Goalkeepers. The one place on the pitch which stands proud greater than everybody else. It’s been mentioned that it’s important to be mad to be a keeper, in spite of everything, they play with their fingers and never their toes. Throughout the historical past of Main League Soccer, the league has developed a couple of nice shot-stoppers and even attracted a couple of too. Let’s overview among the finest MLS goalkeepers of all time.
Rating the most effective MLS goalkeepers of all time
10) Tim Howard, (MetroStars, Colorado Rapids)
The unmistakable sight of Tim Howard. He wore the goalkeeping gloves for the most effective a part of 15 years for the US nationwide workforce. Throughout this time, he proved himself with the MetroStars and took a sabbatical in England taking part in with each Manchester United and Everton earlier than returning to MLS with the Colorado Rapids.
Regardless of by no means successful MLS Cup, he was named the Goalkeeper of the Yr in 2001 and to the All-Star workforce on three completely different events. Apparently, he was named the MVP of the 2009 All-Star sport when his Everton workforce drew 1-1 with the MLS consultant workforce.
9) Donovan Ricketts, (LA Galaxy, Montreal Affect, Portland Timbers, Orlando Metropolis)
No dialog in regards to the high GKs ever in MLS can be full with out Donovan Ricketts. The Jamaican keeper lifted the MLS Cup in 2011 with the LA Galaxy in his solely main profession trophy.
But, that didn’t cease Ricketts from being top-of-the-line shot-stoppers all through his profession as he received the MLS Goalkeeper of the Yr twice. Notably, a type of awards was earned in 2013 when he additionally bought a powerful 14 clear sheets for Portland Timbers.
8) Matt Turner, (New England Revolution)
The present Arsenal reserve keeper wasn’t all the time a reserve. If he had caught round at New England Revolution and bought the membership again to successful methods, he may have been one of many biggest goalkeepers in MLS historical past.
He earned the Goalkeeper of the Yr accolade in 2021 because the workforce romped to the Supporters’ Defend. He was an agile participant able to stopping any opposition assault. If he returns to Main League Soccer quickly, he may but enhance his stature on future lists like this.
7) Zach Thornton, (MetroStars, Chicago Fireplace, Colorado Rapids, New York Pink Bulls, Chivas USA)
Zach Thornton is a person who has devoted his life to US goalkeeping. Even after a 16-year taking part in profession tenure in Main League Soccer, he spent a number of years as a goalkeeping coach at a number of franchises.
He received each the Jap and Western Convention championships with Chicago Fireplace and Chivas USA respectively and was named the Goalkeeper of the Yr in each 1998 and once more in 2009, exhibiting his high quality all through a protracted profession.
6) Andre Blake, (Philadelphia Union)
In contrast to a couple of gamers on this checklist, Andre Blake has caught with one workforce for the whole thing of his profession so far. Philadelphia Union followers will hope he stays with them eternally given his potential to maintain the workforce in video games together with his talent between the sticks.
A 3-time Goalkeeper of the Yr, Blake has but to win something apart from the 2020 Supporters’ Defend. Blake would be the catalyst for a Union title run for positive, or perhaps he must trash loyalty and contribute to a workforce higher befitting his high quality shot-stopping.
His 15 clear sheets in 2022 helped the workforce get to the MLS Cup last and is the joint second-highest for a single season alongside Jimmy Nielsen.
5) Tony Meola, (MetroStars, Kansas Metropolis Wizards, New York Pink Bulls)
As the one goalkeeper to win the common season MVP award, Tony Meola ought to be held in exalted phrases with the best MLS players ever, not simply within the keeper class.
In spite of everything, he outlined what it was to be a very good shot-stopper in 2000 by retaining 16 clear sheets for the Kansas Metropolis Wizards, a report that also stands as probably the most in a single season.
4) Tim Melia (Actual Salt Lake, Chivas USA, Sporting Kansas Metropolis, FC Dallas, D.C. United)
This Main League Soccer journeyman keeper continues to be an lively keeper at Sporting Kansas Metropolis, nonetheless he doesn’t play fairly as a lot as he used to. In spite of everything, he’s now 37 years outdated and he’s picked up a niggling hamstring damage. His previous accolades communicate for themselves as he was named the 2017 Goalkeeper of the Yr and stored 13 clear sheets within the following season.
He additionally grew to become considerably of a penalty specialist as he stored out the best proportion of penalties confronted at 40%, saved 14 of the 35 so far. Nick Rimando may need saved extra however Melia has a greater save charge.
3) Jimmy Nielsen, (Sporting Kansas Metropolis)
Regardless of solely taking part in 4 seasons in Main League Soccer, the Danish keeper took America to his coronary heart as he revamped 120 appearances for Sporting Kansas Metropolis. He was named an MLS All-Star twice, received the Jap Convention twice, was named within the Greatest XI, and lifted the MLS Cup in 2013. It’s truthful to say he did so much in a small period of time.
Nielsen had two marvelous campaigns on the finish of his profession as he stored 13 clear sheets in 2012 after which bowed out within the title-winning marketing campaign with 15 shutouts, the latter of which allowed him to be named the Goalkeeper of the Yr.
2) Brad Guzan, (Chivas USA, Atlanta United)
Regardless of beginning his MLS profession on the ill-fated Chivas USA franchise, Brad Guzan has gone from power to power throughout his time between the sticks. Nevertheless, even with Chivas USA, he nonetheless managed to turn out to be the Goalkeeper of the Yr in 2007, as he stored 13 clear sheets.
After taking part in for Aston Villa, Hull Metropolis, and Middlesbrough in England, Guzan returned to the US to turn out to be the number-one keeper at Atlanta United. In 2018, the workforce lifted the MLS Cup and Guzan adopted it up with 14 MLS clear sheets in 2019 as Atlanta received each the US Open Cup and the Campeones Cup.
1) Nick Rimando, (Miami Fusion, D.C. United, Actual Salt Lake)
Nick Rimando is likely to be the closest reply when speculating who tops an inventory of the most effective MLS goalkeepers of all time. Rimando performed for Miami Fusion and D.C. United however was finest recognized for his 13 seasons with Actual Salt Lake the place he revamped 400 appearances for the membership, solely retiring in 2019.
He holds a outstanding MLS penalty report having saved 22 of the 81 he confronted, a whopping 27.2% success charge of them. Sure, that’s the best variety of saved PKs of any keeper to have performed a considerable quantity of video games. He was paramount to serving to D.C. win the MLS Cup in 2004 after which with Salt Lake once more in 2009 when he was named the MLS Cup last MVP.
Honourable point out
There is likely to be a collective of gamers you’re enthusiastic about, notably a couple of keepers who’ve performed properly within the Premier League. Brad Friedel was an awesome participant at Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Aston Villa. Nevertheless, he solely performed one season in Main League Soccer, making it exhausting for him to be thought of as top-of-the-line MLS goalkeepers of all time.
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