Marcus Hahnemann

 ( 1972 Births ) 

With Edwin van der Sar signed upon promotion by Fulham, Hahnemann slipped further down the pecking order and to gain playing time, he was loaned out to lower league sides Rochdale, and then, Reading during the 2001–02 campaign. He made six appearances for the latter as part of their promotion from the third tier. At the end of the 2001–02 season, Hahnemann was released by the club after spending three years. Hahnemann then signed a one-month contract extension after spending time with the club.

He missed just one game of the 2005–06 season that saw Reading win promotion to the top flight of English soccer for the first time in their history, as they topped the EFL Championship with a record 106 points. He was named in that season's Championship Team of the Year by the Professional Footballers' Association.

His first season in the Premier League saw him keep thirteen clean sheets as the club finished eighth, only one place short of European qualification. He made the most saves (139) in the Premier League during 2007, but could not halt relegation in their second Premier League campaign.

He remained with the club for one further season as they attempted an immediate return to the top level, but Reading ultimately lost out to Burnley in the play-off semi finals. Subsequently, Reading announced that they would not renew Hahnemann's contract making him a free agent.

However, the 2010–11 season saw the team enter a dismal run of form that left them bottom of the league and in danger of relegation. Hahnemann was dropped after a defeat to relegation rivals Blackpool in late November and did not feature again. He was released at the end of the campaign, after the expiry of his contract.

On October 24, 2012, he made his debut against Marathón in a CONCACAF Champions League group stage match. On April 2, 2013, Hahnemann started against Santos Laguna in the first leg of the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals because Gspurning had to sit out after a yellow card accumulation, and in doing so at the age of 40 years and 289 days, he became the fourth oldest player in the competition's history at the time (currently sixth), but despite his advanced age, he still made four saves in a 1–0 loss.

In 2013, Hahnemann started six MLS Reserve League matches and played 242 minutes in the preseason, but on August 3, he finally made his first MLS appearance for Seattle, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 win against FC Dallas. This marked his first MLS game in 14 years and 44 days, the longest lapse in appearances in league history. In total, he made four MLS appearances in his first full season with the club in 2013, winning two and drawing two, and playing his last match on October 19, and in doing so at the age of 41 years and 124 days, Hahnemann became the fourth oldest player in MLS history, only behind Kasey Keller, Preki, and Pat Onstad. In the Knockout round (wild card) of the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs against Colorado Rapids, Hahnemann came from the bench in the 87th minute after a red card was issued to Gspurning, and with him on the pitch, his side scored a goal to seal a 2–0 win. He then started in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals, which ended in a 2–1 loss to the Portland Timbers.

In 2014, Hahnemann only played two matches for Sounders, both in the U.S. Open Cup, first recording a clean sheet in a 5-0 win over PSA Elite, and then denying the San Jose Earthquakes in penalty kicks after a 1–1 draw on 24 June, and in doing so at the age of 42 years and 10 days, he became the oldest player in the competition's history, a record that has since been broken by Claudio Muñoz in 2024. On December 8, 2014, he announced his retirement from professional soccer.

Hahnemann did not play for the U.S. again until June 8, 2003, when he played the first half of a 2–1 friendly win over New Zealand in Richmond, Virginia. The game was a warm-up for the Confederations Cup, for which he was selected.

He won two further caps during 2005 and was then picked for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and allocated shirt number 19, but was an unused substitute in all of the United States' matches behind Kasey Keller and Tim Howard as they exited at the group stage. During the group stage, he and teammate Bobby Convey became the first Reading players to be named to a World Cup roster.

Nearing the age of 38, Hahnemann was named by coach Bob Bradley to the United States' 2010 World Cup squad, as third choice behind Howard and Brad Guzan. Hahnemann made his ninth and final appearance for the U.S. in 2011.