Alyssa Naeher

Alyssa Michele Naeher (born April 20, 1988) is an American soccer goalkeeper for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team. She was on the 23-player roster for the United States at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and she was the starting goalkeeper for the U.S at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

Alyssa Naeher
Naeher with the USWNT in June 2018.
Personal information
Full name Alyssa Michele Naeher
Date of birth (1988-04-20) April 20, 1988
Place of birth Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Chicago Red Stars
Number 1
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2009 Penn State Nittany Lions 88 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 SoccerPlus Connecticut (0)
2010–2011 Boston Breakers 36 (0)
2011–2013 Turbine Potsdam 39 (0)
2013–2015 Boston Breakers 45 (0)
2016– Chicago Red Stars 57 (0)
National team‡
2004 United States U-16
2005 United States U-17
2007–2008 United States U-20
2009–2011 United States U-23
2013– United States 63 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 13, 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of March 8, 2020

Early life

Naeher attended Christian Heritage School, where she was a standout player in soccer. She was a three-time All-State and three-time FAA All-Conference selection. In addition to this, she was a Parade All-American and two-time NSCAA Youth All-American. Naeher also was a star basketball player scoring over 2,000 points during her career.[1]

Penn State University

Naeher attended Penn State from 2006–2009, she started 74 games during that span with a record of 50-19-5 with 24 shutouts. She was a First Team All-American in 2007 and 2008 and was named the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.[2]

Club career

Boston Breakers (WPS), 2010–2011

Naeher was selected by the Boston Breakers with the 11th overall pick in the 2010 Women's Professional Soccer draft, she was the first goalkeeper selected in the 2010 WPS draft.[3] Naeher recorded her first career shutout on August 4, 2010 against the Atlanta Beat.[4] The Breakers finished second in the WPS standings but lost the Super Semifinal to the Philadelphia Independence.

Turbine Potsdam, 2011–2013

After the 2011 WPS season concluded, Naeher transferred to German Bundesliga club Turbine Potsdam.[5] She appeared in 24 matches across all competitions in the 2011/2012 season for Potsdam as they won the 2011–12 Frauen-Bundesliga.[6] Naeher returned to Potsdam for the 2012/2013 season after the 2012 WPS season was suspended.[7]

Boston Breakers, 2013–2015

In May 2013, Naeher signed with the Boston Breakers in the newly formed National Women's Soccer League, returning to the United States after playing two years in Germany.[8]

In the 2014 National Women's Soccer League season Naeher played every minute of the season for Boston and won the Goalkeeper of the Year award as she recorded a record 106 saves in 24 games.

On November 22, 2015 Naeher was traded from the Boston Breakers to the Chicago Red Stars for defender Whitney Engen.[9]

Chicago Red Stars, 2015–present

Naeher had a strong start to the 2016 NWSL season in Chicago as she was named Player of the Month for May as she posted three shutouts and only allowed one goal in four games during the month.[10]

Naeher was named Player of the Week in week 6 of the 2018 season by the NWSL Media Association, she was also named to the Team of the Month in June 2018.[11]

On August 18, 2018 Naeher earned her 100th NWSL cap in a 2–2 draw against the Portland Thorns.[12]

International career
Alyssa Naeher with the USWNT in June 2016.

Naeher was a member of the United States U-20 women's national soccer team that played at the 2007 Pan-American Games, where they finished runners-up to the full Brazilian national team.

In 2008, Naeher was the starting goalkeeper for the U-20 squad that won the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile. She started and played in all but one game during the tournament. She only conceded one goal throughout the World Cup, which was to North Korea, during the final minutes of the Championship game. She was awarded the Golden Glove Award as the best goalkeeper in the Tournament.

On December 18, 2014, Naeher made her first appearance and start for the United States Women's National team in a 7–0 win over Argentina in the International Tournament of Brazil. She played the full 90 minutes and earned her first career shutout.

Naeher was on the roster for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada as a backup for Hope Solo, but did not play as Solo played every minute in goal as the United States won the 2015 World Cup.[13]

In July 2016, Naeher was named to the United States Women's Soccer Team roster for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

Since the United States' loss at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Naeher has become the USWNT's number one goalkeeper, taking over the spot that had been held by Hope Solo for years.[14]

Naeher was the number one goalkeeper for the United States at the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship she played in four out of the five matches and earned four shutouts. The U.S won their second consecutive CONCACAF Championship with a 2–0 win over Canada.[15]

2019 FIFA Women's World Cup

On May 2, 2019 Naeher was named to the United States roster for the 2019 World Cup, this would be her second World Cup. Naeher would be entering the tournament as the U.S number one goalkeeper.[16] When Naeher started the team's first group game on June 11, it was the first time in over two decades that neither Hope Solo nor Brianna Scurry were in goal for the U.S at a World Cup.[17] Naeher recorded three consecutive shutouts in the group stage as the U.S won 13–0 over Thailand, 3–0 over Chile and 2–0 Sweden.

In the knockout round, Naeher made four saves against France in the quarterfinals to help the team preserve a 2–1 victory over the host nation.[18] In the semifinals Naeher had a fantastic game as she not only made three big saves, but she stopped Steph Houghton's penalty kick in the 83rd minute to help the United States to a 2–1 victory over England.[19] In Sunday's final, Naeher posted one save to culminate in a shutout over the Netherlands in the U.S.'s 2-0 victory, resulting in the team successfully repeating as World Cup champions. Naeher played every minute of the United States’ successful 2019 World Cup run.

