodi (Columbia)
6. Ryan Troutman (Louisville)
7. Jonathan Burke (Drake)
8. Holden Trent (High Point)
9. Matt Frank (Stanford)
10. Marco Saborio Perez (North Carolina, Costa Rica)

One to Watch: Marco Saborio Perez. Saborio Perez leaves UNC with only five appearances to his name in the four years at Chapel Hill. However, the former Costa Rican YNT and New England Revs academy product came in with a lot of buzz and is clearly still trying to carve a route forward for himself. Saborio Perez needs minutes ASAP to keep his momentum going in the right way, which raises questions about his options going forward. He reportedly holds a Swiss passport that could get him to Europe but could also return to the college game with two years of eligibility remaining on the table. Keep an eye out to see how this once highly touted goalkeeper keeps his career alive.

Juniors

1. Jacob Castro (San Diego State)
2. Edu Rodriguez (Campbell, Spain)
3. James Lowell (Maryland)
4. Lute Lillo Portero (Omaha, Spain)
5. Ryan Schewe (Georgetown)
6. John Harms (Indiana)
7. Sam Fowler (Washington)
8. Holden Brown (Virginia)
9. Brendan Graves (Bowling Green)
10. Kash Oladapo (St. Mary's)

One to Watch: Edu Rodriguez. Rodriguez is one of the more complete goalkeepers in the college game. Unfortunately for foreign goalkeepers in the NCAA, their chances of signing with an MLS team are drastically lowered due to roster restrictions. And despite a global dominance in goalkeeping standards, Spanish goalkeeping isn’t rated among most American coaches. Add in the additional hurdle that Campbell isn’t typically known as a goalkeeper powerhouse, Rodriguez has his work cut out for him to catch on in the US after his time in college winds down.

Sophomores

1. Ben Martino (Virginia Tech)
2. Eoin Gawronski (Temple)
3. Trace Alphin (Wake Forest)
4. Luca Hatsios (NC State)
5. Alex Lopez (Tulsa, Spain)
6. Nathanael Sallah (Omaha, Germany)
7. Alex Bobocea (Loyola MD)
8. Colin Welsh (Memphis)
9. Nate Crockford (UCLA)
10. Brennan Klein (Boston College)

One to Watch: A lead goalkeeper. Typically classes have a goalkeeper or two that break away from the bunch but so far none have impressed to that level. For each goalkeeper listed, we’ve seen positives and negatives in their game thus far. The sophomore year for any goalkeeper is a tough transition as they’re finally starting to find their rhythm, yet they simultaneously need to start becoming a leader on the team. Be prepared to see massive changes in these names going forward as we’re due for a star goalkeeper in the sophomore class.

Freshmen

1. Jay Hibbert (Connecticut)
2. Paul Walters (Northwestern)
3. Andrew Cordes (North Carolina)
4. Mitchell Budler (Akron)
5. Alex Aitken (Houston Baptist, England)
6. Ryan Friedberg (Cornell)
7. Landon Carter (Utah Valley)
8. Seth Wilson (Akron)
9. Matt Tibbetts (American)
10. Michael Sly (Oakland)

One to Watch: Andrew Cordes. UNC hasn’t had a goalkeeper who started all four years since Michael Ueltschey graduated in 2001 and Cordes is on track to become the next one. Cordes received the bulk of the minutes this season (splitting with Saborio Perez) and seems prime to have a clear runway for the next three years. Cordes has a nice control on his movement in the box, keeping it light without distracting himself with busy footwork to find the “perfect” positioning. There’s a simplicity to his game that has worked very well for him. If there’s one name MLS scouts are starting to circle from this class, it’s likely Cordes.

NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2022)

cover photo belongs to Duke Athletics

Seniors

1. Ruthie Jones (Duke)
2. Angelina Anderson (California)
3. Megan Plaschko (Minnesota)
4. Marz Josephson (North Carolina)
5. Kayza Massey (West Virginia, Canada)
6. Madeline Smith (Maryland)
7. Lauren Brzykcy (UCLA)
8. Meagan McClelland (Rutgers)
9. Lyza Bosselmann (Gonzaga)
10. McKinley Crone (Alabama)

11. Jordan Silkowitz (Iowa State)
12. Mackenzie Wood (Notre Dame)
13. Lauren Kozal (Michigan State)
14. Katherine Asman (Penn State)
15. Monica Wilhelm (Iowa)
16. Heather Hinz (South Carolina)
17. Olivia Sekany (Washington)
18. Charlotte Cyr (Dartmouth)
19. Lindsey Romig (Tennessee)
20. Ashley Orkus (Mississippi)

