Brad Guzan

Bradley Edwin Guzan (born September 9, 1984) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United FC.

Born in Evergreen Park, Illinois, Guzan, who is of Polish-American ancestry, played in his youth at the Chicago Magic Soccer Club and for the varsity soccer team at Providence Catholic High School in Illinois, from which he graduated in 2003.

He went on to play two seasons in NCAA competition as a member of the South Carolina Gamecocks men's soccer team, where he was a second-team All-American in his sophomore season.

After spending two years with the Chicago Fire Reserves in the USL Premier Development League, he chose to forgo the rest of his college years, signing a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer (MLS).

A college soccer second-team All-American for the South Carolina Gamecocks, Guzan was second overall pick in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft, signing for Chivas USA, with whom he was the 2007 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

Chivas USA later drafted Guzan with the second overall pick of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft.

Guzan made his senior debut for the United States national team in 2006, earning over 60 caps.

He was named in their squads for two FIFA World Cups and four CONCACAF Gold Cups, winning the latter in 2007, 2017 and 2021.

On November 7, 2007, Guzan was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

During his time at Chivas USA, Guzan was affectionately nicknamed "El Gusano."

In July 2008, he joined Premier League club Aston Villa for a fee of $1 million, where he made 171 total appearances across eight seasons.

He also featured for them at the 2008 Olympics, the 2007 Copa América, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the Copa América Centenario.

On July 11, 2008, Aston Villa agreed a transfer fee in the region of £600,000, or $1 million, with MLS and Chivas USA to sign Guzan, significantly less than the £2 million agreed to in Aston Villa's failed move for the keeper in January 2008, the difference this time being that Guzan would have been out of his contract at the end of the 2008 season in November, allowing him to sign for Aston Villa during the January transfer window on a free transfer.

On August 1, 2008, Guzan was granted a work permit by the Home Office, allowing him to complete his move to Aston Villa.

He was due to be officially introduced by Aston Villa after competing for the United States at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Guzan was the second American goalkeeper called Brad to be signed during the summer by Aston Villa, following the capture of Premier League veteran Brad Friedel.

Guzan made his Aston Villa debut in September 2008 in the League Cup at home to Queens Park Rangers.

He made his European soccer debut in the UEFA Cup game away at Slavia Prague on November 6, 2008.

The match finished 1–0 to Aston Villa, with Guzan making several saves to keep a clean sheet.

His performance led to his manager Martin O'Neill describing him as a "class goalkeeper in the making."

He also started in Aston Villa's first leg against CSKA Moscow in the round of 32 of the UEFA Cup at Villa Park on February 18, 2009, also later appearing as a substitute against Liverpool after Friedel's red card.

Guzan played in every game that Aston Villa won during their success in the 2009 Peace Cup, against Atlante, Porto and Juventus.

He then helped Aston Villa overcome the Italians in the final, most notably in the penalty shootout during which he saved the attempts of Vincenzo Iaquinta and Alessandro Del Piero.

The only game that Aston Villa did not win (in the group stages against Málaga) was the one in which Guzan did not feature.

Despite having a successful pre-season period, Guzan was dropped from the first team in favor of Friedel for Aston Villa's opening game of the 2009–10 season against Wigan Athletic.

On October 27, 2009, Guzan saved four penalties in one match, one in normal time and three more in a penalty shoot-out win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the last 16 of the League Cup.

Despite these heroics, however, Friedel replaced him in goal for the final against Manchester United.

On December 31, 2010, Guzan was loaned to Football League Championship side Hull City on a one-month loan deal.

He made his debut for Hull on New Year's Day 2011, a 1–0 loss to Leicester City.

His second appearance for the club ended on a higher note, as his team went on to win 2–3 at Portsmouth.

He kept his first clean sheet for the club against Barnsley in a 2–0 win for Hull.

On January 25, Guzan extended his loan until the end of February.

He made a total of 11 league appearances for Hull before returning to Aston Villa on February 28.

On March 8, however, Hull re-signed Guzan on an emergency loan deal due to an injury to goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

Guzan's first appearance back at the club was in a home match against Burnley.

Guzan's last game for Hull City came in a 1–2 win away at Watford on April 9, 2011, after which he returned to Aston Villa.

On December 3, 2011, Guzan made his second Premier League appearance for Aston Villa, coming on for the injured Shay Given against Manchester United.

Given had been ruled out for a month with a torn hamstring so Guzan retained his place in the first team, giving him an extended run in Aston Villa's first team.

Guzan was released by Villa at the end of his contract in June 2012.

After a brief spell at Middlesbrough, he returned to MLS with Atlanta United in January 2017.