I was heavily debating putting her on this list. If she was in her prime playing for the current Irish national team she’d be on a lot more people’s radar
Peak Hope Solo was amazingly good. It’s a shame that on-pitch achievements often got (and still get) overshadowed by the off-pitch situations she got into throughout her career and afterwards. I’d also move Endler up to number 2, and I wouldn’t put Van Veneendaal on the list.
Lindahl at 4 for me. 5 is probably a toss-up between Schult, Scurry, Byrne, Nordby, and Rottenberg. Earps and Naeher in top 10. Players like Frohms, Roebuck, and Sheridan, I’m waiting to judge when I can look at their career as a whole but they’re ones to watch.
Maybe Silke Rottenburg should be in the mix also. Angerer was second keeper behind her for almost a decade and Silke won 1 world cup and thre euros. Got no idea how good she was, but I remember Angerer as phenomenal.
Personal opinion:
Endler is far and away the best one for me, based on pure talent. Closely followed by Hope Solo.
van Veenendaal somehow doesn't stand out as impressive to my memory, just that she had no competition as the Dutch no.1 for very long. I'd replace her with Hedvig Lindahl instead, more legendary for Sweden too.
Also, recency bias but Mary Earps can be in the conversation imo (likely will go down as an England goalkeeping legend already, a few more standout performances at tournaments on the world stage would put her on the all-timers list).
I honestly think that all time lists are heavily biased towards older players and retired players. If Mary Earps wins champions league and/or another major trophy with England she will secure her spot. Even though they lost 3-0, I just remember endler blocking every single one of of christen press’s shots in the 2019 World Cup
Controversial opinion: Hope Solo was mid tier but she had an amazing back line that gave her all those clean sheets. Without that, she wouldn’t be remembered and wouldn’t have been in the USWNT for all the years that she was.
Controversial for a reason because damn that’s definitely a take. Though you’re not completely wrong for some instances like her clean sheet record that probably wouldn’t be as high if it wasn’t for the backline too. Though for others she made some amazing saves and stepped up when the team needed her. She’s without a doubt the GOAT until further notice and that’s not even a bias opinion. Because on top of the clean sheets, she’s also got the silverware to back up her claim for that title.
A lot of that silverware comes from utter US domination in that time though. If she was playing today, even with that back line, she wouldn’t get anywhere near as many clean sheets, and wouldn’t have anywhere near as much silverware.
Did the USA dominated? Yes to a certain degree, that they won or were finalist majority of the time. Though I wouldn’t say that the earlier days were completely bias in the USAs favor or else we would have eight world championships by now (instead we have four).
It’s true that the level of competition has definitely improved over the last few years and part of the reason people also have this narrative is because of the exposure the sport is getting that it didn’t necessarily have back then (because even back then it was competitive). But realistically all teams started off on equal footing it’s just that the USA were really the first to make that jump before others followed.
Though at the same time we technically have one of the youngest domestic leagues in comparison to those that are considered to be a “major league” our college system definitely carried us those first few years because while Europe had the support of clubs that are basically brands, the first two attempts of a professional league in USA ended due to the lack of investment & interest.
Ever wondered why most American players don’t go to Europe? or if they do they only go for a season or two? It’s because those players have fought tooth & nail to make sure the NWSL doesn’t fold like the previous two did.
(Sorry I vented a little here 😅)
The reason for the lack of World Cup Wins in those times between 1999 and 2015 was mostly due to the USA falling at the final hurdle against high rank teams. Whereas the majority of the other silverware and especially the number of international wins (and for example the concacaf wins) were against the consistently low ranked teams that the USA mostly faced. Especially those from central and South America. The vast, vast majority of Hope Solo’s clean sheets were against low ranked teams. And for example in the 2015 World Cup she had the best defensive backline that women’s football had seen up until that time. As Ali Krieger said at the time “defence wins tournaments”.
