Tim Howard Sets the Saves Record – World Cup ‘14 | Unfiltered Soccer

Summary

Episode Overview

Episode Title: Tim Howard Sets the Saves Record – World Cup ‘14 | Unfiltered Soccer
Hosts: Landon Donovan, Tim Howard
Release Date: May 31, 2026

This episode of Unfiltered Soccer takes a deep dive into Tim Howard’s legendary 16-save performance against Belgium in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Landon Donovan leads the reflection, prompting Tim Howard to unpack what it was like to be "in the zone," his most memorable stops, and the impact the match and its aftermath had on his life, both personally and within soccer culture. The conversation also explores the psychology of goalkeeping, leadership on the field, and finishes with a goalkeeping-themed trivia round.

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1. Setting the Scene: The 2014 World Cup Belgium Game

• Donovan introduces the context: The USMNT faced a historically strong Belgium team in the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 after a solid group stage finish.
• Howard delivered a "legendary 16-save performance," keeping the U.S. in a game where Belgium continually pressed. Despite two extra-time goals (De Bruyne, Lukaku), Howard's feat became iconic.
• [00:03] Landon Donovan:
  "They were fantastic, but they could not find a way past you. Save after save after save. ... Walk people through ... being in the zone, that game. Sure. So, what does that feel like from your perspective?"

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2. Inside the Keeper’s Mind: Mentality and Preparation

• First Big Save Sets the Tone
  • Howard recalls an early stop on Divock Origi, which was critical to his composure for the rest of the match.
  • [01:14] Tim Howard:
    "I think the first save that I made was really early ... Origi, yeah. ... That part felt good, Ld. Right?"
• Goalkeeper Mentality
  • Howard emphasizes not letting early game dynamics shape his mindset. He stays focused on each moment, refusing to anticipate "a long night."
  • Comparing the mentality to that of strikers: “If you miss enough chances in the game, you're still probably ... just give me one more.”
• Responsibility Beyond Saving
  • He discusses his dual job: making saves and marshalling teammates to prevent shots.
  • [02:05] Tim Howard:
    "Every time I had to make a save, my thought process was keep communicating, keep encouraging, get people in the right position so that you don't have to make another one."

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3. The Saves: Memorable Stops and Luck

• Two Most Memorable Saves
  • 1. Lucky Save: Kevin Mirallas (Everton teammate) — Howard was "in no man's land," stuck out a leg almost by accident, and the ball deflected off his stud.
  • 2. Top Save: Romelu Lukaku — Down low at the near post from a powerful drive, then quickly collecting the rebound.
• [03:24] Tim Howard:
  "There was the one ... against Kevin Mirallas. That was lucky. ... And then Romelu Lukaku ... I got down sharp to the near post ... made a sharp save and then I bounced up ... that was, like, a really top save, dude."
• Donovan interjects to emphasize the power of Lukaku’s strikes.

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4. Leadership and Communication: The Calculated Act

• Howard reveals the “boisterous, demonstrative” shouting is often calculated—not always frustration, sometimes a psychological tactic to motivate or to support teammates quietly.
• Intense in-game environments sometimes make communication performative just to get through to teammates.
• [05:03] Tim Howard:
  "It was all an act ... calculated ... Sometimes I would yell and shout at a referee just to sort of deflect attention from something else ... There were times when I'd, like, grimace my face and ... I was basically saying to you, like, amazing job."
• Key insight: Even negative body language could be used to mask positive feedback, while private words were used with players who were struggling.

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5. Cultural Impact: How the Game Changed Howard’s Life

• The performance inspired memes (“Tim Howard can save anything”), a mock Wikipedia page making him “Secretary of Defense,” and instant recognition from fans.
• Howard appreciates fans sharing "where they were" during the game, finding it connecting.
• [07:00] Tim Howard:
  "All the memes came out about what Tim Howard could save ... The Wikipedia page getting changed and me being named the Secretary of Defense—that's like a fun thing people always remember."