Career statistics

World Cup Appearances
Match Date Location Opponent Lineup Result Competition
2019 FIFA Women's World Cup
1
 2019-06-11[20] Reims, France  Thailand Start 13–0 W Group stage
2
 2019-06-13[21] Paris, France  Chile Start 3–0 W Group stage
3
 2019-06-20[22] Le Havre, France  Sweden Start 2–0 W Group stage
4
 2019-06-24[23] Reims, France  Spain Start 2–1 W Round of 16
5
 2019-06-28[24] Paris, France  France Start 2–1 W Quarter-final
6
 2019-07-02[25] Décines-Charpieu, France  England Start 2–1 W Semi-final
7
 2019-07-07[26] Lyon, France  Netherlands Start 2–0 W Final

Personal life

Naeher is the daughter of John and Donna Lynn Naeher. She has a twin sister named Amanda who played soccer for Messiah College and a younger sister named Abigail. She is of German, English, and French Canadian ancestry.[27] Naeher is a Christian.[28][29]

Video games

Naeher was featured along with her national teammates in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series in FIFA 16, the first time women players were included in the game.[30]

Ticker Tape parade and White House honor

Following the United States' win at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Naeher and her teammates became the first women's sports team to be honored with a Ticker tape parade in New York City.[31] Each player received a key to the city from Mayor Bill de Blasio.[32] In October of the same year, the team was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House.[33]

Honors

International

Personal
  • NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year: 2014
  • NWSL Best XI: 2014
  • NWSL Second XI: 2016
  • CONCACAF Goalkeeper of the Year: 2018
  • CONCACAF Best XI: 2018

See also

References
  1. Player Bio: Alyssa Naeher Archived October 25, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Penn State Official Athletics Site.
  2. "Alyssa Naeher". Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  3. "Breakers Acquire Penn State Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher". womensprosoccer.com. January 15, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  4. "Smith's Two Goals Lead Breakers to 2–0 Shutout Over Beat". womensprosoccer.com. August 4, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  5. "Potsdam signs Neaher" (in German). womensoccer.de. September 1, 2011. Archived from the original on December 19, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  6. "A/Naeher". Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  7. "Alyssa Naeher signes with Turbine Potsdam again. Wsoccernews.com". Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  8. "Keeper Alyssa Naeher Returns to Boston". Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  9. "Naeher headed to Chicago, Engen to Boston in trade". Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  10. "Red Stars G Alyssa Naeher named player of the month for May". June 1, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  11. "Alyssa Naeher Voted NWSL Player of the Week". May 8, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  12. "Alyssa Naeher named CONCACAF's Goalkeeper of the Year". Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  13. "Ellis Names U.S. Roster for 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Team". April 14, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  14. "Alyssa Naeher Settles in As the No. 1". March 6, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  15. "USA Claims 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship Title With 2-0 Defeat of Regional Rival Canada". October 18, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  16. "USWNT roster announced for 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup". May 2, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  17. "Alyssa Naeher has banished the ghost of Hope Solo from Team USA". July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  18. "Megan Rapinoe Sores Twice as USA Defeats France 2-1 to Reach 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Semifinals". June 28, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  19. "USA are through to Sunday's final after England had a late penalty saved and a goal ruled out by VAR in a pulsating match". July 2, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  20. "USA Surges to World Cup Record 13-0 Win in Opening Match Against Thailand". U.S. Soccer. June 11, 2019.
  21. "USA Through to World Cup Knockout Rounds After 3-0 Victory Against Chile in Group F: Match Report". U.S. Soccer. June 16, 2019.
  22. "USA Tops Women's World Cup Group F With 2-0 Win Against Sweden". U.S. Soccer. June 20, 2019.
  23. "USA Advances to 2019 World Cup Quarterfinals With 2-1 Triumph vs. Spain". U.S. Soccer. June 24, 2019.
  24. "Megan Rapinoe Scores Twice as USA Defeats France 2-1 to Reach 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Semifinals". U.S. Soccer. June 28, 2019.
  25. "USA Earns Record Fifth Berth to a Women's World Cup Final With 2-1 Win Against England in Semifinal". U.S. Soccer. July 2, 2019.
  26. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/07/sports/soccer/usa-vs-netherlands-score.html
  27. Civin, Todd. Getting Silly With The Shot Stopper; Alyssa Naeher of the Boston Breakers. Bleacher Report. February 22, 2010.
  28. "Alyssa Naeher". Twitter. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  29. "Alyssa Naeher". Twitter. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  30. Barnes, Katie (September 28, 2015). "Why 'FIFA 16' is a Landmark for Women". ESPN. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  31. "U.S. women celebrate World Cup with ticker-tape parade in New York City". USA Today. July 11, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  32. "Team USA parades NYC's "Canyon of Heroes"". CBS News. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  33. Wagner, Laura (October 27, 2015). "Obama To U.S. Women's Soccer Team: 'Playing Like A Girl Means You're A Badass'". NPR. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  34. "WNT Defeats Canada 2–0 to Claim 2016 Olympic Qualifying Title". U.S. Soccer. February 21, 2016.
  35. "U.S. Women's National Team Wins 2020 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament with 3-0 Victory Over Canada". U.S. Soccer. February 9, 2020.
  36. "USA Wins 2020 SheBelieves Cup With 3-1 Victory vs. Japan". U.S. Soccer. March 11, 2020.
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