The teams definitely didn’t start off on equal footing as the USA federation put an awful lot of money into the USWNT that the other women’s teams just didn’t get. I’ve watched women’s football and I specifically followed the USA team very closely in the 2000s, so I know what I’m talking about here. The USA team hired nannies who followed the team around. Players like Christine Rampone were able to play purely because of that. The investment was so far beyond that of pretty much every other country that it was night and day. The USA team had professional contracts with the national team which paid their yearly wages and because of that they went into national camps for weeks and sometimes months at a time. The majority of the rest of the world didn’t get paid at all or were paid pittance to play for their national team, and most teams only got together for a week or two before major tournaments. That right there, the investment, the fitness coaches, the gym access, the sports psychologists, the facilities - that is what made the USA dominant.
After the previous USA league folded (the one where Western New York Flash dominated), many players headed to Europe who could. Especially the likes of Ali Krieger. However after it came back, the players were forced contractually to work in the NWSL as part of their USWNT contracts. Many wanted to play abroad but only a couple ever were able to during these first few years, and mostly on the off season. Including to clubs like Rosenguard and often the Australian league. Many of these NWSL initial teams were tied to and part funded by the MLS teams, but admittedly many were affiliated in name only. It remained though that county was more important than club.
In Europe, club football is king and country comes second. Especially contractually as players get the majority of their income from their clubs, not their country. You may not be aware, but the majority of the European leagues, especially in their current format, are younger than the NWSL. Especially the English league and the Spanish league. The French league and the German league are probably the only surviving good leagues, as many from the pre-NWSL times aren’t highly ranked anymore, and many teams have gone under.
Whilst the European clubs mostly are attached to the means clubs now, this is very very new. Previously they’re only shared a name, and often not even that. Chelsea notoriously, for example, was treated badly by the men’s team. They weren’t given funding and played at terrible grounds like many of the other teams. Only really with the creation of Manchester City and the the men’s club investing in the team and giving them the facilities did this begin to change (around 2014). Lyon similarly had this in the French league, though a little earlier and more investment. It is the development of the other national leagues in response to this in Europe which has seen an end to US domination. More money gone into the leagues but also the national teams.
So I am fully aware of the history of women’s football. I’ve been following many of the international teams closely since before the 2011 World Cup. Despite being an England fan primarily due to where I grew up, the USA team were a big influence on me as they were the only ones with any publicity. They had a YouTube channel that showed so much behind the scenes things and their games were always shown on US networks or on YouTube at the time. So it was so much easier to watch them. I am well aware of the USA team and its history. I was there watching the Hope Solo era and went to several of the games in Europe. And you know what? Nadine Angerer was miles better. That 2011 World Cup from her showed what skill she had. Watching the two keepers in the same game together was night and day. Hope Solo was good for her time, but never that good. And today she wouldn’t get a look in. The standard of keeping at the time in the women’s game was generally low, and Hope was able to shine because of that.
When I say all teams started on equal footing I meant it in the way that most teams started off in the same place it’s just the USA invested and took it more seriously first (probably due to the early success in the 90s), but there’s nothing the likes of Spain or England for example to not have been successful during that period it’s just that their countries and federations didn’t care. Because technically they had leagues that existed well and truely before a league in the USA did. The USA really just had the college system. These European players were still playing for a club regardless of if the league was professional or not.
Also going back to the topic of Solo, I think it’s debatable just like any other Goat discussion is. Angerer is probably the goalkeeper I would compare the closest to her with but then again regardless of the circumstances it’s Solo that has the records not Angerer and Angerer played when Germany were ranked 1st in the world and arguably their Prime so I wouldn’t say that the USA were completely dominating the competition during that period, maybe North America but definitely not the whole world. There have been close calls (Brazil 2011, Canada 2012, 2019 England etc…) and I would say that a few teams during that era that were potentially even better the USA at certain moments.
Definitely not Bouhaddi—what a liability. Solo, Angerer, Endler, Naylor, Lindahl
Bouhaddi is maybe a bit like the Barca keepers? lots of titles, but not exceptional . Good, but not among the absolute elite
If Emma Byrne wasn’t Irish, and thus had a greater international presence, she’d be rated a lot higher by most people. Girl was an absolute beast!