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6. Dealing with Glory in Defeat

• Donovan relates scoring in a heavy defeat, then asks Howard if the record is tainted by the loss.
• Pride in Effort and Team:
  • Howard says the record stands "whether you win, lose, or draw" and he felt immense pride in the team's effort, highlighting how hard everyone worked against Belgium.
  • [08:45] Tim Howard:
    "The record is special because it's not tainted ... No, losing sucks and going home from World Cup stinks, but ... that group of guys ... couldn't have given anymore. ... I was just in a moment of pride."

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7. Trivia: Goalkeeper Records and Soccer History

• [09:31] Trivia segment begins:
  • World Cup Saves Record (Pre-Howard): Ramon Quiroga (Peru, 1978).
  • EPL saves in a match: Tim Krul, David De Gea, Vito Mannone each share the 14-save record.
    • Fun fact: Howard made a Europa League record 14 saves for Everton vs. Wolfsburg, but it's less known.
    • [10:30] Tim Howard:
      "I made a Europa League record 14 saves at Goodison ... But because it happened, like, shortly after World Cup, nothing made. No one knows it."
  • MLS single-game saves: Maxime Crépeau (Vancouver, 2019; 16 saves). Previous: Tony Meola (15).
  • U.S. Soccer Goalkeeper Player of the Year: Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, and Zack Steffen (besides Howard).
    • [13:34] Tim Howard:
      "Well done, Zach. Casey's got three. Shout out to Casey. 97. 99. 2005. That's amazing."

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8. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the pressure and communication:
  "You’re five yards in front of me and you can’t hear me. ... I’ve got to get my point across to you very quickly." (Howard, [05:03])
• On the loss and legacy:
  "That group of guys ... couldn’t have given anymore. ... So I was just, I was in a moment of pride." (Howard, [08:45])
• On fans and the cultural moment:
  "People remember tangibly, like, exactly where they were. And I love hearing those stories because it connects us immediately." (Howard, [07:00])
• On Europa League save record:
  "I made a Europa League record 14 saves at Goodison ... But because it happened, like, shortly after World Cup, no one knows it." (Howard, [10:30])

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9. Segment Timestamps

• 00:03-01:00 – Donovan sets the scene for the 2014 World Cup Belgium match and Howard’s historic feat
• 01:14-03:00 – Early saves, psychological perspective on goalkeeping
• 03:12-04:45 – Most memorable saves: Mirallas and Lukaku
• 04:43-06:41 – Communication, leadership, and 'acting' on the pitch
• 06:42-08:31 – How the moment changed Howard's life and connections with fans
• 08:32-09:31 – Coping with personal accomplishments in team defeat
• 09:34-13:44 – Goalkeeping trivia and fun facts

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Summary

This episode offers a rich, candid look at the physical, psychological, and cultural impact of a single iconic World Cup match. Tim Howard provides key insights into elite goalkeeping mentality, the complexities of on-field leadership, and how his historic performance became a defining moment not only for himself but also in the collective memory of American soccer fans. The hosts’ playful banter and nostalgia, combined with insightful trivia, make the episode a must-listen for any soccer enthusiast seeking to understand both the technical and emotional facets of the beautiful game.

Transcript

[A]

This bonus content is brought to you by Jim Beam. We're cheersing the greatest U.S. world cup moments in history. And today, it's all about my guy. Tim. Tim, you stay quiet. I'm going to wax poetic on you. We are looking back at your legendary 16 save performance versus Belgium in the 2014 World Cup. This was in Bahia, Brazil. We had a great group stage. You guys finished runners up to Germany. And now you face Belgium. Belgium were. This was the best Belgium team maybe ever. They were fantastic, but they could not find a way past you. Save after save after save. We kept the match. You kept the match. 00 second hatch half stoppage time. We almost stole the win when Wando had a big chance in front of goal, but missed. And then in extra time, they finally broke through. De Bruyne scored and then Lukaku scored in the 105th minute. But it doesn't not take away from what you did. Okay, walk people through. I know you've talked about this before and you probably talk about it a lot, but something you kind of talk about, like being in the zone, that game. Sure. So what, like, what does that feel like from your perspective?

[B]

Well, I think the game started. Ld I think the first save that I made was really early. It was on the angle. It might have been from Origi. Origi, yeah.

