The Best American Goalkeepers In Premier League History

Many American boys grow up wanting to be football stars. But they usually focus on the gridiron rather than the pitch.

Then there is an elite-eight of Stateside football lovers who not only yearned to make it in Britain’s Premier League, but they wanted to be goalkeepers. They excelled at the position and watched their dreams come true while influencing Premier League odds.

Why Americans are good between the sticks is not 100-percent figured out. That said, one decent theory, espoused in Vice and other outlets, is that American kids play sports that enhance hand-eye coordination. American football, baseball, and basketball all require skills that come in handy for goalkeepers.

And that has stocked the Premier League with last-line defenders who grew up in the USA and became good at leaping, diving, and blocking goal-bound balls.

Here, then, are eight who worked hard, made the difference, and kept opponents’ scoring to a minimum.

LATE BLOOMER

Matt Charles did not begin playing football until the age of 14. But he proved himself to be a natural at protecting the goal.

After a couple years of playing Major League Soccer in the States, Turner signed with Arsenal. He scored the FA Community Shield in 2023 and inked a £10 million deal with Nottingham Forest.

In 2024, he went on loan to Crystal Palace and, that same year, he managed to save an impressive 11 shots in a match that the US played against Brazil. For Charles and his boosters, the wait for his football maturation was clearly worth it.

THE WORKHORSE

Once Brad Friedel made his way into the Premier League, he never let up. Over the course of 15 years, he played consistently and made a name for himself by logging a record-setting 310 performances in a row.

While Friedel is best known for his ability to swat shots and keep strikers at bay, some fans remember him most fondly as the second Premier League goalkeeper to score a goal.

He kicked it in from short range while playing for the Blackburn Rovers. Friedel’s team lost the game, but his score, nevertheless, was one for the record books.

FROM JERSEY TO MANCHESTER

Tim Howard’s professional football career began in New Jersey and peaked with the mighty Manchester United from 2003 until 2007.

Over the course of his seasons in England, he earned a nickname: The Secretary of Defence. That was endowed on him while he tended goal for Everton F.C. The moniker derived from his devotion to stopping shots and he ranks high for Premier League clean sheets.

Among his most memorable outings: The one where he made 16 saves against Belgium at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

RISING TO THE OCCASION

Playing college soccer in the United States, Brad Guzan achieved All American status.

After making a name for himself as a Major League Soccer goalkeeper, Guzan got signed to Aston Villa where he excelled in the Premier League.

Among his standout performances: Playing every game that Aston Villa won during the 2009 Peace Cup. Then there was the notable move where he saved four penalties during a single match.

Nevertheless, for a showdown against Manchester United, during the 2009 season, Guzan was replaced by fellow American Brad Friedel.

AN AMERICAN HONOUR

When Manchester City won the Premier League championship in 2021, it was with Zack Steffen tending the goal. That was a huge achievement for Steffen and a lift for Yankee goalkeepers overall.

He became the first American to win a Premier League title as a member of Manchester City. No doubt, it satisfied any punters who were willing to bet into the Premier League winner odds with Steffan’s former club in mind.

Adding to the glory: Steffen is also the first player from the American football world to enter the Premier League and feature on a winning team.

LEADING TO THE PREMIER

In 2006, the Reading soccer club scored a major break, graduating to the Premier League and bucking the very idea of succumbing to relegation odds.

Contributing mightily to its success was the American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann. He played a major role in the team scoring a load of shutouts while taking in a record-setting 106 points.

Off the pitch, Hahnemann was a big fan of the metal group Five Finger Death Punch, which endeared him to many fans. No doubt, the aggro music contributed to his aggro performances on the field.

IN AND OUT OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Despite spending a lot of his time in the goal, Kasey Keller clearly likes to move around.

After cutting his teeth in the US – tending goal for a team that finished fourth in the 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup; Keller won the Silver Ball and was named the second-best player – he joined Millwall in 1992 and played with them through 1996 before getting scooped up by Leicester City.

From there, it was on to Spain before a lukewarm stint with Tottenham Hotspur, a retreat to Germany, a Premier return via Fulham, and finally back to the US where his freshly sharpened skills were a plus for Seattle Sounders FC.

BREAKING THE BARRIER

American goalkeepers may have long yearned for their chances make it in the FA Premier League bigtime, but Juergen Sommer was the first goaltender to break through.

He did it as a member of the Queens Park Rangers during the 1995 season. Sommer lasted three years, made 66 appearances, and paved the way for his fellow Americans to show their stuff on football’s most prominent stage.