US Soccer
Bill Hamid and Sean Johnson were supposed to be the next wave in the long lineage of successful U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeepers. The young duo burst on the M.L.S. scene at roughly the same time and received their professional debuts within months of each other – Hamid with D.C. United and Johnson with Chicago Fire — during their first full seasons in 2010.
Both made their way into U.S. MNT camp within a year of their club debuts and pushed each other as the top two goalkeepers in the U-23 MNT’s cycle leading to the 2012 Summer Olympics. Though the U.S. missed out on going to London, the pair remained in the conversation for the side’s third goalkeeper spot as the USA qualified for 2014 FIFA World Cup.
“It’s challenging to deal with the fact that only one goalkeeper can play, especially in a National Team environment,” Hamid said. “It’s one where every goalkeeper is a starter at his club and you have to just take it on board. If your name isn’t called, you have to keep going, keep performing in training and believe in yourself, your strengths, believe that you can get the job done if your name is called upon.”
