How do you say goodbye to something you’ve known for more than two decades? Brad Guzan is still learning.
Tuesday morning, the revered Atlanta United and U.S. Soccer goalkeeper conjured up the words. Guzan announced his retirement from professional soccer at the end of the 2025 season.
The decision comes at the tail end of a career that was nothing short of legendary. From collegiate soccer at the University of South Carolina, to the early MLS days with Chivas USA, from a near decade long stint with Aston Villa in England, to joining Atlanta United’s inaugural squad and making history. Not to mention Guzan’s exemplary United States Men’s National Team career.
Atlanta United, a club wrapping up its ninth season in MLS, knows nothing without Guzan in goal. He’s been a club staple since the Bobby Dodd days, through trophies and triumphs. In many ways, Brad Guzan is Atlanta United.
But, all good things must come to an end, even for the Big, Bald Wall.
“Emotionally, it’s been all over the place, because when you compete and play for as long as I have, it's all you know,” Guzan said. “It's all you've been a part of, and to then put an end on it, it becomes real. With every day, it gets closer, and it isn't something that you take lightly.”
Stepping away from football is something Guzan didn’t want to reckon with. His love for the sport, for the competition, for the people is limitless. How could he call it quits?
Guzan, as any good captain would, won’t take an ounce of credit on his own. It’s always about those around him lifting him up. Principal in that group is his family. His wife, Breanne, his four children, Aiden, Emerson, Griffin, and Everly, his parents and extended family — those are the first people he thinks of on his long list of thank you’s.
“I wouldn't be here without the support of my wife, my family and my kids,” Guzan said. “They are fans regardless of how training goes, regardless of how games go, win or lose. My wife has been there through the hardest times, she's been there through the best times. She's been on this journey just as much as I have, and this is just as much her story as it is mine. For her support, I'm eternally grateful.”
It's a life-changing shift for Guzan and his entire family. His two youngest children were born in Atlanta, and he said his oldest two have grown up a part of the matchday experiences as much as Guzan has.
“For them, this has always been dad's job,” Guzan said. “They’ve grown to love the sport, they've grown to love the game. They love to be a part of matchdays, home matchdays of going to the stadium and cheering on Atlanta United and cheering me on. It’s going to be a change, but nobody can play forever.”
Guzan’s name is already scattered throughout the nationwide and worldwide record books. He’s the fifth-most capped goalkeeper in U.S. Men’s National Team history. He was the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2007, won MLS Save of the Year in 2017 and was an MLS All-Star in 2018 and 2019.
With Atlanta United, his totals are likely to stand the test of time. He has 261 appearances across all competitions, 224 in MLS regular season play, both the most in club history. His 61 clean sheets in regular season matches are, of course, most in club history. His 14 clean sheets during the 2019 MLS regular season are a club record in a single season.
For Guzan, it’s never been about the numbers. None of them could possibly mean more than those shiny, silver trophies.
“Records are meant to be broken,” Guzan said. “Whether it's a team record, whether it's an individual record, it means you probably have done something good, whether collectively or individually. But ultimately, you don't play the game for that. The beauty of soccer is it's a team sport, and when you do something meaningful, when you win trophies, it takes everyone.”
Any accomplishment that Atlanta United can claim over its history was built in part by Guzan. He manned the goal through Atlanta United’s MLS Cup-winning season in 2018. The moment was bigger than just the football club — ending a city-wide championship drought and letting ATLiens know what it feels like to be the best again.
“When I think of MLS Cup, I think of the celebrations afterwards, of course, but I think more so of the parade through the city,” Guzan said. “People [were] coming up to me in the grocery store, on the street afterwards, years afterwards, still to this day, talking about that was the first parade in forever. It gives you goosebumps when you talk about it, because you made people soccer fans that probably weren't soccer fans. You changed the viewpoint of a city.”
The bond was formed between a still young Atlanta United club and its community. A year later, the U.S. Open Cup Championship proved a different mountain to climb. Yet, Guzan and the 5-Stripes did it all the same.
“You look around after that final whistle blows when you win a trophy in a championship, and you know the sacrifices that guys have put in, and you understand the work that has gone into those moments to then be able to savor that,” Guzan said.
As the club captain for the last several years of his tenure with Atlanta United, Guzan grew as a leader not only in the locker room, but in the city. He never let the pride of wearing the armband distract him from his job as a role model. Guzan was a First Team ambassador for Atlanta United’s Unified Special Olympics team, platformed mental health awareness, participated in countless community events with the club and more.
“Being captain is not an individualistic thing,” Guzan said. “It's about the organization. It's about being a leader, not just for the 10 other guys on the field with you but being a voice for everyone. It’s a responsibility to the community.”
Guzan understands what he means to the city of Atlanta. He’s spoken and acted accordingly. He’s made the saves, led the team talks, been there for every chapter. It’s all been one great learning experience, even for a veteran of the game.
“Throughout my time here, it's learning daily how to be a better dad, a better husband, a better friend,” Guzan said. “It's about learning every day. The game of soccer is never a ‘Hey, I figured it out and this is it.’ You can always learn on the field. You can always learn from new players, from old players, young players, experienced players. There's always something to learn. I think that's the beauty of the game. I think my appreciation for that part of the sport, for that part of the game, has grown over the years, especially later on in my career.”
If you’ve watched even just one match of Brad Guzan’s career, you can see the fire of competition in his eyes. Part of his heart breaks in saying goodbye to soccer.
“Ultimately, I also feel that I could play for another 10 years, and I think that's just the competitive spirit that I have,” Guzan said. “It's the drive that I have, the love of the game that I have, the love of the locker room that I have.”
Guzan’s final match will be this Saturday, Oct. 18. It’ll be a chance for the 17s in attendance to let him know how much he’s meant to them, and the ever-grateful Guzan will get his own chance to thank the city.
“I'm excited for it. It’s a chance to go out and compete one last time,” Guzan said. “It's a chance to show my gratitude for the fans, to show my gratitude to the city, show my gratitude to my family, to my friends. This isn't a journey that I've been on by myself. It's a chance to thank everyone else around me because they've been on this journey just as much, if not more ... It's a chance to acknowledge all the people that have been there with me from day one to now. When that night finishes, it’s a close of a chapter. The next morning at breakfast, a new chapter will start.”