[A]

Ori, yeah.

[B]

You know, that part felt good. Ld Right? Like, there's always this question of. And you probably heard it all the time. It's like, is it better to make a save early or do you not want the. I always thought, well, the, the thought is you could let up a goal early. So there's that sense. I never wish to make a save, but I'm always happy.

[A]

You want an easy save early.

[B]

Yeah, I'm always happy when I do have some work to do. That. That happened to be a decent save. And I felt, you know, felt good, had my angles right. Didn't feel like I was gonna get beat there, you know, got my. Got my limbs in the road and made a good save. And I was like, oh, yeah, that bang on. You know, I never for one second, which I've been asked before, like, I never for one second thought, oh, this is going to be a long night. Like, I don't have a lot of saves made because that's not how. That's not how a goalkeeper's mind works. And I'm probably thinking the strikers the same. If you miss enough chances in the game, you're still probably, if you're a top striker going Just give me one more. I'll, I'll, I'll take that. Right. You have that mentality. So for me, my job is to save the ball. My job is also lead to communicate, to stop chances from happening. Right? And so, and so if I, if chances, if chance after chance happens, that means I'm either not doing my job correctly or we're just playing a superior opponent in certain areas. So every time I had to make a save, my thought process was keep communicating, keep encouraging, get people in the right position so that you don't have to make another one. Okay? If another one comes, you make it, you make an effort and then the pattern still repeats itself. Right? Like now, okay, maybe I'm not communicating properly, like, can I do something different? But the idea is to always constantly stop chances from occurring. And that's what I tried to do over and over. They were just a very good team, man.

[A]

It just didn't work.

[B]

They were a very good team.

[A]

When you're going through this, like when you go back through the saves, was there one or two that you thought, well, wow, like that. I, I know none of them were like your best save ever, but were there a few where you're like, damn, that was good.

[B]

Like, yeah, so two, That's a great question. There's two that stand out. There was the one was. One was really good and one was really lucky. Everybody will remember this. So my, I had two teammates, two, two of my teammates, Kevin Morales at Everton and Ramela Lukaku. In the second half and I think it was the second half, I can't remember. In the second half I made a save against Kevin Morales. That was lucky. I was in no man's land. I was in a terrible position. It was almost all the way out ld towards the edge of the box. Kevin Morales comes through one on one and I like almost throw myself out of the way and I leave my leg out and it catches the bottom of my stud. I can remember hitting my stud and going out and I remember thinking like I was in no man's land. My shape wasn't right and I just got lucky. But it went down as a save and kept a clean sheet. And then Romelu Lukaku, who didn't start the game, comes in and he was on the angle and I remember him just sort of like turning the corner and lashing one. And I got down sharp to the near post and it was second half or overtime, maybe it was second overtime and I got down really sharp, made a sharp save and then I bounced Up. Cause the ball sort of, like, popped up, and I just, like, gently rested in my hands, and that was, like, a really top save, dude.

[A]

He used to smash it.

[B]

Smash it.

[A]

Like, he would turn and get his body behind it.

[B]

Yeah, he's a monster.

[A]

You know, when you. I was. I just wanted to ask you this, so I'm glad Andrew put this in. So when you were. When you would, like, yell at the teammates or, you know, jump up, like, was there something specific? Was it intentional? Were you just reacting because you're upset? Were you saying. I'm sure. Maybe it's a mix of all that, but, like, what. What was your thought process?

[B]

