Marcus Stephen Hahnemann (born June 15, 1972) is an American former professional
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
player who played as a
goalkeeper
In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...
.
Graduating out of
Seattle Pacific University, he played for the
Seattle Sounders between 1994 and 1996. Between 1997 and 1999 he turned out for the
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Founded in ...
, signing with English club
Fulham
Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies in a loop on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...
in 1999. Unable to become the first-choice goalkeeper at Fulham, he enjoyed loan spells with
Rochdale
Rochdale ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England, and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale. In the United Kingdom 2021 Census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 111,261, compared to 223,773 for the wid ...
and
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...
, before signing permanently with Reading in 2002. In 2009, following 276 league appearances for the club, he transferred to
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club ( ), commonly referred to as Wolves, is a professional association football, football club based in Wolverhampton, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league s ...
.
He has won nine caps for the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, featuring as backup for
Kasey Keller and
Tim Howard in two
World Cups. Following his debut for the U.S. in 1994, he played two further games within the same month; however, he had to wait almost nine years before his next international appearance, making him a player with one of the longest-ever gaps between caps.
Early years
Hahnemann grew up in the Seattle area in
Kent
Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
and attended
Kentridge High School where he was named the team's MVP his junior season. He transferred to
Newport High School in
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue ( ) is a city in the Eastside (King County, Washington), Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, located across Lake Washington from Seattle. It is the third-largest city in the Seattle metropolitan area, and the f ...
for his senior season. That year, he kept eleven clean sheets en route to being named the All-King County goalkeeper.
He played college soccer for the
Seattle Pacific University Falcons. A Division II powerhouse, Hahnemann led SPU to the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
Division II National Championship in 1993. Over his four seasons at SPU, Hahnemann had a 64–9–5 record as a starter, with 46 career clean sheets.
Club career
Seattle Sounders
Hahnemann's professional career started when he signed with the
Seattle Sounders of the
A-League on May 1, 1994. In his first season with the Sounders, Hahnemann registered a .57
GAA in fourteen games to take the league's top goalkeeper honors. In 1995, he played 29 games as the Sounders won the league championship. In 1996, the Sounders repeated as champions while Hahnemann kept eleven clean sheets and made 119 saves.
Colorado Rapids
Hahnemann waited until 1997 to join
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...
(MLS), signing with the
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Founded in ...
. His first appearance was on April 20, 1997, coming on as a substitute for
Paul Grafer; Hahneman then started the next 23 MLS league games that season,
[Colorado Rapids New](_blank)
/ref> and he also appeared in the U.S. Open Cup. In his first season in MLS, the Rapids went all the way to the MLS Cup
MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Playoffs. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Confere ...
before losing 2–1 to D.C. United.
During his second season in 1998, he set a club record for the most games and minutes played in a single season by a goalkeeper, playing 2,520 minutes in 28 games and compiling a 16–12 record, and was named their Defender of the Year.
Fulham
After two and a half seasons with the Colorado Rapids, he signed with English First Division club Fulham
Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies in a loop on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...
, for £80,000 in June 1999. He failed to displace Maik Taylor in goal though, and only made four appearances (two in the league) in total for the London club (all during their promotion season of 2000–01).
With Edwin van der Sar signed upon promotion by Fulham, Hahnemann slipped further down the pecking order and to gain playing time, he was loaned out to lower league sides Rochdale
Rochdale ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England, and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale. In the United Kingdom 2021 Census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 111,261, compared to 223,773 for the wid ...
, and then, Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...
during the 2001–02 campaign. He made six appearances for the latter as part of their promotion from the third tier. At the end of the 2001–02 season, Hahnemann was released by the club after spending three years. Hahnemann then signed a one-month contract extension after spending time with the club.
Reading
Hahnemann then joined Reading permanently in the Summer of 2002 on a free transfer, becoming their first choice 'keeper. His first full season with the ''Royals'' saw them miss out on promotion to the Premier League in the play-offs, before two successive seasons saw them narrowly fall short of further play-off finishes.
