Andre Blake was born in Jamaica, but moved to the States for college soccer. He committed to the University of Connecticut, where the goalkeeper played three seasons. UConn's keeper entered the draft as the top prospect. With the first overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, the Philadelphia Union selected Andre Blake. It was one of the best decisions in the history of the club. The No. 1 pick seemed destined to start right away, but that was not the case. In a strange move, the Union signed a DP goalkeeper by the name of Rais M'Bohli. It was a grave mistake. Not only did M'Bohli's arrival delay Blake's start, but he was ultimately benched for bad form and dumped. Blake started just one match in 2014, a 7-save performance against the Houston Dynamo in which he denied a Ricardo Clark drive.
In 2015, Blake still did not earn the goalkeeper gig. On September 26th, the Union gave him another chance. He showed out, and some. Blake set the club record for saves in a single match, keeping 10 shots out of his net in a draw with the New England Revolution. He finished up the 2015 season with a handful of starts, totaling 540 minutes. It was not until 2016 that Andre Blake finally took the reins of net minding in Philadelphia. Immediately, his ability was on display. It is genuinely too bad that the Union kept him mostly out of action for his first two seasons. In his first full season as a starter, he made the 2016 MLS Best XI and the All-Star Team. He won the grand prize of MLS GKs, the 2016 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award. Not bad for a first season as a starter. His most active game of the year was the very first game of the year, an 8-save performance against FC Dallas. He robbed Maxi Urruti right in front, then stopped one of his curler later on. Philly lost to Toronto in the first round of the playoffs.
With Blake now cemented as one of the best goalkeepers in MLS, he had an ever better year statistically in 2017, in less minutes. He saved 7 shots in a road match at Real Salt Lake, parrying a Joao Plata shot away from his net. In the very next game, he saved another 7, including a quick reaction save on David Villa and then another of the same caliber. His cleanest performance of the season was an 8-save clean sheet against the New York Red Bulls. He made a diving save on Derrick Etienne, and recovered from a punching mistake to stone Bradley Wright-Phillips just inches from goal. The Union missed out on the postseason.
In 2018, Andre Blake hit double-digit clean sheets for the first time of his career. He also had 3.55 saves per game, meaning it was his busiest season on average over 1,000 minutes played. He was indeed busy in another 8-save performance in Frisco. Philadelphia lost, but Blake made a great stop in tough conditions on Jacori Hayes in the later moments. During the campaign, the Union finished as the runner-up in the US Open Cup. This was the third time during Blake's career that this was the case, in all of 2014, 2015 and 2018. The Union are essentially the New England Revolution of the USOC. Blake's side lost to NYCFC in the first round of the playoffs.
The 2019 edition of Major League Soccer was the most statistically disappointing year for Andre Blake. He kept just 3 clean sheets over the course of the season. Regardless, the Union had their best finish with Blake as their keeper, ending as the third seed in the East, and Blake was named an All-Star. His highest save game was a 6-save loss against the New York Red Bulls in September. The first round playoff matchup was with that same RBNY team. It was not a game for goalkeepers. Philadelphia won 4-3, their first playoff win in club history. In the next round, Atlanta United's unstoppable team was the force that was able to stop the red hot Union.
In 2020, Blake returned to the throne of MLS goalkeeping. He made his second Best XI, while winning his second MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honor. Some players struggled through the pandemic year, but Philadelphia's No. 18 was not one of them. Before the pandemic sent waves through the US, Blake made 8 stops against LAFC during a wild 3-3 draw, including a fearless rush of Carlos Vela and a low dive on Diego Rossi. Blake's stellar play at the MLS is Back Tournament earned him the Golden Glove of the tournament, as well as tourney's Best XI. The incredible season for Philadelphia culminated with the first Supporters' Shield in club history. The happiness was short lived, as the Revs completed a massive upset to knock them out.
