The Colorado Rapids announced today that the deal with Mexican side Club León to bring goalkeeper William Yarbrough back to Colorado is complete, following his one-year loan in 2020.
This is big news for a team that saw great progress last season, in part thanks to Yarbrough. We countdown five of the reasons Rapids fans should look forward to Yarbrough’s return to Colorado.
5(th) – Place Finish
With Yarbrough in net for the majority of the matches in 2020, the Rapids finished fifth in the Western Conference, which is the team’s highest finish since the 2016 season. Yarbrough played a major role in the Rapids success on the pitch with 14 starts, with the Rapids picking up 22 points in those matches.
Yarbrough managed 48 saves during his 1,260 minutes – and a number of those saves were pretty impressive, to say the least.
4 – Total Shutouts
In his 14 appearances, Yarbrough kept a clean sheet in four matches last season. That’s a pretty good start to his career in Colorado; with two more shutouts, he’ll be in the top 10 for Colorado goalkeepers with less than half of the number of games played of former Rapids goalkeeper David Kramer, who currently holds the tenth spot.
Not only are the four shutouts impressive, but the timing of the shutouts was even more important. Three of them came in consecutive starts in September, as the Rapids surged back into the playoff picture. Yarbrough posted 368 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal from Sept. 9 to Oct. 24, the third-longest shutout streak in club history.
But the last shutout is the one to remember: a 1-0 win against Portland to secure Colorado’s spot in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
3 – More Years
Yarbrough is set to be with the Rapids for the next three seasons, with an additional one-year option available to the club. With this deal done, Colorado is in a great position to continue to build on the team’s success from last season.
“We’re thrilled to be able to bring Will back to the club,” said Pádraig Smith, Colorado Rapids Executive VP & General Manager. “Will is a proven winner and his leadership within the locker room was invaluable as we navigated an unprecedented season last year. Bringing him back on a permanent basis was one of our top priorities this offseason and reinforces what we believe to be one of the best goalkeeping groups in the league.”
Click here to read the full release.
2 - Time Champion
Prior to Colorado, Yarbrough spent the previous eight seasons with León, starting an impressive 192 matches in Mexico’s top-flight. During this time, he led the club to two Liga MX titles while starting in net.
It is no secret that the Rapids are a young team. Last year, the squad gained quality experience in the playoffs that they will look to take with them this year in hopes of making a deeper run. That championship experience from someone like Yarbrough, who has been in the trenches and knows what it feels like to win at the highest level, will be crucial as the team progresses.
Need a refresher on the top-level experience Yarbrough brings to the table? Check out the link below.
1 - William Yarbrough
Arguably the most significant thing Yarbrough brings can’t be told through the numbers. His impact in the locker room was pivotal during a year with so many ups and down and should only continue this season and beyond.
“Will has been fantastic,” said head coach Robin Fraser, following the team’s COVID-19 hiatus in October. “Will’s been tremendous… It becomes infectious when those guys talk about the fact that it is what it is, let’s just get on with it. Let’s focus, let’s just be sharp, let’s just be good. And that’s certainly the message that is coming from the experienced players.”
The Rapids have a number of established veterans returning to the roster next season,and Yarbrough’s pedigree is a welcome addition to that group.Rapids fans can look forward to enjoying what Yarbrough brings to the group, on and off the field, for years to come.