So that process was. It's a great question, because the thought process was. Let me tell you this. It was all. It was all an act. LD and you played with me a long time. We were friends. It was all calculated, right? Because what people see is the boisterous, demonstrative, aggressive shouting. So sometimes I would yell and shout at a referee just. Just to sort of deflect attention from something else or to. Or to try and. Or to try and earn a call. When I was yelling and shouting, sometimes at my. At my teammates. The crazy thing is, from afar, it looks. It looks very demonstrative. But there were times when I'd, like, grimace my face and ball at my fist. And I was basically saying to you, like, amazing job, right? But it looks like I'm, like, criticizing you. And sometimes in the moment, like. And we've been in these arenas together. When you're in these arenas, you can't communicate. You're five yards in front of me and you can't hear me. So what I have to say to you might be, when the ball goes up or throwing and you're two yards away from me, I've got to get my point across to you very quickly. And I also think. Ld what people don't see is there is times where there were guys on our team who were having a stinker, right? And I'm thinking, there's nothing I can say to them right now to help them. So there were times when I. When I. When I turned the page and I would look at a guy and go, hey, it was really good. And it wasn't. And it wasn't. But I was just thinking anything other than that this guy's going off the deep end. So I'm just trying to get him back onside by going, well done. I saw what you did there. Great job. And it's really quiet. No one sees it. So the communication Was all. Was all just an act to get the four guys in front of me to work and to. And to buy in.

[A]

Fascinating.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All right, so we've talked about here and of course, elsewhere about the Algerian goal, how it changed my life. So how do you. I mean, there are, like, quantifiable ways, right? Like, things you get to do, appearances, people you meet, financial implications, all that. How do you. How do you describe that, how it changed your life?

[B]

Well, it changed my life because, you know, it was. All the memes came out about what Tim Howard could save. So people were all into memes at the time. The Wikipedia page getting changed and me being named the Secretary of Defense, that's like a fun thing people always remember. And I think. I think my relationship with. I have a good relationship with fans, but that relationship sort of changed because it became that one defining moment that every fan. Which is probably how things are for you in a lot of places. Every fan, you know, the two things they say is, like, I'm an Everton fan, if they are. Or they say, that Belgium game, that was amazing. I remember where I was, and I have this immediate connection of, like. I mean, I know where I was, and people laugh at that. Right. But I often love anybody comes up to me when I'm out grocery shopping or I'm in New York City, where I live, or I'm in the airport, people are like, I was with my buddies and we were hanging out at the bar. We were in a park. Like, people remember tangibly, like, exactly where they were. And I love hearing those stories because it connects us immediately.

[A]

That's the best. Love that. All right, last one, and then we'll do some trivia. Some trivia. So my first world. Not my first World cup, in our third match, we lost to Poland 31 or 4 1, but I scored my first goal. And when I scored, I, like, celebrate for a sec. But then I'm like, dude, we're still losing 30 or we're losing 31 at the time. So I didn't get to really celebrate it. And it made me think about you. You have that game, but it's in a loss, right? And so does that. Does that taint it at all? Like, how do you. Does it. Do you view it differently? Sure.

[B]

I mean, the record, that. Which are special until it gets broken, which it will. The record is special because it's not tainted. The record is the record whether you win, lose or draw. Yeah. The game, the. The loss hurt. But I tell you what, I.

[A]

What?

[B]

What? How I Felt after all, D. I felt proud. I felt a major sense of pride, yes, in myself. But beyond that, I thought this group had a really good World Cup. I thought the team on the day played, and you've heard me say this, if you'd have cut those guys open in the dressing room, nothing would have came out. They didn't. That group of guys that played that night against Belgium couldn't have given anymore. They couldn't have. They ran their socks off, they worked, they fought, they did everything. So I was just. I was in a moment of pride. I just felt amazing. No, losing sucks and going home from World cup stinks, but when you can. When you can do it in a valiant way, and I felt that team did. So, yeah, it stung to lose, but it felt really great in terms of how I feel and how I felt about the team.

[A]

That's well said. All right, let's do some trivia.

[B]

Oh, I love trivia. I'm so good. I always say that every week.

[A]

You might know this one. Actually, I won't. Who held the World cup record for saves prior to you?

[B]

Very difficult.

[A]

Yeah. Andrew said if. If you don't just happen to know it, you'll never guess. Probably someone in, like, 1930 or something. I'm gonna say Igor Loski from Bulgaria. You just. Is that a guy?

[B]

Yeah, I think it's gonna be. Go. I don't have an answer.

[A]

Go on, Andrew. Ramon Quiroga from Peru in 78, the

[B]

year before I was born. Definitely had no idea about Ramon. It was good, though. It was good.

