The MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award recognizes the best goalkeeper in Major League Soccer in an individual season.
The award is voted on by media, MLS players, and club management based on regular-season performance. However, key stats like shutouts, saves, and goals conceded can have a huge say in where the award goes.
MLS 2026 Goalkeeper of the Year predictions & odds
The MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award heavily favors players from teams that perform well in the regular season and prime themselves for a deep Playoff run. Andre Blake’s first of three awards in 2016 was the last time a goalkeeper was honored while playing for a team finishing lower than fifth in their conference, with the Philadelphia Union finishing sixth that season. Dayne St. Clair won the 2025 award with a Minnesota United team that conceded the third-fewest goals throughout the entire league (39).
The 2026 MLS season has only just begun, but already, some goalkeepers are standing out above others.
Top contenders for 2026 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year
Kristijan Kahlina is the frontrunner in MLS for saves so far this season with 22, closely followed by Brad Stuver (19), Thomas Gillier (17) and Andrew Thomas (17). The latter is also on three clean sheets, with only Hugo Lloris (4) keeping more.
Other major names who cannot be looked past are Dayne St. Clair — who swapped Minnesota United for Inter Miami in the offseason and is the defending MLS Goalkeeper of the year — Andre Blake, Matt Freese, and Roman Burki.
Other names to consider: Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, Roman Celentano, Brad Stuver, Patrick Schulte, Chris Brady, Maxime Crepeau, Yohei Takaoka
How the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award is decided
The MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award is decided by three separate votes: one from the media, one from MLS players, and one from MLS club technical staff. The votes are cast based on performances from the regular season only.
The average of the three votes is found, with the nominated goalkeepers then ranked by their average score.
Last year, Dayne. St Clair won the award with an average of 29.4% of the vote, which went as follows:
| Rank / Player | Players Vote | Media Vote | Clubs Vote | Average |
| 1. Dayne St. Clair (MIN) | 18.52% | 47.46% | 22.22% | 29.40% |
| 2. Matt Freese (NYC) | 20.37% | 5.65% | 25.93% | 17.32% |
| 3. Yohei Takaoka (VAN) | 20.37% | 11.30% | 14.81% | 15.49% |
This means a goalkeeper with fewer clean sheets can win the Golden Glove if they deliver exceptional performances in critical moments – such as a defining save on Decision Day to land a Playoff spot, or a big showing during Rivalry Week.
Goalkeepers must play a minimum of 500 regular-season minutes to qualify for consideration, preventing teams from rotating goalkeepers to game the system.
For betting purposes, most sportsbooks pay out based on MLS’s Goalkeeper of the Year winner.
All-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year winners
The MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award has been presented since the league came into existence in 1996.
| Season | Winner | Club | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place | 5th Place |
| 1996 | Mark Dodd | Dallas Burn | Jorge Campos | Dave Salzwedel | Mark Dougherty | — |
| 1997 | Brad Friedel | Columbus Crew | Walter Zenga | Tony Meola | Mike Ammann | — |
| 1998 | Zach Thornton | Chicago Fire | Kevin Hartman | David Kramer | Ian Feuer | — |
| 1999 | Kevin Hartman | LA Galaxy | Zach Thornton | Matt Jordan | Tom Presthus | — |
| 2000 | Tony Meola | Kansas City Wizards | Joe Cannon | Kevin Hartman | Zach Thornton | — |
| 2001 | Tim Howard | MetroStars | Joe Cannon | Zach Thornton | Tom Presthus | — |
| 2002 | Joe Cannon | San Jose Earthquakes | Nick Rimando | Tim Howard | Kevin Hartman | — |
| 2003 | Pat Onstad | San Jose Earthquakes | Zach Thornton | Kevin Hartman | Adin Brown | — |
| 2004 | Joe Cannon (2) | Colorado Rapids | Jon Busch | Bo Oshoniyi | Pat Onstad | — |
| 2005 | Pat Onstad (2) | San Jose Earthquakes | Joe Cannon | Matt Reis | Bo Oshoniyi | — |
| 2006 | Troy Perkins | D.C. United | Matt Reis | Pat Onstad | Preston Burpo | Dario Sala |
| 2007 | Brad Guzan | Chivas USA | Pat Onstad | Matt Reis | Joe Cannon | Troy Perkins |
| 2008 | Jon Busch | Chicago Fire | Matt Reis | Jon Conway | Greg Sutton | William Hesmer |
| 2009 | Zach Thornton (2) | Chivas USA | Pat Onstad | Kasey Keller | Matt Reis | Jon Busch |
| 2010 | Donovan Ricketts | LA Galaxy | Kevin Hartman | Jimmy Nielsen | Joe Cannon | Zach Thornton |
| 2011 | Kasey Keller | Seattle Sounders FC | Faryd Mondragón | Kevin Hartman | Nick Rimando | Josh Saunders |
| 2012 | Jimmy Nielsen | Sporting KC | Josh Saunders | Dan Kennedy | Michael Gspurning | Nick Rimando |
| 2013 | Donovan Ricketts (2) | Portland Timbers | Nick Rimando | Jimmy Nielsen | Luis Robles | Tally Hall |
| 2014 | Bill Hamid | D.C. United | Nick Rimando | Steve Clark | Jaime Penedo | Joe Bendik |
