Nine American goalkeepers have ever played in the English Premier League. Here’s who they are and where they got their start.
Brad Friedel
Brad Friedel was a goalkeeper who played for several clubs in the English Premier League. He is considered one of the greatest American goalkeepers of all time. Friedel started his youth career at Bay Village High School in Ohio before moving on to play college soccer for UCLA.
Friedel began his professional career with the Columbus Crew in 1995 before moving to Europe to play for Brondby IF in Denmark. In 1997, Friedel signed with Liverpool, where he played for three seasons before moving on to Blackburn Rovers in 2000.
Friedel played for Blackburn for eight seasons, becoming a fan favorite and winning the Blackburn Player of the Year award three times. In 2008, Friedel joined Aston Villa, where he played for three seasons. In 2011, Friedel signed with Tottenham Hotspur, where he played for three seasons before retiring in 2015.
Tim Howard
Tim Howard is a retired goalkeeper who played for several clubs in the English Premier League. Howard started his youth career playing for the North Jersey Imperials before moving on to play college soccer for Montclair State University.
Howard began his professional career with the New York MetroStars in 1998 before moving to England to play for Manchester United in 2003. Howard played for Manchester United for three seasons, winning the Premier League title in 2007.
In 2006, Howard moved to Everton, where he played for ten seasons, becoming a fan favorite and winning the Everton Player of the Year award three times. In 2016, Howard returned to MLS to play for the Colorado Rapids before retiring in 2019.
Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller is a retired goalkeeper who played for several clubs in the English Premier League. Keller started his youth career playing for the Emerald City Soccer Club in Seattle before moving on to play college soccer for the University of Portland.
Keller began his professional career with Millwall in 1992 before moving to Leicester City in 1996. Keller played for Leicester for two seasons before moving on to Rayo Vallecano in Spain. In 1999, Keller joined Tottenham Hotspur, where he played for four seasons before moving on to Southampton.
Keller played for Southampton for two seasons before returning to the United States to play for the Seattle Sounders in MLS. In 2008, Keller returned to Europe to play for Fulham, where he played for one season before retiring in 2011.
Marcus Hahnemann
Marcus Hahnemann is a retired goalkeeper who played for several clubs in the English Premier League. Hahnemann started his college career playing for Seattle Pacific University before moving on to play for the Seattle Sounders in the A-League.
Hahnemann began his professional career with the Seattle Sounders in 1994 before moving to Colorado Rapids in 1997. Hahnemann played for Colorado for four seasons before moving on to Fulham in 1999. Hahnemann played for Fulham for three seasons before moving to Reading in 2002.
Hahnemann played for Reading for six seasons, becoming a fan favorite and helping the club win promotion to the Premier League. In 2009, Hahnemann moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he played for two seasons before returning to MLS to play for the Seattle Sounders. Hahnemann retired in 2014.
Juergen Sommer
Juergen Sommer was an American goalkeeper who played in the English Premier League for several clubs during his professional career. Sommer started his youth soccer career with the Dallas Texans before moving on to play college soccer for Indiana University.
After a successful college career, Sommer began his professional career in the United States, playing for the Colorado Foxes and then the New England Revolution. In 1994, Sommer made the move to Europe to play for Lillestrom SK in Norway. In 1996, he signed with Queens Park Rangers, where he played for two seasons before making the move to the English Premier League.
Sommer signed with Wimbledon in 1997 and played for the club for three seasons, making 59 appearances. In 2000, he moved to West Ham United, where he played for two seasons before making a brief stint with Derby County in 2002. Sommer then returned to the United States to play for the Columbus Crew and the New England Revolution before retiring in 2004.
Throughout his career, Sommer made a name for himself as a skilled goalkeeper with excellent shot-stopping abilities. He was also known for his strong leadership on and off the field. Despite not achieving the same level of success as some of his American goalkeeper counterparts in the Premier League, Sommer’s contributions to the game were significant, and he paved the way for future American goalkeepers to succeed in Europe.
