 Howard in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Timothy Matthew Howard[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1979-03-06)March 6, 1979 (age 46)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | North Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Central Jersey Cosmos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | North Jersey Imperials | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2003 | MetroStars | 88 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | →MLS Pro-40 (loan) | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | Manchester United | 45 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | →Everton (loan) | 25 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2016 | Everton | 329 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Colorado Rapids | 100 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Memphis 901 | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 600 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | United States U20 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | United States U23 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2017 | United States | 121 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Timothy Matthew Howard (born March 6, 1979) is an American former professionalsoccer player who played as agoalkeeper. He is the part-owner of Houston Dynamo FC of Major League Soccer,National League South clubDagenham & Redbridge as well as an international ambassador in the United States forPremier League clubEverton. Nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense", Howard is regarded as one of the greatest American players of all time.[4][5][6]
Howard began his career with theNorth Jersey Imperials, before making a move to theMetroStars. He was signed by English clubManchester United in 2003, replacingFabian Barthez as the team's first-choice keeper. In his second season at the club, Howard competed for the first-choice spot withRoy Carroll. Howard enjoyed relative success with the club, as they won the2003 FA Community Shield, the2003–04 FA Cup and the2005–06 League Cup. He was listed on thePFA Team of the Year for the2003–04 season.[7]
After United signed goalkeeperEdwin van der Sar in 2005, Howard would only play once more for United before going on loan toEverton in 2006 and eventually signing permanently with them in February 2007. On January 4, 2012, Howard scored againstBolton Wanderers, making him only the fourth goalkeeper to score a goal in the Premier League.[8] In 2016, Howard made his return toMLS, signing for theColorado Rapids. He played for three years for the Rapids before hanging up his gloves in October 2019. He became the sporting director of USL Championship side Memphis 901 in January 2020, and came out of retirement to play briefly for them in March 2020.[9]
Howard is themost capped goalkeeper of all-time for theUnited States men's national team, with 121 appearances from 2002 until his international retirement in 2017. He was an unused substitute for the2006 FIFA World Cup but later established himself as first-choice keeper of the United States' international tournament games beginning with the2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, in which the U.S. ended as runner-up againstBrazil and he was awarded theGolden Glove. He started all of the team's2010 and2014 FIFA World Cup games. The team reached theRound of 16 on both occasions, and during the latter Howard set aWorld Cup record for most saves in a match, with 16 againstBelgium.[Note 1]
Howard was born inNorth Brunswick, New Jersey,[10] the son of African-American truck driver Matthew Howard and his Hungarian wife Esther (née Fekete), who worked for a container packing distributor.[11][12] His father moved out "before [Howard] formed [his] first memory"[12] and his parents divorced when Howard was three.[13] Afterwards, Howard lived with his mother.[14] Howard was diagnosed withTourette syndrome andOCD when he was in the sixth grade.[13][15][16]
In 1991, before Howard was a teenager,Tim Mulqueen, a one-time assistant coach for theU.S. under-17 soccer team, saw Howard's potential at a single $25 soccer coaching session. He took Howard under his wing, offering him free soccer coaching.[17] When Howard was 14 and 15 years old,Peter Mellor, the former professional goalkeeper who was coaching for theUnited States Soccer Federation and writing the curriculum for the first U.S. Soccer National Goalkeeping License for coaches, saw the 14-year-old Howard in an Olympic Development Player camp, identified him as a star of the future, and placed him in the Olympic Development Program.[18][19][20] Mellor also helped Howard obtain his work permit appeal after he joined Manchester United from the MetroStars in 2003.[18]
Howard attendedNorth Brunswick Township High School.[21] Howard proved a star not only in soccer as amidfielder, but also on the basketball court, where he averaged 15 points per game and helped bring his team to the state finals in his senior year.[22] During high school, he played for Central Jersey Cosmos.[23] In 1995, Howard was part of the U.S. under-17 squad.[23]
In 1997, Mulqueen became the coach of theNorth Jersey Imperials,[24] a team in the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues (USISL), and served as the goalkeeping coach forMajor League Soccer (MLS)'sMetroStars; he considered Howard for a position on the Imperials. Howard signed with the Imperials and played in his first professional game before graduating from high school.[25] He notched six appearances with theNorth Jersey Imperials.[24]
Howard was brought up to the MetroStars by Mulqueen, who at the time was the MetroStars' goalkeeping coach.
