Andre Blake opens up on mental strain of goalkeeping

Goalkeeper Andre Blake has been revolutionary since kicking off his career in 2014. 

He made history from the start as the first ever goalkeeper to be chosen as the number one overall pick in any MLS SuperDraft. 

Blake held his own during his first two years in the American league, but it wasn’t until 2016 that he became an integral part of the Philadelphia Union. The goalkeeper started all 32 games that campaign, managing six clean sheets with 99 saves over a career-high 2,880 minutes, continuously working to become a standout in the American league.  

He finally earned recognition in 2020, winning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and the MLS is Back Tournament Golden Glove while inspiring the Union to their first-ever Supports’ Shield. 

As Blake grew in Major League Soccer, he was called in by the Jamaican national team to represent the yellow, black and green. He’s now managed 56 caps for the Reggae Boyz since in 2014, regularly featuring as the number one pick. 

Now, almost nine years after his rookie season, Blake admits understanding the mental component of his position keeps him going during each game.

“It's a lot more mental than physical, you know. As a goalkeeper, you have to be able to clear your head and live in the moment, and you can't worry about making mistakes because then you're going to create problems by thinking about things that didn't even happen. So the hardest thing is to keep a clear head,” he said exclusively to 90min. 

“It's not like in training where you're making saves, you're in the game and adrenaline. You get into a game and you're standing there doing nothing.

”Then you're asked to make the biggest decision, which you don't have time. You have to make that decision in a split second. So you have to just try your best to have a clear head and to just play the game in the moment. Sometimes it's harder than other times, but you have to learn to take care of that mindset, stay clear headed and you know, should be in a good spot.”

And it’s no different with the Jamaican national team. 

“Soccer, football, it's universal. You know, the playing styles might be different, but the principles remain the same. It's kind of hard to adjust because of the different training schedules and different types of training. But you can't overthink it. At the end of the day, it's football. Wherever you go, it's football,” he added. 

“The fields, for the most part, are the same size, the goals are the same size, the rules remain the same. So you can't really look too much into it or think about it too much because it can become a distraction.

”So you just have to know, what are you at the club? Do whatever the club needs. And when you're with your national team, you do whatever the national team needs. And as a good professional, you have to be able to adjust to different environments and situations. So the quicker you are able to do that, you might get better results.”

Blake’s outlook has inspired him to become one of the most stable figures for both Jamaica and the Philadelphia Union. 

The Reggae Boyz couldn’t quite make it to the World Cup after concluding the Concacaf qualifiers in sixth place, but they have returned with vengeance for Nations League. With Blake’s help, the Jamaican side earned two draws and one triumph to currently lead the Group A standings over Suriname and Mexico. 

In Major League Soccer, Andre Blake has also delivered. 

Halfway into the 2022 campaign, the Union sits in second place on the Eastern Conference table with 30 points in 18 games. He’s managed seven clean sheets so far, already trumping his 2015, 2016 and 2019 records. 

With so much left to play for, there’s no stopping the goalkeeper.