Steve Cronin (born Steven Michael Cronin on May 28,
1983 in Sacramento, California) is an American
soccer goalkeeper, who currently plays for the Los
Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.
As a teenager, Cronin trained with the Under-17
United States national team at the USSF's Bradenton
Academy, along players like Landon Donovan, DaMarcus
Beasley, and Bobby Convey. He made his international
debut with the team against Sweden on November 26,
1998. He played college soccer at Santa Clara
University from 2001 to 2003. As a freshman, Cronin
pulled double duty, starting 10 games as a
goalkeeper and six in the field, finishing the
season with a 0.79 goals against average. For the
next two years, Cronin remained solely in goal,
starting 27 matches and being named first-team
All-West Coast Conference as a junior.
Following a tremendous performance with the Under-20
national team in the 2003 FIFA World Youth
Championship, Cronin signed a Project-40 contract
with MLS. He was selected 10th overall in the 2004
MLS SuperDraft by his hometown San Jose Earthquakes.
Unfortunately for Cronin, San Jose had two very
competent goalkeepers in front of him, 2003 MLS
Goalkeeper of the Year Pat Onstad and Jon Conway,
and the young keeper did not get any playing time in
the 2004 season.
Cronin was traded to Los Angeles in the off-season
in a four-player deal and started several games for
the Galaxy. He was called up for the USMNT game
against Sweden on January 19, 2008. He became the LA
Galaxy's starting goalkeeper after they traded Joe
Cannon to the San Jose Earthquakes in January 2008.
Cronin had recently signed a multi-year contract
extension with L.A.