Howard was victorious in his MLS debut with the MetroStars on August 18, 1998, making five saves in a 4–1 win over Colorado at Giants Stadium (his only appearance of the year). He later played in one game with the Nike Project-40 Team, a 3–1 win over the Staten Island Vipers at Giants Stadium on May 6, 1998.
With the MetroStars during the 1999 MLS season, Howard made eight starts in nine contests. Howard had a 1.58 GAA and won just one match in a season in which the Metros won just seven games. He also spent most of the international season with the United States Under-20 team, leaving the club to compete in the1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in April and the1999 Pan American Games in July.
Howard posted a 5–2–2 record with a 1.59 GAA in 2000, splitting time between the MetroStars and the United States Olympic team, also winning all three of hisU.S. Open Cup starts that season.
Howard won the 2001MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award, recording 146 saves and finishing the year with a 1.33 GAA,[26] four shutouts, and a 13–10–3 record.[27] He also received theMLS Humanitarian of the Year Award.[26]
Howard played in 27 of 28 regular season games in 2002 for the MetroStars, recording four shutouts.[27] He was named to theMLS Best XI for the second straight season. Before leaving the MetroStars in 2003, he appeared in thirteen games and had three clean sheets[27] as the club challenged for first place during the season's first half.
Manchester United paid a US$4 million transfer fee to sign Howard in the middle of the 2003 MLS season, and he replacedFabien Barthez as the club's first-choice goalkeeper.[28]
Howard started off very well at Manchester United, saving the decisive penalty in theCommunity Shield againstArsenal. Other notable performances followed, includingBolton Wanderers and a homeFA Cup tie victory overManchester City. In March 2004, however, Howard's poor parry handed a last minute goal toPorto, eliminating United from theUEFA Champions League.[29] The error appeared to shatter Howard's confidence and he was replaced byRoy Carroll.[citation needed] After a period of rest, Howard reclaimed his starting position ahead of Carroll for the2004 FA Cup Final, picking up a winner's medal. In doing so, he became the first American to win the FA Cup.[30] Howard was also named in thePFA Team of the Year in his first season at Manchester United.[31]
In Howard's second season with Manchester United, he started poorly, making several errors and was dropped again for Carroll. After Carroll made several errors as well, Howard regained the starting position but his performances were unconvincing, leading to Carroll regaining his place again, playing in the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal.
At the end of the2004–05 season, Howard signed a new contract, which was to run until 2009. In the summer of 2005, Manchester United released both of his competitors for the goalkeeper position –Ricardo and Carroll. However, they also bought experienced Dutch goalkeeperEdwin van der Sar fromFulham soon after.
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Howard joinedEverton on loan for the2006–07 season and made his debut for the club againstWatford on the opening day ofthe Premier League season. He signed a permanent deal with the club in February 2007 for a fee reported to be worth around £3 million.[32]
Howard made his 100th appearance for Everton againstWest Ham United, on November 8, 2008. On April 19, 2009, in the FA Cup semi final, he saved two penalties against his former club Manchester United in a penalty shoot-out to send Everton to the final againstChelsea. During the2008–09 Premier League season, Howard set the club record for most league matchclean sheets in a season. Howard started the2009–10 Premier League season with four consecutive clean sheets, including away toPortsmouth where he helped his team secure a 1–0 win.[33] Howard saved aJermain Defoe penalty in injury time to help his side draw 2–2 withTottenham Hotspur on December 6, 2009.[34] Howard captained Everton for the first time in a 3–3 draw with Chelsea atStamford Bridge on December 12, 2009.[35]
"It was cruel. You saw the back fours and the keepers not being able to believe balls all night, and at the back one wrong step and it can be a nightmare. For our goal I was disappointed from a goalkeepers' union standpoint. You never want to see that happen. It's not nice, it's embarrassing, so I felt for Adam but you have to move on from it."
