Figure 1 US keepers no longer dominate the top leagues in Europe - Source: Unsplash
There used to be a time when the English Premier League was a home away from home for American keepers. Tim Howard, Kasey Keller, and Brad Friedel are just three who performed for a number of elite clubs in what is considered by many to be the best league in the world. It is certainly one of the toughest – and US keepers dominated in the 1990s and 2000s. But things have changed recently.
There are still US keepers signing for English clubs but they are not having the same impact as some of those giants of the past. In what could be taken as a good sign for the domestic league, Major League Soccer has provided a few number ones in recent years, but it is still a sign of American athletes making it in soccer for them to be playing in the biggest leagues in Europe.
If you are looking on any of the best soccer betting apps to back a goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet, it is questionable whether you would automatically pick an American – as you may well have done a few years ago. Is this just a case of a hugely talented era of keepers leaving the game? Or has the rest of the world caught up? There are still some very good keepers coming from the US and playing abroad. Here’s an update on some of the best current American custodians.
Matt Turner
Considered to be the number one choice for the USNMT, Turner has one of the more interesting career stories in modern soccer. After initially not being drafted and playing two seasons in the USL for the Richmond Kickers, he became one of the best in the MLS, winning a Supporters’ Shield with New England. That success brought him to the attention of Europe.
Arsenal signed Turner in 2022 but he was only used as backup in North London before moving to Nottingham Forest, in the club’ second year back in the top flight. This looked like being the move that cemented Turner’s place as a top keeper but some high-profile mistakes saw him lose his place in the team and eventually out of the club. He is now mostly warming the bench at Crystal Palace and could probably do with another move for regular game time.
Patrick Schulte
One of the new hopes for US keepers, Schulte is concentrating on plying his trade on home soil – and that plan has seemed to work so far. After playing club and college soccer in his home state of Missouri, Schulte was taken 12th overall by the Columbus Crew in the MLS SuperDraft.
Schulte leapt at the chance to stake a claim for the number one jersey after impressing for the second team in Columbus and became the regular starter in 2023. He has won an MLS Cup and a Leagues Cup and played a major role in the Crew’s run to the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup last year. He has already played for the national team and, at just 24 years old, could be the main man sooner rather than later.
Ethan Horvath
Horvath’s career could be seen as a perfect example of the current state of US keepers. After an impressive start as a professional in Norway, he became a regular for Club Brugge, one of the top clubs in Belgium, and looked like he might be able to stake a claim to be the USMNT number one.
A move to Nottingham Forest, still in the second-tier Championship at the point, provided little in the way of game time and a more profitable spell on loan with Luton boosted his credentials as a backup to Matt Turner in the national squad. Horvath has remained in the Championship, signing for Cardiff in 2023, but continues to struggle to break through to become a club’s first choice.
Gaga Slonina
The second youngest signing in MLS history – and the youngest ever for the Chicago Fire – Gabriel “Gaga” Slonina began his professional career at just 14 and has been earmarked for success ever since. He was only 17 when he played his first MLS game and, just a year later, moved to Chelsea of the EPL.
It was not expected that Slonina would be able to break into the first-team squad at Stamford Bridge but just being part of the roster has seen him play regularly on loan for Eupen in Belgium and more recently for Barnsley in the third tier of English soccer. He started off well there but was dropped before suffering an injury that saw him return to his parent club. He is still very young but a next loan move is important as he looks to become a regular starter.
Figure 2 Some high-profile mistakes have been costly for a number of American keepers - Source: Unsplash
Zack Steffen
Although Steffan is only 29, it does feel as though he has stepped back from trying to become one of the top keepers in European soccer and concentrate on playing regularly instead. He has made appearances for a number of clubs in Germany, as well as a career highlight of winning a cup final with Manchester City.
Now back in MLS with the Colorado Rapids, he is benefitting from regular game time and is consistently included in USMNT squads. Although he could probably still play in some of the top leagues in Europe, Steffan has shown that actual appearances are important and could well become one of the best in Major League Soccer over the next few years.