[A]

Player, top player. All right. The English Premier League record for saves in a game is 14. Is that right? Shared by three different keepers. Can you name any one of them?

[B]

Fun fact. Before. Before I said that. Can I give you a fun fact?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That goes under the radar. And because we're talking about it in number 14 after the world Cup. So I set the record right after the World Cup. That went. The season started in August. We were playing in the Europa League with Everton. We played Wolfsburg at home. A Wolfsburg team that had, like, Kevin de Bruyne on it. These. I made a. I made a Europa League record 14 saves at Goodison. Stop it. Against. Against Wolfsburg. But because it happened, like, shortly after

[A]

World cup, nothing made.

[B]

No one knows it. No one knows it.

[A]

That's amazing.

[B]

If you think I'm making that up, go look at. I think. I think I'm.

[A]

I think you are, but I'll still look it up.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. So.

[A]

All right. Can you name anyone it has to be a goalie who would get. It wouldn't be a top go for a top team because they're never getting pounded like that. Right? So.

[B]

So here. So here, here. I got it. So you got. Help me with these names. The guy. The guy who played only because he has three relegations on his cv. Goalkeeper from Arsenal. That was at. He was at Sheffield Wednesday. Southampton. Who was a goalkeeper for.

[A]

For Arsenal. I don't pay attention.

[B]

Rams. I'm gonna say Ramsdale.

[A]

Aaron Ramsdale.

[B]

I'm going to say the guy who was at Fulham for years. The Finnish guy.

[A]

Jeskalainen.

[B]

Not Jeskalein. He was at Bolton. But the other. There was a guy he played for Southampton and he played for Fulham. Anyway, there's the only two I can name.

[A]

I literally have no idea. So you can just reveal it. Andrew.

[B]

Reveal.

[A]

Tim Kruel for Newcastle versus Spurs. Wow.

[B]

De Gea.

[A]

De Gea. Versus Arsenal.

[B]

And Menoni. Yeah.

[A]

And Vito Manone. Sunderland versus Chelsea. Wow.

[B]

You know what? I know something. Ld. I remember Tim Cruel. I remember the Spurs. Newcastle.

[A]

Yeah, I think I remember that. I remember that.

[B]

He was. He was unbelievable that day.

[A]

He was good. Tim Cruel. Was he from. What was his nationality?

[B]

Dutch. It was Dutch.

[A]

Dutch. Tim Cruel. Yeah. Okay. These suck. These goalie ones are. I hate these. How about an mls. Can you name the keeper who holds the record for saves in a game?

[B]

I'm going to say Joe Canon or Nick Ramonda.

[A]

I'm going to say John Bush.

[B]

Okay. Good shot.

[A]

Good.

[B]

Tony.

[A]

For Vancouver versus San Jose in 2019. 16 saves.

[B]

16 saves. It's hard to make.

[A]

16 saves broke me. His previous record of 15. That's a good one too. Was unbelievable, man. His 15 that year. That's when he won the. Probably the year he won.

[B]

Probably 2000. 2001.

[A]

2000. Yeah. All right. 2014 ended with Tim collecting his second U.S. soccer men's player of the Year award. He has won of four goalkeepers to win the award. Can you name the other three?

[B]

Friedel, Keller and Meola.

[A]

Meola, right? Yeah. That would be my. I don't know who else? Is there someone 90?

[B]

No.

[A]

No. Yeah. Fredo. Keller Miller.

[B]

You gotta be right, Gotta be right.

[A]

Keller, Friedel, Stephan.

[B]

He won in 2018.

[A]

Keller, Friedel and Stefan. 2018.

[B]

Well done, Zach. Casey's got three. Shout out to Casey. 97. 99. 2005. That's amazing.

[A]

All right. Wow. I would have never guessed that.

[B]

Yeah. Terrible, terrible tribute today.

[A]

That was fun, my friend. Great job to you, by the way. Congrats. That was fun to watch. Jim Beam, the official spirit of U.S. soccer. Whether you're following from the stadium or from home, grab a Jim Beam and lemonade and enjoy with those around you. Best enjoy together there.