Major League Soccer has announced that D.C. United’s Bill Hamid has been named 2014 Goalkeeper of the Year. Hamid earned the League’s highest ‘keeping honor after a standout season where he was also named a 2014 MLS All-Star and MLS Best XI.
The 24-year-old Homegrown product finished the regular season with the best saves percentage in MLS (75.3), second in shutouts (10), third in goals against average (1.13), tied for fourth in wins (14) and fourth in saves (110). He is the only goalkeeper to finish the MLS regular season in the top three in saves percentage, shutouts and goals against average. Hamid also set career highs in games played and started (30), minutes played (2,700) shutouts, saves and wins. He is the first Homegrown goalkeeper to win the award.
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"I am extremely honored to be named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year," said Hamid. "I have to recognize a great set of goalkeepers, Joe Willis and Andrew Dykstra, along with Coach Preston Burpo, who I work with on a daily basis, a group that pushes each other and helps each other to get better. I also want to thank my team, a group that scraps and competes every day in training, week in and week out, to make sure everyone is at the top of their game. It all ultimately led to our success this season. Thanks for keeping faith in me. Vamos United."
“We are very excited and proud of this prestigious award for Bill,” said D.C. United General Manager Dave Kasper. “To see Bill's growth as a homegrown player coming out of our youth Academy and now rising to being named the best goalkeeper in MLS is simply incredible. We wish a big congratulations to Bill and to all of the coaches and staffs of both the First Team and Academy who have helped Bill along the way.”
During the MLS regular season, Hamid became the first MLS Homegrown player to reach 100 MLS regular season games, and was also named to his first MLS All-Star Team, becoming the first Homegrown goalkeeper to do so. In the 2014 MLS All-Star game on Aug. 6, 2014, at Providence Park in Portland, Ore., Hamid played the final 45 minutes, recording three saves and allowing zero goals in the 2-1 win over Bayern Munich.
In September, the goalkeeper was once again named to the adidas’ MLS ‘24 Under 24’ Team. Hamid has made the elite list five times, which is more than any other player in MLS. He also was named to the American Soccer Now’s Top 100 coming in at No.44 overall.
In 2009, Hamid became D.C. United’s first academy player to sign a professional contract. He made history on May 5, 2010 becoming the youngest goalkeeper to win an MLS contest at 19 years and 161 days old, besting the previous record held by Tim Howard. Over a five-year career with the Black-and-Red, Hamid has played in 115 games (115 starts) and has racked up a total of 375 saves and 30 shutouts.
Previous winners of MLS Goalkeeper of the Year:
2013: Donovan Ricketts – Portland Timbers
2012: Jimmy Nielsen – Sporting Kansas City
2011: Kasey Keller – Seattle Sounders FC
2010: Donovan Ricketts – LA Galaxy
2009: Zach Thornton – Chivas USA
2008: Jon Busch – Chicago Fire
2007: Brad Guzan – Chivas USA
2006: Troy Perkins – D.C. United
2005: Pat Onstad – San Jose Earthquakes
2004: Joe Cannon – Colorado Rapids
2003: Pat Onstad – San Jose Earthquakes
2002: Joe Cannon – San Jose Earthquakes
2001: Tim Howard – MetroStars
2000: Tony Meola – Kansas City Wizards
1999: Kevin Hartman – Los Angeles Galaxy
1998: Zach Thornton – Chicago Fire
1997: Brad Friedel – Columbus Crew
1996: Mark Dodd – Dallas Burn
