Alyssa Michele Naeher – A Soccer Star Rising from the Goalposts to World Cup Glory:
Alyssa Michele Naeher, born on April 20, 1988, is a highly skilled American professional soccer player.
She has made her mark as a goalkeeper for the National Women’s Soccer League club Chicago Red Stars and the United States women’s national team.
Her exceptional talent was showcased on the international stage during the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments. She had played a crucial role as the starting goalkeeper for the United States.
Before achieving international fame, Naeher displayed her soccer prowess at Christian Heritage School, where she stood out as a remarkable player.
Her impressive high school career earned her several accolades. This includes three-time All-State and FAA All-Conference selections, as well as being recognized as a Parade All-American and a two-time NSCAA Youth All-American.
Remarkably, she also excelled in basketball, scoring over 2,000 points during her basketball career.
Continuing her soccer journey at Penn State University from 2006 to 2009, Naeher’s remarkable goalkeeping abilities were evident. She started 74 games with a record of 50–19–5 and achieved 24 shutouts.
She earned the prestigious title of First Team All-American in 2007 and 2008. She was named the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
In her club career, Naeher started her journey with the Boston Breakers in the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league. There she was the 11th overall pick in the 2010 draft and the first goalkeeper selected that year.
She also played for Turbine Potsdam in the German Bundesliga before returning to the United States to join the Boston Breakers again in the newly formed National Women’s Soccer League.
Naeher’s tenure with the Boston Breakers in the NWSL proved to be highly successful. She displayed outstanding goalkeeping skills throughout the 2014 season. This earned her the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award after recording a record-breaking 106 saves in 24 games.
In 2015, Naeher made a move to the Chicago Red Stars. There she continued to shine as one of the league’s top goalkeepers.
She earned various accolades, including being named Player of the Month for May 2016 and Player of the Week during the 2018 season.
Her journey with the United States women’s national team has been equally impressive.
Naeher showcased her talent at the youth level as a member of the U-20 women’s national team. She won the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. She was also honored with the Golden Glove Award for the tournament’s best goalkeeper.
In 2014, Naeher made her debut for the senior national team. Since then, she has established herself as the team’s number-one goalkeeper. She succeeded the legendary Hope Solo.
She played a pivotal role in the United States’ triumph at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She made critical saves in the knockout rounds to secure a victory for her team. This ultimately led to their second consecutive World Cup triumph.
Outside of her soccer achievements, Naeher is of German, English, and French Canadian ancestry and holds strong Christian beliefs.
With her incredible skills, determination, and achievements, Alyssa Michele Naeher has undoubtedly earned her place among the soccer elite.
She continues to be a beacon of inspiration for aspiring athletes worldwide.
Honors:
- FIFA Women’s World Cup: 2015, 2019
- Olympic Bronze Medal: 2020
- CONCACAF Women’s Championship: 2018, 2022
- CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2016, 2020
- SheBelieves Cup: 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Tournament of Nations: 2018
- NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year: 2014
- NWSL Best XI: 2014
- NWSL Second XI: 2016
- CONCACAF Goalkeeper of the Year: 2018
- CONCACAF Best XI: 2018
- FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Glove: 2008
- FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup All-star Team: 2008
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