The 24 Best U24 American Goalkeepers

If you were to ask either the USWNT or USMNT fanbase about who the starting goalkeeper should be for the upcoming World Cups, brace yourself for the variety of answers you’ll receive. Gone are the days when Hope Solo and Tim Howard were unanimous picks. The lack of consensus is partly due to the plethora of encouraging prospects but mostly because of the dearth of convincing performances of young goalkeeper with their professional sides. And while it may take longer to integrate new faces into the national team - Aubrey Kingsbury didn’t receive her first cap until 30, despite winning two NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year awards prior to - there are a number of fans who are vocal about their willingness to hand the keys to the car over to the prospects immediately. So let’s take a look at our country’s top prospects under the age of 24.

Diving into the top U24 goalkeepers gives us an idea of what the rising talent pool looks like, although not to say that goalkeepers older than 24 are set in their ways with no outlook on development. But for these U24 goalkeepers, the rankings are centered on a combination of current form and projected ability to succeed at the next level. Younger goalkeepers receive less of a bump for potential, as they’re largely unproven, while the older goalkeepers are nearing their finished level. Ultimately, the group is sorted by their likelihood of reaching their respective senior national team, as viewed by Everybody Soccer.

USWNT Prospects

1. Izzy Lee, 22 - Illinois
2. Mia Justus, 23 - Utah Royals
3. Elizabeth Beardsley, 23 - Tampa Bay Sun
4. Liv Geller, 20 - TCU
5. Sonoma Kasica, 20 - Notre Dame
6. Victoria Safradin, 21 - Virginia

7. Olivia Shippee, 21 - Boston College
8. Teagan Wy, 22 - Gotham FC
9. Keegan Smith, 20 - Arkansas
10. Emmie Allen, 23 - Bay FC
11. Kate Ockene, 19 - Florida State
12. Caroline Dysart, 20 - Duke

13. Caroline Birkel, 19 - Stanford
14. Noe Henning, 19 - Michigan State
15. Jayden Emmanuel, 22 - Florida
16. Ellie Goodrich, 21 - Old Dominion
17. Aubrey Brown, 21 - SMU
18. Valentina Amaral, 21 - Wake Forest

19. Evan O'Steen, 18 - Seattle Reign
20. Annabel Austen, 22 - USC
21. Neeku Purcell, 22 - Seattle Reign
22. Cameron Gabrielson, 21 - Georgetown
23. Jordan Nytes, 22 - Denver Summit
24. Molly Pritchard, 22 - North Carolina Courage

TCU goalkeeper, Liv Geller, looks to collect more hardware in 2026.

Bill says: The USWNT largely breaks down into two categories: athletes and gamers. Although there are some hybrids at the top of the list, goalkeepers like Kasica, Wy, Emmanuel, Brown, and Pritchard all have eyebrow-raising saves in their arsenal but their development now rests on their ability to absorb more responsibility in the game outside of shot-stopping. On the other side of the coin, goalkeepers like Geller, Ockene, and O’Steen aren’t the towering goalkeepers one might expect, yet they welcome some of the more complex moments of the game through grit and good goalkeeping intuition. But can they compete at the next level or will they always be a step behind?

All that to say, the pool feels a little incomplete. Whereas the men’s prospects are typically over-crafted and edging on a soulless, robotic entities in between the posts, the women’s pool leans the other way with goalkeepers relying heavily on their improvability. It’s a sense of relief that there aren’t any robots in the women’s game so obsessed with being hyper-technical, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t significant work to do.

Atop the mountain sit Lee, Justus, and Beardsley, who have all had impressive moments with their limited action and are just waiting on their chance to take over an NWSL side.

USWNT goalkeeper prodigies are often untested but, if things line up, their stock can skyrocket overnight. Unfortunately, none of them have a clear pathway forward, as even the professional goalkeepers have struggled to obtain consistent play time. But one thing is clear: for a goalkeeper to make it to the senior national team, they have to be playing in a top league in the world. Typically that means the NWSL but Phallon Tullis Joyce’s success overseas has opened an alternative path for aspiring goalkeepers. Now more than ever, there are multiple pathways for a young prospect to prove their ability to play at the highest levels.

