Brad Guzan is a soccer player from the USA who plays as a goalkeeper for Atlanta United in Major League Soccer. He is most famous for his stint at English club Aston Villa between 2008 and 2016.
Guzan has also played for Chicago Fire Premier, Chivas USA, Hull City and Middlesbrough, in addition to winning 64 caps for the USA national team. Much of his international career was spent in the shadow of former Manchester United and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, who was usually the first-choice USA goalkeeper. Nevertheless, Guzan made sporadic appearances at major tournaments.
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa
Guzan rose to prominence at Chivas USA, playing Major League Soccer for them from 2005 to 2008. In November 2007, he was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.
On July 11, 2008, Aston Villa secured the services of Guzan for a reported fee of around $1million subject to him acquiring a work permit, which he received on August 1, 2008. However, the club also signed Guzan's compatriot, Brad Friedel, who made the position his own during the 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons.
Guzan made his debut in the League Cup against Queens Park Rangers in September 2008. His performance in a 1-0 November UEFA Cup win over Slavia Prague saw him receive praise from manager Martin O'Neill who described Guzan as a "class goalkeeper in the making".
Guzan's Premier League debut came in less than ideal circumstances - a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Liverpool, with Brad Friedel's red card forcing Villa to look towards their second-choice goalkeeper. Friedel later successfully appealed against the decision to send him off.
Arguably Guzan's greatest game under O'Neill was the 2009/10 League Cup last-16 match against Sunderland, which went all the way to a penalty shootout but saw Guzan make four fine saves. Villa qualified for the final of the tournament, which they lost 2-1 against Manchester United.
Villa had been in decline in the years leading up to this and Guzan's contribution to the team under Paul Lambert proved vital as the club narrowly avoided relegation, earning him their Player of the Year award.
Late in the 2014/15 season, Guzan once again lost his starting spot to Given, with Tim Sherwood dropping him after a costly error gifted a goal to Sergio Aguero.
Guzan reaveled in Sports Illustrated that he and his family had suffered emotionally during the trying season and had a difficult relationship with supporters. He cited one interaction with a theme park employee which appeared to affect his wife. The employee was a Birmingham City fan, but expressed frustration on behalf of his Villa-supporting friends, while personally taking delight in Villa's struggles.
Brad Guzan and Atlanta United
"Brad has been one of the top goalkeepers in MLS since joining our team in the summer of 2017 and we are pleased to have agreed to a long-term contract extension," Atlanta United technical director Carlos Bocanegra said.
"Brad epitomises the type of professional player we want at Atlanta United, and as a key member of the US men's national team.
Brad Guzan and the US national team
Guzan became part of the US national team set-up in 2006. In 2007, he was part of the squad which won the CONCACAF Gold Cup and he went on to pick up another 10 years later.
In 2009, he started in a 3-0 win over then-African champions Egypt during the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. USA went all the way to the final, where they lost to Brazil.
Personal life
Guzan is a devout Christian and wrote on the athlete testimony website Beyond the Ultimate: "My personal life, my faith life and my sport life - they all come together. I think they have to. You don't have one without the others, and you have to have Jesus in your life.