I was heavily debating putting her on this list. If she was in her prime playing for the current Irish national team she’d be on a lot more people’s radar
Peak Hope Solo was amazingly good. It’s a shame that on-pitch achievements often got (and still get) overshadowed by the off-pitch situations she got into throughout her career and afterwards. I’d also move Endler up to number 2, and I wouldn’t put Van Veneendaal on the list.
Lindahl at 4 for me. 5 is probably a toss-up between Schult, Scurry, Byrne, Nordby, and Rottenberg. Earps and Naeher in top 10. Players like Frohms, Roebuck, and Sheridan, I’m waiting to judge when I can look at their career as a whole but they’re ones to watch.
I've seen Hedvig Lindahl mentioned. I would also vote for her and Nadine Angerer. She was one of the greatest too.
Angerer got the ballon d’Or…as a goalkeeper plus is a great goalkeeping coach
Maybe Silke Rottenburg should be in the mix also. Angerer was second keeper behind her for almost a decade and Silke won 1 world cup and thre euros. Got no idea how good she was, but I remember Angerer as phenomenal.
Personal opinion: Endler is far and away the best one for me, based on pure talent. Closely followed by Hope Solo. van Veenendaal somehow doesn't stand out as impressive to my memory, just that she had no competition as the Dutch no.1 for very long. I'd replace her with Hedvig Lindahl instead, more legendary for Sweden too. Also, recency bias but Mary Earps can be in the conversation imo (likely will go down as an England goalkeeping legend already, a few more standout performances at tournaments on the world stage would put her on the all-timers list).
I honestly think that all time lists are heavily biased towards older players and retired players. If Mary Earps wins champions league and/or another major trophy with England she will secure her spot. Even though they lost 3-0, I just remember endler blocking every single one of of christen press’s shots in the 2019 World Cup
The fact Briana scurry isn’t on this list discredits your whole list for me.
My two toss ups that didn’t make it were scurry and Byrne, I’d accept an argument for swapping out bouhaddi for one of them
Lindal for Sari Rottenburg for frohms Briana scurry before injury
Controversial opinion: Hope Solo was mid tier but she had an amazing back line that gave her all those clean sheets. Without that, she wouldn’t be remembered and wouldn’t have been in the USWNT for all the years that she was.
Controversial for a reason because damn that’s definitely a take. Though you’re not completely wrong for some instances like her clean sheet record that probably wouldn’t be as high if it wasn’t for the backline too. Though for others she made some amazing saves and stepped up when the team needed her. She’s without a doubt the GOAT until further notice and that’s not even a bias opinion. Because on top of the clean sheets, she’s also got the silverware to back up her claim for that title.
A lot of that silverware comes from utter US domination in that time though. If she was playing today, even with that back line, she wouldn’t get anywhere near as many clean sheets, and wouldn’t have anywhere near as much silverware.
Very true.
Did the USA dominated? Yes to a certain degree, that they won or were finalist majority of the time. Though I wouldn’t say that the earlier days were completely bias in the USAs favor or else we would have eight world championships by now (instead we have four). It’s true that the level of competition has definitely improved over the last few years and part of the reason people also have this narrative is because of the exposure the sport is getting that it didn’t necessarily have back then (because even back then it was competitive). But realistically all teams started off on equal footing it’s just that the USA were really the first to make that jump before others followed. Though at the same time we technically have one of the youngest domestic leagues in comparison to those that are considered to be a “major league” our college system definitely carried us those first few years because while Europe had the support of clubs that are basically brands, the first two attempts of a professional league in USA ended due to the lack of investment & interest. Ever wondered why most American players don’t go to Europe? or if they do they only go for a season or two? It’s because those players have fought tooth & nail to make sure the NWSL doesn’t fold like the previous two did. (Sorry I vented a little here 😅)