He missed just one game of the 2005–06 season that saw Reading win promotion to the top flight of English soccer for the first time in their history, as they topped the Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this sys ...
with a record 106 points. He was named in that season's ''Championship Team of the Year'' by the Professional Footballers' Association.
His first season in the Premier League saw him keep thirteen clean sheets as the club finished eighth, only one place short of European qualification. He made the most saves (139) in the Premier League during 2007, but could not halt relegation in their second Premier League campaign.
He remained with the club for one further season as they attempted an immediate return to the top level, but Reading ultimately lost out to Burnley
Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2021 population of 78,266. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River B ...
in the play-off semi finals. Subsequently, Reading announced that they would not renew Hahnemann's contract making him a free agent.
Wolves
On June 17, 2009, Hahnemann signed a one-year contract with newly promoted Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club ( ), commonly referred to as Wolves, is a professional association football, football club based in Wolverhampton, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league s ...
. He was back-up to first-choice Wayne Hennessey for the opening four months, until Hennessey conceded four goals in two successive games and lost his place to Hahnemann. Hahnemann remained first-choice keeper for the remainder of the season, helping the club attain survival. His form ranked him as "the Best Goalkeeper in the World" using the Castrol Performance Index system, helping earn him a one-year contract extension.
However, the 2010–11 season saw the team enter a dismal run of form that left them bottom of the league and in danger of relegation. Hahnemann was dropped after a defeat to relegation rivals Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
in late November and did not feature again. He was released at the end of the campaign, after the expiry of his contract.
Everton
On September 23, 2011, Hahnemann signed for Everton on a short-term deal. He was released from the club on May 18, 2012, without making a first-team appearance, along with Scottish international James McFadden and four others who also did not feature in the first team.
Seattle Sounders FC
On September 14, 2012, Hahnemann made his long-anticipated return to the Sounders. Seattle traded a conditional draft
Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to:
Watercraft dimensions
* Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel
* Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail
* Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a v ...
pick to Toronto FC
Toronto Football Club is a Canadian professional Association football, soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matc ...
for the number one allocation slot, so they would be able to sign Hahnemann. At Seattle, Hahnemann was a backup behind Michael Gspurning.
On October 24, 2012, he made his debut against Marathón in a CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions Cup, formerly known as CONCACAF Champions League (2008–2023), is an international association football competition organized by CONCACAF as its top continental tournament for clubs from North America, Central America, ...
group stage match. On April 2, 2013, Hahnemann started against Santos Laguna in the first leg of the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals because Gspurning had to sit out after a yellow card accumulation, and in doing so at the age of 40 years and 289 days, he became the fourth oldest player in the competition's history at the time (currently sixth), but despite his advanced age, he still made four saves in a 1–0 loss.
In 2013, Hahnemann started six MLS Reserve League
The MLS Reserve League was a association football, soccer league for the reserve teams of Major League Soccer with teams in both the United States and Canada.
It was inaugurated on April 9, 2005, with the first official reserve game being a 2 ...
matches and played 242 minutes in the preseason, but on August 3, he finally made his first MLS appearance for Seattle, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 win against FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The franchise be ...
.[ This marked his first MLS game in 14 years and 44 days, the longest lapse in appearances in league history.][ In total, he made four MLS appearances in his first full season with the club in 2013, winning two and drawing two, and playing his last match on October 19, and in doing so at the age of 41 years and 124 days, Hahnemann became the fourth oldest player in MLS history, only behind Kasey Keller, Preki, and Pat Onstad.][ In the Knockout round (wild card) of the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs against Colorado Rapids, Hahnemann came from the bench in the 87th minute after a red card was issued to Gspurning, and with him on the pitch, his side scored a goal to seal a 2–0 win. He then started in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals, which ended in a 2–1 loss to the Portland Timbers.][
In 2014, Hahnemann only played two matches for Sounders, both in the U.S. Open Cup, first recording a clean sheet in a 5-0 win over PSA Elite, and then denying the San Jose Earthquakes in penalty kicks after a 1–1 draw on 24 June, and in doing so at the age of 42 years and 10 days, he became the oldest player in the competition's history, a record that has since been broken by Claudio Muñoz in 2024. On December 8, 2014, he announced his retirement from professional soccer.