| 2015 | Luis Robles | New York Red Bulls | David Ousted | Bill Hamid | Chris Konopka | Evan Bush |
| 2016 | Andre Blake | Philadelphia Union | Luis Robles | Tim Howard | Bill Hamid | David Bingham |
| 2017 | Tim Melia | Sporting KC | Andre Blake | Stefan Frei | Alex Bono | Sean Johnson |
| 2018 | Zack Steffen | Columbus Crew | Stefan Frei | Luis Robles | Tim Melia | Brad Guzan |
| 2019 | Vito Mannone | Minnesota United FC | Tim Melia | Sean Johnson | Brad Guzan | Matt Turner |
| 2020 | Andre Blake (2) | Philadelphia Union | Matt Turner | Eloy Room | Pedro Gallese | Stefan Frei |
| 2021 | Matt Turner | New England Revolution | Andre Blake | Joe Willis | William Yarbrough | Maxime Crépeau |
| 2022 | Andre Blake (3) | Philadelphia Union | Djordje Petrović | Drake Callender | Roman Celentano | Brad Stuver |
| 2023 | Roman Bürki | St. Louis City SC | Roman Celentano | Pedro Gallese | — | — |
| 2024 | Kristijan Kahlina | Charlotte FC | Hugo Lloris | Patrick Schulte | — | — |
| 2025 | Dayne St. Clair | Minnesota United FC | Matt Freese | Yohei Takaoka | — | — |
Key Considerations:
Clean sheets are, obviously, important to the Goalkeeper of the Year voting. However, they’re certainly not the defining factor, as they are in a Golden Glove award.
Just take this year for example, with St. Clair sitting on 10 shutouts – a total beaten by Hugo Lloris (11), Kristijan Kahlina (12), and Yohei Takaoka (13).
Factors such as saves, goals conceded, and save percentage also come into play, while voting can often be influenced by big performances in key moments of the season.
How many Americans and Canadians have won the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award?
Dayne St. Clair’s award this year ended a three-year run without an American or Canadian winner of the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award. However, American goalkeepers, particularly, have been well-represented, picking up the honor 18 times so far. Matt Turner was the most recent winner with the New England Revolution in 2021.
The only other Canadian winner of the award is Pat Onstad, who scooped it in 2003 and 2005 with the San Jose Earthquakes.
MLS Goalkeeper of the Year betting tips & strategies
Betting on the Goalkeeper of the Year requires understanding both individual goalkeeper quality and team defensive strength. Here are key strategies:
Prioritize goalkeepers from defensive teams: The Goalkeeper of the Year typically goes to goalkeepers from teams with strong defensive records. The Philadelphia Union, Minnesota United, and Charlotte FC have been powerhouses in this regard over recent seasons.
Look for experience: Vito Mannone (2019) and Roman Burki (2023) are the only goalkeepers to win the award in their first season in the league over the last two decades, proving that MLS-experienced stoppers often have the edge.
Value in defensive underdogs: Goalkeepers from defensively solid teams that aren’t competition favorites can offer value. St. Clair with Minnesota United is a prime example last season, as was Kahlina the year prior.
Each-way betting: The Goalkeeper of the Year market is unpredictable, making each-way bets attractive. Goalkeepers in the +1200 to +2000 range could offer great value. Domestic goalkeepers like Matt Freese, Roman Celentano, and Patrick Schulte could figure in this bracket and have each figured in the top three across recent seasons.
Avoid injury-prone goalkeepers: A goalkeeper who misses even one match due to injury or suspension significantly reduces their potential. Research injury histories before betting.
Where to bet: Caesars, FanDuel, Fanatics, and Bet Rivers all offer MLS Goalkeeper of the Year markets. Compare odds across sportsbooks, as goalkeeper odds can vary more than goal-scoring markets.
Frequently asked questions about the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award
Who won the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award?
Dayne St. Clair won the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award while playing for Minnesota United.
How is the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award decided?
The MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award is voted on by the media, MLS players, and MLS club technical staff, from a shortlist of three players. An average of the three votes is calculated, with the player boasting the highest average vote share taking the honor.
Who has won the most MLS Goalkeeper of the Year awards?
Andre Blake is the only player to win the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award three times, taking it in 2016, 2020, and 2022, all while playing for the Philadelphia Union.
Can you bet on the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in the United States?
Yes, all major US sportsbooks, including Caesars, FanDuel, Fanatics, and Bet Rivers, offer MLS Goalkeeper of the Year markets. The market is typically available several months before the competition begins.
Remember to bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling at ncpgambling.org.