Kristijan Kahlina, the current MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, has continued to play a key role for Charlotte FC as the 2025 regular season nears its end. His performances have helped place the team among the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.
Kahlina’s journey this season has included challenges, such as a demanding stretch of seven away games in May and a brief period on the bench. Injuries to defenders like Nathan Byrne and frequent changes in center back pairings—featuring Andrew Privett, Tim Ream, and Adilson Malanda—have meant that Kahlina has faced more shots than any other goalkeeper in Major League Soccer this year.
Despite these obstacles, Kahlina leads all league goalkeepers with 123 saves from 167 shots faced. He ranks among the top two for clean sheets with eleven shutouts and is also in the top five for goals prevented according to FotMob statistics. His average of 3.9 saves per 90 minutes is second highest in MLS.
A notable moment came when Kahlina saved a penalty kick from Lionel Messi during a match against Inter Miami, helping Charlotte FC maintain a clean sheet and contributing to their nine-match winning streak. During this run, he recorded six clean sheets and was instrumental in matching a post-shootout record previously set by the 2018 Seattle Sounders.
Throughout periods of inconsistent form in May and June, Kahlina’s commitment remained steady. According to Charlotte FC, “His story…is one of perseverance and dedication to the craft and continuing to improve.” The club also noted: “Kahlina stepped up when The Crown needed him most. He was one of the catalysts in The Crown’s historic nine match winning streak, where he recorded six clean sheets.”
As Charlotte FC closes out another strong season, Kahlina’s contributions continue to be central to their success and his defense of last year’s award.