USMNT Prospects

1. Chris Brady, 22 - Chicago Fire
2. Julian Eyestone, 20 - Brentford B
3. Diego Kochen, 20 - Barcelona #
4. Gavin Beavers, 21 - Brondby
5. Gabriel Slonina, 22 - Chelsea FC
6. Kayne Rizvanovich, 18 - Minnesota 2

7. Ethan Scally, 18 - Los Angeles FC 2
8. Duran Ferree, 19 - San Diego FC
9. Jack Kortkamp, 18 - Sporting Kansas City
10. Paul Walters, 22 - FC Cincinnati %
11. Noah Newman, 18 - University of Washington
12. Adam Beaudry, 20 - Colorado Rapids

13. Andrew Rick, 20 - Philadelphia Union
14. Antonio Carrera, 22 - Tigres UANL
15. Fred Heath, 18 - Manchester United U18
16. Zackory Campagnolo, 19 - Colorado Rapids
17. William Mackay, 18 - Huntsville City
18. Nicholas Holliday, 20 - Charlotte FC

19. Nicolas Montoya, 19 - North Texas SC
20. Graham Syrett, 18 - Wake Forest
21. Aidan Stokes, 18 - New York Red Bulls
22. Giorgio De Marzi, 19 - Roma
23. William Lodmell, 18 - Sporting Club
24. Guy Bar, 18 - Hapoel Jerusalem

# - loaned to Lyngby
% - loaned to Bohemian FC

Bill says: After a middling World Cup result, the USMNT’s goalkeeping department turns to prospects who skew towards the younger side. With Chris Brady making the World Cup roster, he’s currently the leading candidate for the 2030 World Cup number one, despite entering the summer tournament with only one cap to his name. Although he doesn’t have the technical cleanliness as Freese and Turner, he does have the ability to claw out a game-saving moment that most American goalkeepers are currently lacking. Time and time again, he’s done his best Tim Howard impression to keep the Fire in the game.

If you asked most people, the next runner-up for 2030 would likely be Diego Kochen, who spent time in Spain’s fourth division with Barcelona’s reserve side. However, for the 2026/27 season, Kochen steps into the deep end of the pool with a loan move to Lyngby BK, a recently promoted Danish side desperate not to face a return trip to the second division. It’s hard to set expectations as the move is very reminiscent of Slonina’s time with Eupen, where the young American played fine but not great. Although Slonina had a brief spell with Barnsley on another loan move, he spent the entirety of 2025 at Chelsea hidden away somewhere from the public. Kochen needs a strong run in Denmark to avoid getting typecast as “just okay” and maintain his early momentum.

Over the past 12 months, Eyestone, Beavers, and Slonina have effectively been hiding from the public, causing concerns about their developmental track. The unfortunate problem for our young, professional goalkeepers is that once they turn 20, they often disappear for an extended time. And once they resurface, they’re not playing at a level that would make them competitive for the number one slot. But word on the street is Eyestone is being closely monitored by the USSF as the only other goalkeeper to match Brady’s shot-stopping abilities and Brentford is rating the young American highly within their stable.

“18-year-old English-American Fred Heath has trained with Manchester United’s first team during their four-day road trip in Dublin. Born in England to an American mother, the 6’7” goalkeeper has been shining at the youth level for the Red Devils this season making 13 appearances with the U18s, keeping 6 clean sheets, and showcasing great presence and consistency between the post” - Footyaccess

Certainly some younger goalkeepers have caused waves for themselves but with so many previous goalkeepers getting buzz in their teenage years and then flatlining, it’s hard to know how much to expect from the younger crew. Even something as simple as expecting Newman and Syrett to continue their momentum as first years at their respective colleges isn’t a sure thing, as the American goalkeeping logjam is well documented within the collegiate ranks. Don’t be surprised if they sit for a year or two before finally seeing action.

For the European goalkeepers listed - Heath, De Marzi, Lomell, and Bar - they’ve all shown encouraging moments but so far they are either lacking consistent minutes or big-time moments where fans would say, “I’d like to see him in a US jersey”. There’s always excitement when a young goalkeeper is attached to a prestigious club like Barcelona or Manchester United but prestige only helps with development so much. USYNT fans are foaming at the mouth for a goalkeeper who can put a game on his back and keep his team in contention with clutch saves and a willingness to accept a modern goalkeeper’s responsibility. So far, they’re still waiting.

The 5 Teams Under Serious Pressure at the FIFA World Cup

With the World Cup getting underway, all 48 teams will have some level of pressure to perform. Even the lowest-ranked teams will feel the weight of the occasion. Some will deal with it better than others, whereas some will simply wilt.

Yet, some teams will have extraordinary levels of pressure upon them. It’s not just those who are expected to win, but those who, for various reasons, have arrived at this point with questions to answer.

