United States’ goalkeeper Tim Howard celebrates after United States’ Jermaine Jones scored a goal during the group G World Cup soccer match between the USA and Portugal at the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, Sunday, June 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte)
After the United States’ 2-1 loss to Belgium Tuesday that knocked the them out of the World Cup, someone went on U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard’s Wikipedia page and changed his profession to “secretary of defense.”
It may sound weird because the United States lost, but whoever changed it is not far from accurate.
Tim Howard recorded the most saves in a game in World Cup history with 16. It seemed as if all game he was diving left and right, making acrobatic saves with his arms and legs and giving his team a fighting chance until the very end.
However, it was too little too late for the United States. For the second World Cup in a row, they were sent packing in the round of 16.
The United States found themselves down in a 2-0 hole to Belgium, as the Red Devils scored both of their goals in extra time. Nineteen-year-old Julian Green scored a goal in the 105th minute to give the Yanks hope, but it wasn’t enough.
The hero of the game was Tim Howard, who put it all on the line for his team and his country. Even before his valorous performance, the country knew how good of a goalkeeper Tim Howard is. He’s widely regarded as a top five goalkeeper in the world and commands the net for English club Everton.
The country not only seemed to rally around the heroic performance of Howard on Tuesday, but supported and followed this team from the very start, even when they were not expected to make it out of their group. After advancing out of the “group of death”, anything was possible for the United States and beating Belgium would have been a moment of epic proportions. A victory over Belgium would have pit the United States against Lionel Messi and Argentina, but it just was not meant to be.
When the 2018 World Cup in Russia starts, you will see a very different team out on the field for the United States. Tim Howard will have turned 39 years old. Clint Dempsey will have turned 35. Both of these iconic U.S. players will most likely not be on the roster. Jermaine Jones will have turned 35 years old, so his status for 2018 is unknown. Michael Bradley will have turned 29, but with his struggles in Brazil this World Cup, his status for 2018 is a question mark. Landon Donovan will certainly not be on the team.
The young faces you got to know this World Cup run will play bigger and more expanded roles come 2018. Players like Jozy Altidore, Julian Green, John Brooks, Aron Johannsson, Matt Belser and Fabian Johnson will all be big faces next World Cup. Who will replace Tim Howard in the net remains to be seen.
Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann made it clear this summer that he wants his roster to be full of young talent with fresh legs, speed and the ability to defend up and down the field at a high level. The cutting of Donovan is a sign that it’s Klinsmann’s way or no way, and that’s how it should be.
Jurgen Klinsmann knew what he was getting into when he took the job as coach of the United States. He knew all the work he had to put in to build a quality team to make a run in the World Cup. Klinsmann also had to deal with changing a culture in the country that he coaches for.
Soccer in the United States isn’t the driving force that the sport wants it to be because there are four other major professional sports that the country rallies behind and pays their undivided attention to year round. Klinsmann not only built and coached arguable the greatest United States soccer team assembled, but he is starting to change the culture in our country.
This process will definitely take time, but Klinsmann understands that and he’s the right man for the job. Soccer will grow in the United States, but give it time.
