Third String to Starter: Nico Hansen’s Journey to Making His MLS Debut

Commerce City, CO– Starting the year without a first-team contract, not even Nico Hansen might have believed he would be thrust into the starting spot in 2025. Since then, not only has he gotten himself a first-team contract, but he could be looking at a month of starts depending on how well the USMNT does at the Gold Cup. But for Hansen, he isn’t looking too far ahead. He’s taking it one game at a time.

The journey to making his MLS debut was a strange one, and one that started at Weston FC Academy in Florida. At 16 years old, the Southwest Ranches, Florida native then took his talents to Europe, signing with the Everton U18 team. Hansen signed a first-team contract with Everton in 2019, earning a spot with the Everton U23 team in Premier League 2. 

Following his stint at Everton, he bounced around England with Swansea and then landed at Atherton Collieries of the Northern Premier League (7th/8th Division) in 2022. He made 52 appearances over two years with Atherton Collieries before moving to the United States in the winter of 2024. He found himself in Houston with the Houston Dynamo 2 in MLS Next Pro. It didn’t take long for Colorado to snap him up from Houston, and he joined Rapids 2 in 2025.

Hansen participated in the Rapids’ preseason training in Mexico and Florida but did not sign a contract with the first team by the start of the season. Despite this, he was considered the third keeper for the first team and was called up on three short-term agreements to fill in the bench early in the season. Then came Adam Beaudry’s injury. The second keeper was injured in an MLS Next Pro match, which would keep him out for weeks. The Rapids, needing a keeper on the bench, looked to Nico Hansen.

On April 11th, Nico Hansen was signed to a first-team contract through the 2025 MLS season with club options for 2026 and 2027. With Beaudry out, Hansen became Zack Steffen’s backup keeper. When Steffen was suspended for the match against Seattle, Hansen was the next keeper in line to start for Colorado. Fifteen days from his first-team contract being signed, Hansen was set to make his MLS debut.

While the Rapids couldn’t get all three points against Seattle in the 1-1 draw, Nico Hansen did not look out of place in the first team’s net. Despite being disappointed not to come away with all three points, Hansen was happy to make his first team debut in front of the home crowd, saying after the game, “I thought the fans were amazing and felt good making my debut in front of the home crowd. It was very nice.”

He also received flowers after the match, with Chris Armas, Josh Atencio, and Djordje Mihailović complementing his maturity and professionalism, which were needed in his MLS debut. He was described as steady, comfortable, and it didn’t seem like it was his debut. After the Seattle match, Steffen returned from suspension and assumed the starting job in net for the Colorado Rapids. 

Hansen’s next chance would come after Steffen’s oblique injury against San Diego just a few games later. This time, he was informed that he would start in his first Rocky Mountain Cup just hours before kickoff, as Steffen was a gameday scratch. Despite the short notice, Nico Hansen balled out against RSL and earned himself Man of the Match honors after he kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win. The 23-year-old was taking his chance well and was continuing to impress the people around him.

After the RSL match, Cole Bassett said, “So happy for Nico tonight. He found out he was playing at 1 o’clock today. To get his first MLS shutout. It’s tough being a keeper when you are third string coming into the year. He’s gone two games without being injured. We are just so happy for him, because [Chris] Sharpe keeps him ready. For him to step into a game and look like he’s our starting keeper, commanding crosses.”

Djordje Mihailović gave Hansen his plaudits, saying, “If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready. He finds out a few hours before the game that he’s getting the start. Some guys might not handle that mentally right. He’s very professional. He works very hard. He waits for these moments. He knows his role, and to have a goalie like that when Zack can’t play a week, it’s good for the secure feeling back there.”

For Nico Hansen, even though he was thrust into the starting lineup just hours before a must-win rivalry game, it was just another day in terms of preparation. He said, “When you’re the backup keeper, you’re always prepared to play no matter what. The things that you do are generally the same throughout the day. Obviously, there’s a bit more nerves when you know that you are playing.”

Hansen looked outward when talking about how he got himself mentally prepared for the match, saying, “All the coaches, all the staff, all the players, they help out the young players like me. I can’t say enough about all of them. The confidence they instill within you, just walking you through every moment, preparing you for every moment, so that you have confidence whenever you’re gonna step on the pitch.”

The best was yet to come for the Florida native, as Steffen was still unavailable for the next week’s game against St. Louis. With a little more time to prepare to start, it was another 1-0 win for the Rapids, another clean sheet, and Man of the Match honor for Nico Hansen. But the moment many will remember from that game was a play made by Nico Hansen to keep the clean sheet intact.  

Late in the first half, a poor touch from Ian Murphy in midfield led to a counterattack for St. Louis City. Cedric Teuchert was played through on goal with no one to beat except for Nico Hansen. In a moment of chaos for the Rapids’ backline, Hansen stayed calm and firm under the pressure. Teuchert struck a shot that Hansen had read and gotten big for, resulting in a one-on-one save to keep the score level. It was the play of the game from either side, and the Rapids rallied to get the win at home.

“I’m just thinking to get myself and Ian [Murphy] as much time to try and get back,” Nico Hansen said after the match, “Not rushing out, giving myself time, dropping back a bit, trying to let my defenders put a bit of pressure on him from behind. I’m just waiting for a loose touch or something that gives me a cue to try and come out and make myself as big as possible.”

For Nico Hansen in Colorado, he hasn’t always been given the time to prepare and get ready for a match, which is why he is the best example of a saying that floats around the Colorado locker room. “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” 

He has impressed Chris Armas over his tenure in Colorado, with the Rapids head coach saying, “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. He’s a good case of that. For a few months in a row, we were talking as a staff, Nico, another good day, Nico, another good day. Nico is really solid, hard to be scored on. Great attitude, staying after. He steps into the year not knowing whether he will play at all. On paper, the third-string guy. He’s got a good process. He’s got Adam and Zack pushing each other. [Chris] Sharpe is relentless with these guys. It’s good to see a guy step in.”

With Zack Steffen set to go to the Gold Cup with the USMNT in June, we could see more of Nico Hansen between the sticks in Colorado. Before his recent performances, this could have looked like a terrifying prospect, losing Zack Steffen for so long. But Nico Hansen has proved himself to be a valuable keeper in this league and one that the Rapids can rely on in big moments. The Florida native should be excited about the opportunity to prove himself in MLS, but as he says, he’s taking it one game at a time.

Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken

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