Blake came close to winning yet another GKOTY trophy in 2021, but he was edged out by the historic season of Matt Turner and New England. He ended runner-up, but did make the All-Star team. He saved all 7 shots he faced in a victory over DC United. He showed off his athleticism and jumping ability with a huge stretch stop on a Kevin Paredes curler from deep. He continued to represent his country as Jamaica's top goalkeeper as well, a position he has assumed since beginning in MLS. He now has 73 caps. The Union finished as the second placed team in the Eastern Conference, though 19 points out of first, setting up a competitive playoff. It seems that whenever Philadelphia and RBNY meet in the first round, there are fireworks, and this time was no different. He made a huge save in extra time to keep it scoreless. Jakob Glesnes' 123rd minute looping volley claimed an extremely late win. They defeated Nashville SC in penalty kicks in the following round, as Blake allowed zero penalties to get past him. The drama ended once Philly missed Blake among many other to Covid, losing in the ECF. Blake kept 12 clean sheets in 2021.
In 2022, Blake shattered his career-high in clean sheets, keeping 15 of them, a league-leading tally. At the conclusion of the season, Andre Blake was awarded his third MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award, the first player to ever do so. He of course also made the Best XI and All-Star Team. His highest save game was a 6-save, 4-1 victory against the Chicago Fire. The Union returned to the top of the Eastern Conference, losing the Supporters' Shield to LAFC only on the wins tiebreaker. They would have won by a hefty margin if goal difference was to separate them. In round one, Blake had a 5-save shutout to beat FC Cincinnati. He got low to claim a Brandon Vazquez strike and dove to his left to stop Junior Moreno from getting on the scoresheet. His heroics helped Philadelphia stay in it and win the match. In the Eastern Conference Final with NYCFC, Blake conceded first, but this time his team had his back, scoring three straight. He stuffed Santiago Rodriguez to advance to MLS Cup. MLS Cup 2022 is not a match that Union fans will want to relive. The game was all but won before Gareth Bale dunked on Philly, and LAFC ultimately won it in penalties.
Coming off a heartbreaking 2022 final loss, Blake and the Union regrouped for the fresh season. It was ultimately an off year for one of the best goalkeepers in MLS. He did not finish in the top three in voting for GKOTY, as Roman Burki took this year's award. Blake's best performance of 2023 was an 8-save game against the Columbus Crew in September. He made a stretching stop on Yaw Yeboah, as well as a parry against Alexandru Matan and a near post punch on Diego Rossi. The Union ended up as the #4 seed. They swept the Revolution in the first round, with Blake keeping a clean sheet in leg two, saving a laced shot by Andrew Farrell. Just one week ago at the time of writing, the Philadelphia Union went out in another heartbreaking manner. Blake made saves on Vazquez and Aaron Boupendza. It was all for naught. In stoppage time, Yerson Mosquera stunned the Philadelphia Union with a controversial stoppage time goal that may have been offside, but it counted and Philly's season ended abruptly.
At 33 years of age, Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake is still the best the league has the offer. The Jamaican has shown his astonishing movement and athleticism for the last eight MLS seasons, all of which he posted solid performances in the Union net. Blake still has years left to play as well, so the Union should not have to worry about their goalkeeper position anytime soon, the main man has it locked down. For his historic ability to keep balls out of the net in Major League Soccer, Andre Blake ranks at #8.
YEAR | CLUB | MINUTES | CS | SAVES/PG |
2023 | PHI | 2,373 | 8 | 2.7 |
2022 | PHI | 3,060 | 15 | 2.94 |
2021 | PHI | 2,340 | 12 | 2.92 |
2020 | PHI | 1,889 | 8 | 3.0 |
2019 | PHI | 2,304 | 3 | 2.31 |
2018 | PHI | 2,970 | 10 | 3.55 |
2017 | PHI | 2,340 | 9 | 3.38 |
2016 | PHI | 2,880 | 6 | 3.13 |
2015 | PHI | 540 | 2 | 4.5 |
2014 | PHI | 90 | 0 | 7.0 |
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