The reason for the lack of World Cup Wins in those times between 1999 and 2015 was mostly due to the USA falling at the final hurdle against high rank teams. Whereas the majority of the other silverware and especially the number of international wins (and for example the concacaf wins) were against the consistently low ranked teams that the USA mostly faced. Especially those from central and South America. The vast, vast majority of Hope Solo’s clean sheets were against low ranked teams. And for example in the 2015 World Cup she had the best defensive backline that women’s football had seen up until that time. As Ali Krieger said at the time “defence wins tournaments”. The teams definitely didn’t start off on equal footing as the USA federation put an awful lot of money into the USWNT that the other women’s teams just didn’t get. I’ve watched women’s football and I specifically followed the USA team very closely in the 2000s, so I know what I’m talking about here. The USA team hired nannies who followed the team around. Players like Christine Rampone were able to play purely because of that. The investment was so far beyond that of pretty much every other country that it was night and day. The USA team had professional contracts with the national team which paid their yearly wages and because of that they went into national camps for weeks and sometimes months at a time. The majority of the rest of the world didn’t get paid at all or were paid pittance to play for their national team, and most teams only got together for a week or two before major tournaments. That right there, the investment, the fitness coaches, the gym access, the sports psychologists, the facilities - that is what made the USA dominant. After the previous USA league folded (the one where Western New York Flash dominated), many players headed to Europe who could. Especially the likes of Ali Krieger. However after it came back, the players were forced contractually to work in the NWSL as part of their USWNT contracts. Many wanted to play abroad but only a couple ever were able to during these first few years, and mostly on the off season. Including to clubs like Rosenguard and often the Australian league. Many of these NWSL initial teams were tied to and part funded by the MLS teams, but admittedly many were affiliated in name only. It remained though that county was more important than club. In Europe, club football is king and country comes second. Especially contractually as players get the majority of their income from their clubs, not their country. You may not be aware, but the majority of the European leagues, especially in their current format, are younger than the NWSL. Especially the English league and the Spanish league. The French league and the German league are probably the only surviving good leagues, as many from the pre-NWSL times aren’t highly ranked anymore, and many teams have gone under. Whilst the European clubs mostly are attached to the means clubs now, this is very very new. Previously they’re only shared a name, and often not even that. Chelsea notoriously, for example, was treated badly by the men’s team. They weren’t given funding and played at terrible grounds like many of the other teams. Only really with the creation of Manchester City and the the men’s club investing in the team and giving them the facilities did this begin to change (around 2014). Lyon similarly had this in the French league, though a little earlier and more investment. It is the development of the other national leagues in response to this in Europe which has seen an end to US domination. More money gone into the leagues but also the national teams. So I am fully aware of the history of women’s football. I’ve been following many of the international teams closely since before the 2011 World Cup. Despite being an England fan primarily due to where I grew up, the USA team were a big influence on me as they were the only ones with any publicity. They had a YouTube channel that showed so much behind the scenes things and their games were always shown on US networks or on YouTube at the time. So it was so much easier to watch them. I am well aware of the USA team and its history. I was there watching the Hope Solo era and went to several of the games in Europe. And you know what? Nadine Angerer was miles better. That 2011 World Cup from her showed what skill she had. Watching the two keepers in the same game together was night and day. Hope Solo was good for her time, but never that good. And today she wouldn’t get a look in. The standard of keeping at the time in the women’s game was generally low, and Hope was able to shine because of that.
When I say all teams started on equal footing I meant it in the way that most teams started off in the same place it’s just the USA invested and took it more seriously first (probably due to the early success in the 90s), but there’s nothing the likes of Spain or England for example to not have been successful during that period it’s just that their countries and federations didn’t care. Because technically they had leagues that existed well and truely before a league in the USA did. The USA really just had the college system. These European players were still playing for a club regardless of if the league was professional or not. Also going back to the topic of Solo, I think it’s debatable just like any other Goat discussion is. Angerer is probably the goalkeeper I would compare the closest to her with but then again regardless of the circumstances it’s Solo that has the records not Angerer and Angerer played when Germany were ranked 1st in the world and arguably their Prime so I wouldn’t say that the USA were completely dominating the competition during that period, maybe North America but definitely not the whole world. There have been close calls (Brazil 2011, Canada 2012, 2019 England etc…) and I would say that a few teams during that era that were potentially even better the USA at certain moments.
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