Below, we pick out five teams who will be under serious pressure to deliver in the coming days and weeks:

England

The team that tends to feel pressure more so than any other at World Cups. On paper, once again, England can point to a squad and first XI good enough to beat anyone. Indeed, the XI of players left at home could probably make a good fist of things in the tournament. Yet, once again, the pressure is heaped upon the coach, Thomas Tuchel, and many are questioning his methods before a ball has been kicked. You get the impression that England, third favorites with DraftKings’ World Cup betting at the time of writing, will be a momentum team. Start well, and they’ll flourish. Don’t, and things could fall apart.

USA

The tournament co-hosts have been bang average under Mauricio Pochettino, but it’s not quite clear what success would look like at this World Cup. The knockout stages are the minimum requirement, but the USMNT will need to get off to a good start in the group stage, lest more concerns about Pochettino’s tenure be debated. Home advantage might have the opposite impact, and plenty of host nations, including Japan and Korea in 2022, have relished the pressure, but the US fans will want this to be the best-ever World Cup performance by the national team. The signs haven’t been good so far.

Brazil

There is always a unique kind of pressure on the team that has won the World Cup more than any other. Yet, if we are honest about it, Brazil have not performed well at a World Cup since 2002. In Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil have a manager that could lead them to glory, but there is already bickering among the fans, including on the issue of where – or if – Neymar should play in the team. A lot of questions remain about Brazil’s midfield, and the system that Ancelotti has them playing. The jury is out.

Morocco

A bit of a leftfield pick here. Morocco are considered underdogs, but they are also the team that everyone has picked as dark horses. That in itself brings additional pressure, not least due to Morocco’s performance in 2022 when they became the first African team to make the semi-finals of the competition. If anything, the North Africans are stronger now, but nobody will be taking them lightly. Personally, we think they will go well again, but the element of surprise is gone, and we’ll have to see what the Moroccan players do when they are expected to win.

France

We will finish with the team now considered favorites by most soccer pundits. Indeed, many think that the only thing that can beat France is France itself, i.e., if there is a lack of cohesion in the team, or ructions caused by big egos. Nonetheless, the weight of expectation is huge for the 2018 winners, and that could play into the hands of France’s opponents. The disasters of the 2002 and 2010 French World Cup campaigns are still fresh in the memory of the fans.

America's 100 Greatest Goalkeepers

For 250 years, America has been a melting pot of people from all types of backgrounds living all types of lives. And for over half of that time, American goalkeepers displayed a similar variety in how they played the game, making it very difficult to precisely define an American goalkeeper. They are brave. They are athletic. They are tall. They are short. They played for the national team. They played for a team you’ve never heard of. They played three other sports. They only wanted to play goalkeeper and nothing else. They won many awards. They are a forgotten hero of a time long passed. They played college soccer. They played abroad. They grew up in the heartland of the country, waiting for their time to shine. They immigrated to the US, looking to carve their own way. And for someone, they were the best goalkeeper they’ve ever seen.

When it comes to American goalkeepers proving their worth, Steve Holroyd summed up the challenge the net minders faced when earning a chance on the field, “Americans were always frowned upon. ‘You're not wanted here. We'll take your money but let us play the game.’ But as early as the 1920s, goalkeeper was the one position that Americans were welcomed to play. And the thought was, ‘What do we do well that the rest of the world doesn't?’”

Time and again, the US would play in an international competition and their goalkeeper was praised as not only the highlight of the team, but also as being one of the best goalkeepers in the entire tournament. With the 2026 Men’s World Cup, 2028 Olympics, and 2031 Women’s World Cup all being hosted on American soil, American goalkeepers have yet another chance to establish that they’re a foundational component to their team’s success. But before the tournaments get underway, we look back at our country’s top goalkeepers, dating all the way back to the 19th cenutry.

Goalkeepers were rated on their individual skill (based on individual awards, team success, and in-person accounts), national team relevancy, club career, and overall impact on the American scene. With the ever-changing landscape over the past 150 years, it’s important to recognize that today’s high-profile teams, leagues, and tournaments shouldn’t overshadow past events when considering our country’s lineage of goalkeepers. For some goalkeepers, the national team wasn’t an available option, while at other times, great goalkeeping occurred in leagues and teams that no longer exist. Simply moving across the country for a new club wasn’t even a realistic option for most of these goalkeepers. So then rankings consider a goalkeeper’s historical context (injuries, limited playing opportunities, service in the war, etc.) when slotting each goalkeeper on the list.

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

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

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