]
International career
Hahnemann made his international debut for the United States national team on November 19, 1994, in a 0–1 friendly defeat to Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...
. He played two more games in the rest of the year.
Hahnemann did not play for the U.S. again until June 8, 2003, when he played the first half of a 2–1 friendly win over New Zealand in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
. The game was a warm-up for the Confederations Cup
The FIFA Confederations Cup was an international association football tournament for men's national teams, held every four years by FIFA. It was contested by the holders of each of the six Continental football championships, continental champions ...
, for which he was selected.
He won two further caps during 2005 and was then picked for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and allocated shirt number 19, but was an unused substitute in all of the United States' matches behind Kasey Keller and Tim Howard as they exited at the group stage. During the group stage, he and teammate Bobby Convey became the first Reading players to be named to a World Cup roster.
Nearing the age of 38, Hahnemann was named by coach Bob Bradley to the United States' 2010 World Cup squad, as third choice behind Howard and Brad Guzan. Hahnemann made his ninth and final appearance for the U.S. in 2011.
Personal life
Marcus Hahnemann is a Republican; his wife Amanda is a Democrat. He keeps hens, and also enjoys mountain biking
Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...
and hunting
Hunting is the Human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products (fur/hide (sk ...
. Before matches he listens to heavy metal to psych himself up, and presented Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch, also abbreviated as 5FDP or FFDP, is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2005. The band originally consisted of vocalist Ivan Moody, rhythm guitarist Zoltan Bathory, lead g ...
with a Wolves shirt emblazoned with a Remembrance Day poppy
A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, '' Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug ...
. He collaborated with the Reading-based band Malefice in early 2012 to release a song which will debut on Jägermeister UK's Facebook page in February 2012. Hahnemann is of German descent, his parents come from Wentorf bei Hamburg.
Although he did not have defective vision, Hahnemann wore special contact lenses
Contact lenses, or simply contacts, are thin lens (optics), lenses placed directly on the surface of the Human eye, eyes. Contact lenses are ocular prosthetic devices used by over 150 million people worldwide, and they can be worn to correct ...
to reduce the glare of the sun when he played. At Reading, he gifted every match jersey to fans after games; he also cut his sleeves due to personal preference when the manufacturers no longer provided short sleeves.[
In April 2016, Hahnemann and his former USMNT goalkeeper teammate Kasey Keller became coaches of the boys' soccer team at Newport High School, his former school in Bellevue, Washington.
]
Career statistics
Bibliography
*''Marcus Hahnemann's Premiership Diary'' (2007), Know the Score Books ()
Honors
Seattle Sounders
*League Championship: 1995, 1996
Reading
*Football League Championship
The English Football League Championship, known simply as the Championship and for sponsorship purposes as Sky Betting & Gaming, Sky Bet Championship, is a professional association football league in England and Wales. Contested by 24 clubs, i ...
: 2005–06
United States
* CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
Individual
* PFA Team of the Year: 2005–06 Football League Championship
References
External links
Official club profile
*
*
Marcus Hahnemann profile and career stats
at footballdatabase.com
at ussoccer.com
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hahnemann, Marcus
1972 births
Living people
American men's soccer players
Expatriate men's footballers in England
American expatriate sportspeople in England
Seattle Pacific Falcons men's soccer players
Seattle Sounders (1994–2008) players
Colorado Rapids players
Fulham F.C. players
Rochdale A.F.C. players
Reading F.C. players
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
Everton F.C. players
Seattle Sounders FC players
Men's association football goalkeepers
CONCACAF Gold Cup–winning players
2003 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
2006 FIFA World Cup players
2010 FIFA World Cup players
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
United States men's international soccer players
Major League Soccer players
Premier League players
English Football League players
A-League (1995–2004) players
Soccer players from Seattle
American people of German descent
Major League Soccer broadcasters
Association football coaches
20th-century American sportsmen