At 36 years old, the marvelous career of Tim Howard is nearing its end. Howard no doubt has gas left in the tank, but it is clear from his decision to take a leave from international play for the past year that the fire does not burn as bright as it once did. For Americans, Howard has become a household name and a symbol of patriotism. His performance in last year's world cup that left people calling him the United States' Secretary of Defense. But for how iconic of a figure Tim Howard has become, not many people actually know his story.
At 18 years old, Tim Howard burst onto the MLS scene with the New York Metro Stars after being noticed for his play with a lower division professional team called the New Jersey Imperials. Howard had started playing with the Imperials while still in high school, and joined the Metro Stars soon after graduating. The year was 1998.
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After sitting on the bench for much of his first MLS season, Howard was finally given an opportunity. He made the most of it and quickly earned a role as the team's everyday goalkeeper. The Metro Stars were terrible during Howard's time there, which probably supplied him with more opportunities to show off his skills in the net. The team only won one game with Howard in the goal that season, but Howard was quickly beginning to catch the eyes of people around the league with his jaw dropping saves and lightning-quick reaction time.
Finally, in 2001, Howard made his break.
Two more spectacular season's in the MLS was enough to attract the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of the storied English Premiere League franchise, Manchester United. Very few expected Howard to become the squad's number-one keeper, but after an impressive pre-season featured by a save to win the Community Shield over Arsenal, he was named the starter. Success would continue for the young American, as he started 32 games in his first season and was credited with keeping United in many tight competitions.
What Howard was accomplishing in Europe was revolutionary for U.S. Soccer. Manchester United was the pinnacle of the football world, and he was right in the thick of it all. Perhaps the most remarkable part of it was that Howard was succeeding with a neurological disorder called Tourettes, which is supposed to make it impossible to play a position like goalkeeper that requires extensive patience.
Struggling in the classroom and various social situations because of his disorder, soccer was a God-send for Tim as a kid. In his book, The Keeper: A Life of Saving Goals and Achieving Them, Howard details the role Tourettes played in his life and career.
"On the soccer field, though, my whole world changed. While the ball was far away, my mind might still order me around (touch the ground, twitch, snap the Velcro on the goalie glove, cough, touch the goalpost, blink). But the closer that ball came, the more my symptoms receded. The tics, the crazy thoughts, the conflicting mental messages – poof! They were gone in an instant. So were the details around me. Players, colours, people on the sidelines, they all blurred and fell away.
"Only one thing remained in sharp focus, its every detail vivid: the ball, moving toward me. I would kick it or catch it or parry it. Or it would elude me and I’d have to pick it out of the net while the other team celebrated. Either way, whether I had succeeded or failed, that’s when everything became crystal clear again – players, colours, spectators, scoreboard. And then, too, the intrusive thoughts. Touch the ground. Touch the post. Twitch, jerk, cough."
Howard continues later on
"The more I played, the more I began to understand what the doctor had said about enhanced perception. I could see things somehow, things that other people didn’t seem able to. I could see, for example when a game was about to shift, could sense the attacking patterns before they happened. I knew exactly when the winger was about to cross the ball and whose head it would land on. I could see the flicker of a striker’s eyes before he pivoted. Sometimes I even saw it in time to warn my defender."
The storyline was perfect. Instead of hindering his abilities, Tourettes had given Howard superpowers, and it was only so long before he rose to world wide stardom with one of the most decorated clubs in the world. But as Howard learned early in his career after his spectacular save of the year, one moment has the power to change everything. It can spark a course of immense success, or one of slumping and destruction.
After losing their best defender, Rio Ferdinand, to a season long ban, Manchester United's defense was not in good form. As a result, Howard was being tested extensively on a nightly basis. Still, he was holding up well and keeping United in games. But in a Champions league bout where United was heavily favored to go through against FC Porto, Howard failed at the moment that mattered most.
Tied 2-2 on aggregate in the final minutes of the second leg, Porto were allowed a free kick just outside the box. Howard was in perfect position to deny the ball sailing towards the top right corner without much pace, and did so.
But instead of catching or parrying the softly-hit ball away from the mouth of the goal, Howard's deflection landed directly in the path of an oncoming Porto attacker who easily tapped the ball into the goal, knocking United out of the Champions League. Many fans blamed the loss on Howard.
The mistake seemed to destroy Howard's confidence, as he didn't resemble his previous form again that season. And when legendary Dutch keeper Edwin Van Der Sar was bought by United the next year, Howard's EPL career looked to be in danger.
A loan to Everton F.C. in the 2006-2007 season came as a saving grace for Howard. Everton's manager David Moyes showed faith in Howard's abilities, inserting him into the starting lineup immediately. Howard's confidence looked to be rejuvenated immediately. After his season on loan with the Toffees, he was signed by the club permanently.
Although he still had his ups and downs as Everton's main man in goal, Howard had taken on a dominant form once again and recovered his stature as a respected premiere league goalkeeper. In 2010, Howard was handed down the starting gloves by long-time US National Team goalkeeper Kasey Keller for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Howard started all four games for the USMNT, who were unable to advance in knockout play despite strong play from their new leader in goal.
Howard became one of the main icon's for the USMNT in the coming years. After Clint Dempsey, most fans heralded Howard as the second best player on the team. When Howard grew a nasty but ferocious looking beard the coming year, he made himself even more memorable among fans and opponents. With his shining bald head, thick beard, and glaring eyes, Howard took on the appearance of a mad man bellowing at his defenders to keep the ball away from him at all costs.
A more interesting part of Howard's appearance that separates him from the crowd is the array of tattoos across his upper body. According to BBC.com's Justin Parkinson, who wrote an article decoding various soccer stars' tattoos, Howard's body art consists of a superman logo, dragons, a crucifix, a picture of his mother as a young woman, and a picture of his grandfather in military uniform. Howard is also a tattoo artist himself, as evidenced by a Twitter post of his in August, showing him tattooing someone's leg, hash tagged #hobbies.
Howard appeared shirtless on the cover of Inked magazine, and his body art was also put on display in ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue. But magazine covers featuring Howard's body and endorsement deals flying in left and right did not start coming in for Howard until recently. And by recently, I mean post World Cup Brazil 2014; the most glamorized athletic tournament in the world, where Howard was a shining star among the world's best.
Howard was a solid force in goal for the U.S. throughout the group stage, but it wasn't until the knock-out stage against Belgium that he elevated himself above the competition. Through the duration of the 120-minute extra time thriller, Howard fought off oncoming attacks relentlessly, registering a World Cup record 15 saves. Despite his efforts, the U.S. fell to Belgium 2-1. Howard's 27 saves in the tournament were the best among all keepers.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
So what does the future hold for Howard? If his past says anything about his future, don't expect the mere obstacle of aging to be much of a problem for Howard in the coming years.
Overall, Howard seems to be at peace with whatever his future is, in or outside of soccer. Said Howard after his world record performance: "Today, I am blessed to be living a dream. And yet, if it all went away tomorrow, I know I would still have peace. That probably sounds crazy to most people, but that's the kind of peace Christ gives. It is rooted in His love, and it surpasses all understanding."
According to ESPNFC, his current mindset is to retire after the 2018 World Cup. After Howard recorded his 112th league shutout with Everton this last Monday, putting him at third all time in franchise ranking, manager Roberto Martinez made it clear in his press conference that this would not be the last record Howard would break. "It's a special landmark," Martinez said. "But we know that Tim has a long way to go in his career. He has got many years ahead."