Tim Howard, on his first goal.[36]
During the2011–12 Premier League season, Howard scored his first goal in professional soccer in a 2–1 defeat toBolton Wanderers. His wind-assisted 101-yard clearance at Goodison Park made him only thefourth goalkeeper to score in a Premier League match since its formation in 1992.[37] He described his goal as "cruel" andrefused to celebrate out of sympathy/respect for his beaten opposite number,Ádám Bogdán.[36][38][39]
In March 2012, Howard agreed a new contract to keep him at the club until the summer of 2016.[40] On March 2, 2013, Howard's run of 210 consecutive Premier League appearances dating back to September 2007 came to an end as he missed a game againstReading with a finger injury.[41] He was two games short of equallingNeville Southall's club record.[42] In May, Howard kept his 100th clean sheet for Everton in a 0–0 draw againstLiverpool in theMerseyside derby.[43][44]
On December 26, Howard was sent off in a 1–0 defeat toSunderland, which ended Everton's hopes of remaining an entire calendar year unbeaten at home.[45][46] In April 2014, Everton extended Howard's contract by two years until 2018.[47]
On February 19, 2016, Everton managerRoberto Martínez confirmed Howard was expected to serve as the backup toJoel Robles.[48] Howard had recently been affected by a knee injury and a loss of form.[49] Before his final match with the club, Howard made a speech before the fans, stating: "I will remain an Evertonian for life. This will always be my team, my club."[49]
On March 20, 2016, it was announced that Howard would return to MLS and sign a three-and-a-half-year deal with theColorado Rapids. He would join the team after the MLS transfer window opened on July 4. On June 28, Howard was given the number 1 jersey as he appeared in his first press conference with the club.[50] On November 6, 2016, Howard saved two penalty kicks – with a third also being sent off the crossbar – against theLA Galaxy to send Colorado to theWestern Conference Championship.
On January 22, 2019, Howard announced the2019 Major League Soccer season would be his final season as a professional player.[51] He retired in October 2019.[52]
On March 4, 2020, Howard announced his return to professional soccer, signing a playing contract withMemphis 901 in theUSL Championship, where he also served as sporting director and minority owner.[53] Howard stepped down as sporting director for Memphis 901 on June 19, 2024.[54]
Howard represented theUnited States under-20 national team at the1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria, playing in group stage victories over England and Cameroon, before a loss in the Round of 16 against Spain.[55][56][57]
In July 1999, Howard was called up for theUnited States under-23 national team for the1999 Pan American Games tournament. The United States ended the tournament with a bronze medal having overcome Canada in the Bronze medal match.[58]
Howard was used as a backup toBrad Friedel at the2000 Summer Olympics. On March 10, 2002, he received his first seniorcap, againstEcuador. On May 2, 2006, Howard was named as one of three goalkeepers on the United States roster for the2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, but served as a backup toKasey Keller. Howard became the team's first choice goalkeeper underBob Bradley and started in the2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, a 2–1 win overMexico.
Howard was the starting goalkeeper for the2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, including the semi-final in which the United States upsetSpain, then the number one-ranked team in the world. Howard's eight saves earned him his first clean sheet of the tournament and the first shutout of the Spanish side since 2007. Following the United States' second-place finish in the tournament, Howard was awarded the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper.[59]
Howard was the starting goalkeeper for the2010 World Cup, in South Africa, and turned in aman of the match performance againstEngland in hisWorld Cup debut.[60] Howard's distribution toLandon Donovan led to the game-winning goal of the final group match againstAlgeria, giving the United States passage into the round of 16.[61] During the United States'round of 16 game againstGhana, Howard conceded two goals in a 2–1 loss.
After Mexico defeated the United States to win the2011 Gold Cup Final, Howard made a controversial statement regarding the post-match ceremony. The trophy presentation was conducted entirely inSpanish, despite the tournament being held in the United States. Howard went on to say that it was a "disgrace" and commented further that if the final had been inMexico City and the United States had won, the ceremony would not have been made inEnglish.[62]
On June 7, 2014, in the buildup to the2014 World Cup, Howard received his100th cap for the United States in a 2–1 defeat ofNigeria.[63] On June 22, Howard was named man of the match for his display during the United States' 2–2 draw withPortugal;[64] his most notable save was a reaction stop to denyÉder, having previously divertedNani's shot onto the post.