Ian Feuer
Ian Feuer is a former American goalkeeper who played in the English Premier League for Wimbledon and Derby County. Feuer began his youth career at Bishop Montgomery High School in California before moving on to play college soccer for UCLA.
Feuer began his professional career in the United States, playing for several teams before joining Wimbledon in 1994. He played for Wimbledon for two seasons before moving to Derby County in 1996. Feuer played for Derby County for one season before moving to Luton Town in 1997.
Feuer had a brief stint with Luton Town before returning to the United States to play for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer. He also played for other MLS teams such as the New England Revolution, Los Angeles Galaxy, and the Miami Fusion.
In addition to his club career, Feuer also represented the United States in international competition, playing for the national team in 1995 and 1996. After retiring from professional soccer, Feuer went on to work as a goalkeeper coach for several clubs, including the LA Galaxy and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Brad Guzan
Brad Guzan is a goalkeeper who played in the English Premier League for several clubs. Guzan was born in Illinois and started his youth career at the Chicago Magic Soccer Club. He went on to play college soccer at the University of South Carolina.
Guzan began his professional career with Chivas USA in Major League Soccer, where he played for four seasons. In 2008, Guzan signed with Aston Villa, where he served as a backup to Brad Friedel for two seasons before taking over as the team’s starting goalkeeper in 2010. Guzan played for Aston Villa for eight seasons, making 171 appearances for the club.
In 2016, Guzan signed with Middlesbrough, where he played for one season before returning to MLS to play for Atlanta United. Guzan played for Atlanta United for four seasons before retiring in 2021.
During his time in the Premier League, Guzan was known for his shot-stopping ability and his command of the penalty area. He also represented the United States men’s national team, earning 64 caps and serving as the team’s starting goalkeeper in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments.
Zack Steffen
Zack Steffen, an American goalkeeper, has found his place in Manchester City of the English Premier League. Born on April 2, 1995, in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, he began his soccer journey at an early age. Steffen’s talent was evident from his time playing in youth teams including West Chester United and the Union Academy. Following his youth team experience, he went on to join the University of Maryland, where he continued to develop his skills and play college soccer.
In 2015, Steffen turned professional and signed with German club SC Freiburg. He spent two seasons with the club, but did not make any first-team appearances. In 2017, Steffen joined MLS club Columbus Crew, where he quickly became the team’s starting goalkeeper. During his time with the Crew, Steffen won the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2018.
In 2019, Steffen signed with Manchester City, but was immediately loaned to Fortuna Dusseldorf in the German Bundesliga for the 2019-20 season. Steffen played well for Fortuna, making 17 league appearances and helping the team avoid relegation. He returned to Manchester City for the 2020-21 season, but initially played second fiddle to Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson.
However, Steffen got his chance to shine in the 2020-21 Carabao Cup, where he played in several matches, including the final. Steffen performed well in the cup run, helping Manchester City win the trophy. He also made his Premier League debut for the club in May 2021, keeping a clean sheet in a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Steffen has also been a regular member of the United States men’s national team, making his debut in 2018. He was the starting goalkeeper for the USMNT in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where he helped the team win the championship. Steffen is considered one of the top American goalkeepers playing today, and his future looks bright both at the club and international level.
Matt Turner
Matt Turner is an American goalkeeper who currently plays for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer (MLS). Turner began his youth career at FC Dallas in 2011 before moving on to play college soccer for Fairfield University.
After going undrafted in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, Turner played for the Richmond Kickers in the United Soccer League (USL) for two seasons before signing with the New England Revolution in 2018. Turner initially served as a backup goalkeeper, but eventually earned the starting role in 2019. In 2021, Turner had a breakout season, leading the Revolution to the Eastern Conference finals and earning the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award.
While Turner has yet to make an appearance in the English Premier League, he has been called up to the United States men’s national team and has been touted as a potential future starter for the team. Turner’s rise from an undrafted player to an MLS star and national team prospect is a testament to his hard work and determination.