Tim Howard sets World Cup record in elimination loss to Belgium
Despite losing to Belgium 2-1 (in extra time) and being eliminated in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, USA goalkeeper Tim Howard stood out…
Tim Howard’s 16 saves will likely go down in the record books. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Despite losing to Belgium 2-1 (in extra time) and being eliminated in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, USA goalkeeper Tim Howard stood out and made worldwide headlines in the losing effort. Despite allowing the two goals to his European opponents, Howard made a record 16 saves from Belgiums 27 shots on goal.
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You have to go back 36 years, 1978 to be exact, to find a similar World Cup defensive performance. On June 7th of that year, Peru keeper Ramon Quiroga made 13 saves against the Netherlands. Howards performance however could go down as the best performance of this years cup and one of the best efforts in history.
Howards effort against Belgium is one of many iconic games for goaltenders in the 2014 World Cup. You cant forget Mexicos Guillermo Ochoas six stops against Brazil in the first round. And most recently, Costa Ricas Keylor Navas made seven saves in their Round of 16 victory over Greece earlier this week.
While Howards performance has surpassed them all from a numbers standpoint, it must be noted that all of these goalies play for CONCACAF teams. Too often in this sport, the North American, Central American, Caribbean confederation is often considered the red-headed stepchild to UEFA and CONMEBOL.
United States’ goalkeeper Tim Howard (1) saves a shot during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and the USA at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Brazil, Tuesday, July 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Tim Howard is yet another reason, along with the other successful CONCACAF players/teams, why the rest of the world can no longer underestimate soccer squads from this part of the globe. On the other hand, Howard has become the new face of U.S. Soccer.
Yes Team USA is eliminated, yes they once again failed to make it past the Round of 16, and yes they once again failed to ignite the offense .. But Howard gives the program, and the country new hope. If Howard sticks around, the Americans will have their cornerstone on defense.
If they can find the offense to keep up with the rest of the world, Howard could become an even bigger force to be reckoned with. But for now, Howards magnificent saves against Belgium are the icing on the cake for what has been the resurgence of soccer in the United States.
Will we ever see another goaltender break or even reach Howards World Cup record? Hard to say. But considering the talent coming out of the woodwork recently, its possible that someone can come close to touching it.
Howard has cemented his legacy in soccer lore, but there are now two questions he must answer. How long will he keep playing, and will he still be playing when the next World Cup comes in 2018? Hell be 39 years old when the worlds biggest sporting event shifts to Russia.
For now, Howard has made himself the face of U.S. Soccer. Hes also made history, inspired a nation, left a lasting impression on the world stage, and proved that Team USA is a legit soccer power. On top of that, hes also set a new standard for goalkeepers.
Make no mistake about it, Howards performance will be talked about for many years to come.
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