One to Watch: Marz Josephson. Josephson’s time at UNC was quite the tumultuous one. Earning only 1161 minutes (equivalent to 13 games) in four years, Josephson is currently sitting on two more years of eligibility due to the infamous “covid year” that every player, parent, and coach has heard about over and over. As for Josephson’s path forward, it can go in several directions. For a player whose collegiate career was so stop-and-go within a highly competitive environment and sought-after minutes, it’s quite common to see a player finish out their eligibility with stability and less stress by finding a university that will commit to giving her the bulk of the minutes. However, if Josephson is eyeing the pros, don’t be surprised to see her keep her foot on the gas and re-enter a highly competitive environment to best prepare her for the next level, whether at another university or with a professional side. Whichever path she chooses, it’s certain Jospheson has plenty of “gas left in the tank” to make some noise for next fall, if she chooses that route.

Juniors

1. Maria Echezarreta (NC State, Spain)
2. Macy Enneking (Iowa)
3. Cristina Roque (Florida State, Puerto Rico)
4. Lauren Traywick (Baylor)
5. Leah Freeman (Oregon)
6. Ryan Campbell (Stanford)
7. Hailey Coll (Oregon State)
8. Anna Karpenko (Harvard, Canada)
9. Halle Mackiewicz (Clemson)
10. Maddy Anderson (Mississippi State)

One to Watch: Maria Echezarreta. If there’s one takeaway from goalkeepers over the 2022 season, it’s that we need more variety in the NCAA. Echezarreta brings a breath of fresh air to the position by taking on a level of responsibility that we rarely see for division I programs. The Spanish YNT goalkeeper focuses on preventing the opposition’s ability to create goal chances through distribution and organization, whereas American goalkeepers are typically more focused on putting all their eggs in the shot-stopping basket. I don’t think many are doubting Echezarreta’s ability to play at the next level, although there is a gray question of “where?” Does an NWSL team get ready to pounce? Does one of the top Spanish clubs attempt to continue her development or will a midtable team put her in goal immediately? Or does a non-Spanish side with high aspirations in the Champions League look to make an attractive offer? There are several directions forward, one that hopefully leaves a pathway for more Spanish goalkeepers in the college ranks.

Sophomores

1. Mia Justus (Florida State)
2. Liz Beardsley (Georgia)
3. Wiebke Willebrandt (Boston College, Germany)
4. Tyler McCamey (Princeton)
5. Savanna Mason (BYU)
6. Maya Bellomo (Yale)
7. Trinity Corcoran (Northern Arizona)
8. Shu Ohba (East Tennessee State, Japan)
9. Haley Craig (Stanford)
10. Bella Grust (Colorado)

One to Watch: Liz Beardsley. Georgia recorded their first 13-win season since 2011 and not without the help of the Florida native in goal. Beardsley employs a level of chaoticness in goal by playing a deep line while simultaneously being more than eager to throw her body into the fray. The lanky-yet-mobile combo is an increasingly popular trend for a reason and the sophomore Bulldog has repeatedly shown why with her high flying saves. If Beardsley can continue to shore up her response in atypical situations where something has gone wrong in the box, look for her to become a frontrunner to join the NWSL in a few years.

Freshmen

1. Emmie Allen (North Carolina)
2. Neeku Purcell (UCLA)
3. Erynn Floyd (Louisville)
4. Teagan Wy (California)
5. Bella Schopp (Brown)
6. Pauline Nelles (Arizona State, Germany)
7. Cara Martin (Georgetown)
8. Olivia Ramey (Oklahoma)
9. Caroline Duffy (Duke)
10. Reiley Fitzpatrick (Northwestern)

One to Watch: Erynn Floyd. Don’t let Louisville’s 6-8-2 record fool you, a true freshman starting in goal for any ACC squad is a tall order. Floyd started 14 of the 16 matches and displayed a rarely-seen composure in net, moving in sync with the quick play and showing a decisive mindset without hesitation. Similar to Beardsley, Floyd looks most comfortable playing near the goal line but she has a “bet on yourself” energy that encourages her to explore all the corners of the 18. If she can continue to embrace more responsibility within the game, Floyd could be yet another non-USYNT goalkeeper that makes a strong run in the professional game.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2022: Preseason
2021: Final
2020: Preseason and Final
2019: Preseason and Final
2018: Preseason and Final
2017: Preseason and Final
2016: Preseason and Final
2015: Preseason and Final