On July 1, Howard was again awarded man of the match, despite the United States losing 2–1 toBelgium afterextra time in theround of 16.[65] During the match, he broke the record for most saves in a World Cup match with 15.[66][67][68][Note 1] After breaking this record, his performance was celebrated worldwide on the internet, with the hashtag #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave trending onTwitter.[69]
Following the World Cup, in August 2014, Howard asked U.S. men's national team coachJürgen Klinsmann to allow him to take a break from international soccer until September 2015;[70] as a result, he missed the2015 Gold Cup. He was called up again in August 2015, for the team's friendly againstPeru on September 4, at theRFK Stadium.[71]
Howard was a member of the team that won the2017 Gold Cup.[51] However, following to national team's failure toqualify for the 2018 World Cup later that year, aftera surprise 2–1 away defeat toTrinidad and Tobago on October 10,[72] he was no longer capped at international level. With 121 appearances, he is the most capped goalkeeper in U.S. men's national team history.[73]
Born to a Hungarian mother, Howard also holds aHungarian passport.[74] He is a cousin ofMia Justus, also a professional soccer goalkeeper.[75] He is a devout Christian and has said, "The most important thing in my life is Christ. He's more important to me than winning or losing or whether I'm playing or not. Everything else is just a bonus."[76] He is also involved withAthletes in Action, a ministry arm ofCampus Crusade for Christ.[76]
Howard was namedMLS Humanitarian of the Year in 2001 for his work with children withTourette syndrome,[16] and was added to the New Jersey Tourette Syndrome Association Board of Directors in the same year.[26] In 2014, theU.S. Tourette Syndrome Association described him as the "most notable individual with Tourette syndrome around the world"[77] when he was deemed a "Champion of Hope" for the "tremendous courage he displayed in sharing his story on an international platform, educating the public on a disorder that is so seldom talked about, and encouraging young people living with TS to speak out about their experiences".[77]
In 2014, Howard showed off his arm and torso tattoos forPETA's "Ink, Not Mink" anti-fur campaign.[78]
Howard's autobiography,The Keeper: A Life of Saving Goals and Achieving Them (ISBN 978-0-06-238739-4), was co-authored withAli Benjamin and published in 2014. It describes his career and his life with Tourette syndrome and OCD.[15] In the book, Howard says that his neurological makeup gave him an enhanced perception and an ability to hyper-focus that contributed to his success on the field.[15] TheNew York Times book review said that "few are cooler or quicker than Mr. Howard" and that "the story is good, but reading it require[s] a certain tolerance for sports clichés".[79] TheChicago Tribune describes Howard as the "rarest of creatures – an American soccer hero", adding that the book has "exciting recollections" and that Howard is a "gracious narrator, though here and there he engages in mild score-settling".[80]
In September 2018, Howard became part-owner of English fifth-tier clubDagenham & Redbridge and American second-tier clubMemphis 901.[81] It was announced in December 2019 that Howard had taken over as sporting director at Memphis 901, and that he was already handling roster management for the club.[82] Also, in October 2019, it was announced that Howard would be the first international ambassador in the United States for former clubEverton.[83]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| North Jersey Imperials | 1997[24] | USISL D-3 | 6 | 0 | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |||
| MetroStars | 1998 | MLS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1999 | MLS | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 9 | 0 | ||||
| 2000 | MLS | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |||
| 2001 | MLS | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 3[c] | 0 | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2002 | MLS | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2003 | MLS | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 85 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 93 | 0 | ||
| MLS Pro-40 (loan) | 1998 | USISL A-League | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Manchester United | 2003–04 | Premier League | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7[d] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5[d] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 45 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 77 | 0 | ||
| Everton (loan) | 2006–07 | Premier League | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 27 | 0 | ||
| Everton | 2006–07 | Premier League | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8[f] | 0 | – | 47 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | – | 48 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9[f] | 0 | – | 51 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 42 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 38 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 44 | 1 | |||
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 40 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 37 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9[f] | 0 | – | 42 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 25 | 0 | |||
| Total | 354 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 414 | 1 | ||
| Colorado Rapids | 2016 | MLS | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2[c] | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2017 | MLS | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 25 | 0 | ||||
| 2018 | MLS | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1[g] | 0 | – | 34 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | MLS | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | |||
| Total | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 103 | 0 | ||
| Memphis 901 | 2020 | USL Championship | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 6 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 597 | 1 | 39 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 700 | 1 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States[88][89] | 2002 | 2 | 0 |
| 2003 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 121 | 0 | |
North Jersey Imperials
MetroStars
Manchester United
United States
Individual
United States squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Awards | |||||||||||
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
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