COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids have signed goalkeeper Zack Steffen to a three-year contract through 2026 with a club option for an additional year, the club announced today. In order to sign Steffen, Colorado first acquired his discovery rights from the New England Revolution in exchange for $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM).
“Zack is an elite-level goalkeeper with a wealth of experience internationally and in MLS. His exceptional skills, experience, and proven track record make him a valuable addition to our roster,” said Colorado Rapids President Pádraig Smith. “His character and mentality will greatly benefit our team. We’re thrilled to bolster our backline with his signing and look forward to welcoming him to Colorado.”
Steffen, 28, joins Colorado after four seasons with Manchester City Football Club in the English Premier League. Across 21 appearances for the club, including matches in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, and Community Shield, he recorded eight clean sheets. Steffen and The Citizens secured the Premier League title for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, clinched the EFL Cup in 2020-21, and were runners-up in the UEFA Champions League for the 2019-20 season.
“We are incredibly happy to bring Zack to the club. He is a top player with big experiences, and we know he will add so much to our group. His quality, leadership and winning mentality will help us for years to come,” said Rapids Head Coach, Chris Armas.
The Coatesville, Pennsylvania, native underwent loan spells at Fortuna Düsseldorf (Bundesliga) and Middlesbrough (EFL Championship). During his time at Fortuna, Steffen made 17 Bundesliga appearances, securing a victory in his debut against Werder Bremen on August 17, 2019 and also made an appearance in the DFB-Pokal. While at Boro, he recorded 10 clean sheets in 45 appearances across the Championship, Championship Playoffs, and the FA Cup.
In the 2019 Secondary Transfer Window, goalkeeper Zack Steffen made a historic move to Manchester City Football Club from Columbus Crew SC, setting the record for the highest transfer fee ever received by an MLS club for a goalkeeper. Steffen, a 2018 MLS All-Star and the 2018 MLS Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year, initially joining Columbus in 2016 as a Discovery Signing. His 2018 season included a 525-minute shutout streak, ranking as the eighth-longest in MLS history, and he was named MLS Player of the Month for May. Steffen's contributions were recognized with a spot in the 2018 Best XI and a standout performance in the 2018 MLS All-Star Game against Juventus. In 2017, he made his MLS debut, earning 16 wins and nine shutouts, and recorded eight saves against Atlanta United FC in the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Before joining Columbus, Steffen began his professional career on Dec.12, 2014, when he signed for German side SC Freiburg. He made his debut for the reserve side on Aug. 1, 2015, keeping a clean sheet against Saarbrücken in the Regionalliga Südwest. Steffen made 14 appearances during his first full professional season with SC Freiburg II, registering three shutouts.
At the international level, Steffen has earned 29 caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team, making his debut as a substitute in a friendly against Bosnia-Herzegovina on January 28, 2018. Most recently, he appeared in three World Cup Qualifiers, facing Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica in March 2022. Steffen also took part in the Gold Cup 2019, Concacaf Nations League, and international friendlies. Furthermore, he was nominated as one of the five candidates for the 2018 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year Award.
At the youth international level, Steffen has represented the United States at the U-18, U-20, and U-23 levels. Notably, he served as the primary goalkeeper for the U-20s during the summer of 2015, participating in both the 2015 Concacaf U-20 Championship and the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. Additionally, he was part of the team that won the Concacaf Nations League in 2019-20.
TRANSACTION: Colorado Rapids sign goalkeeper Zack Steffen to a three-year contract through the 2026 season, with a club option for an additional year after acquiring his discovery rights from the New England Revolution in exchange for $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM), on January 4, 2024.
Zack Steffen
Pronunciation: steh-FAN
Position: *Goalkeeper
Height: 6-3
*Weight: 190
Birthdate: April 2, 1995
Birthplace: Coatesville, PA
Nationality: USA
