The Great Wall of Kahlina: MLS Goalkeeper of the Year

STEVE GOLDBERG | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina (in red) is mobbed by teammates after stopping a pair of penalty kicks in Game 2 of the Crown's MLS first round game against Orlando City. Kahlina was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, making him the first Charlotte player to earn a league wide honor.

If given only one word to describe Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, it would be “confident.”

The club’s top netminder for its three seasons looks you in the eye and tells you like it is. Never boastful. Just honest.

“I said from the first press conference, I want to be the best here,” Kahlina said matter-of-factly.

He’s done just that. Not just the best for Charlotte but MLS, which named him Goalkeeper of the Year.

“All season, I think I played really, really good, on a high level,” Kahlina said. “And when I get to the final (three candidates), it was even bigger pressure for me, because then you want to show yourself even better to everybody that you deserve this award. Until the end, I think I played very well, and nobody can have any question or doubt why I get this award.”

Kahlina, 32, was one of three finalists for the award, along with LAFC’s Hugo Lloris and Patrick Schulte of the Columbus Crew. Roman Burki of St. Louis City SC won last year.

Kahlina anchored the Crown’s defense, which was the second best in MLS in goals allowed, and tops in the Eastern Conference. It was the most visible improvement in the first year of Dean Smith leading the coaching staff, one that lifted Charlotte to fifth in the East, four spots higher than last year’s team that advanced to the play-in game.

“It's incredible, because who can say in the end of the last year, that will be one of the best defensive teams in MLS,” Kahlina said. The biggest change was Dean Smith, who changed our style and how we played defensively. He teach us every day, from the start of the preseason, what is our main targets in defense, and how we will defend when somebody cross the ball, when somebody wants to play through us, and in the end, I think we show up that we can play like this, and thank God, we are one of the best teams in defense.”

Throughout the season, when asked about Kahlina’s performance, Smith was straightforward, saying he made the saves he should have, and a few that may have saved a win or a draw.
“In terms of keeping our team in games,” Smith said, “and from where we’ve come from as a club, to get the defensive record we’ve got, he’s been a massive part.”

Individual honor but a team reward

When Smith announced Kahlina’s honor to the team, there was resounding cheers and celebration. Though disappointed with not moving on in the playoffs, this was a victory for the entire organization, something Kahlina emphasized to his teammates.

“Thank you guys for all the support,” he said. “I need to show myself every day here. It’s just (a) bigger responsibility for me with this award to show that this is not just something lucky, and to keep my performance high. I say every time, without the team I cannot be where I am. This is an award even for you.”

Kahlina’s selection was as comprehensive as his play, garnering 34.88% of the vote, which included media, players, and club technical staff (coach and sporting director). He received 53.2% of the media vote, with Lloris 9.6%, and Schulte 8.8%. He also collected 40.63% of the club staff vote, with Schulte 9.38% and Lloris 6.25%. Lloris led the player voting with 16.22%, perhaps influenced by his winning a World Cup with France. Kahlina and Schulte earned 10.81%.

Statistically, Kahlina had one of the best seasons in MLS history. He was the only goalkeeper ranked in the top five in both saves (121) and goals against average (1.09). He led the league in clean sheets (12) – tied with Lloris – and tops in save percentage (75.63%).

Kahlina was the last line of defense for a club that concedes the second-fewest goals in MLS (37), which allowed the Crown to set club records in most points (51) and most wins (14), as well as the highest placement to date as the Eastern Conference's No. 5 seed.

From Zagreb to Charlotte

Kahlina joined Charlotte from Ludogorets, the dominant club in the Bulgarian first division. After coming up through the youth system at Dinamo Zagreb in his hometown, the most successful club in Croatian soccer, he through smaller clubs in Croatia and Slovenia, before his services were loaned and eventually sold to Ludogorets in 2021. Six months later, he joined Charlotte on a permanent transfer and has found a consistent home, both in the city and the net.

Khalina’s made 103 appearances for the Crown across all competitions, second only to Brandt Bronico’s 108. He’s started 89 regular season matches, missing on 13 games due to injury.

Kahlina conceded 48 goals over 31 games in Charlotte’s inaugural season with seven clean sheets. He underwent back surgery six weeks before the 2023 season, which delayed his debut to May, which ended with 33 goals and six shutouts in 24 matches.

“When I came here, I didn't know what I will get from MLS, from this team, and what can I give to MLS,” Kahlina said. “But I needed some time, like three, four months in the start of the season to see how serious this league is. Because from Europe, you don't know what you can expect. I can understand the few guys who are coming here and think it will be easy. But it’s not easy, because it’s a really good league with high standards.

“I played in a really big club in Ludogorets, but the biggest difference is because here every game is for me, like a big derby, in every week a big game, because every team has five, six, seven good players who can score against you, who can make some incredible movement, incredible pass.”

Now it’s on to next year. On Oct. 1, Charlotte signed Kahlina to a contract extension through 2026 with an option for 2027.

"He is a fierce competitor who wants to push for trophies and has proven time and time again that he can be a match-winner in net,” general manager Zoran Krneta said at the time. “Kristijan is another defensive piece that we have extended for multiple seasons, and we’re delighted for him to continue his career in Charlotte as we continue to build a club aimed towards winning MLS Cup."

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