Tim Howard's 2014 World Cup Masterclass: The Greatest Goalkeeping Display Ever Witnessed

World Cup individual brilliance isn't exclusive to outfield players, of course. While attackers and goal-scorers tend to steal the spotlight, those charged with neutralizing the game's biggest stars are equally deserving of recognition.

So frequently, a match can hinge on a single mistake or a flash of brilliance, particularly for those guarding the net. Gordon Banks' legendary stop against Pelé in 1970 remains the gold standard of goalkeeping excellence, while Iker Casillas and Emiliano Martínez have each produced match-winning saves that delivered World Cup glory to Spain and Argentina, respectively.

Yet in our tribute to goalkeeping greatness, we've chosen to spotlight a performance defined by extraordinary endurance.

The USMNT's Tim Howard cemented his status as a national icon and World Cup record-holder with an almost supernatural display against Belgium in 2014.

Tim Howard vs. Belgium: A Record-Breaking Performance

Jürgen Klinsmann's USMNT was a surprise entrant into the knockout rounds, having navigated their way through the so-called 'Group of Death'. A win over Ghana and a 2–2 draw with Portugal proved sufficient to advance to the last 16, with the Iberians eliminated after conceding a heavier loss to Germany on Matchday 1.

Belgium's true strength had yet to be fully revealed, though there was considerable buzz surrounding a 'golden generation' emerging from one of the Low Countries ahead of the 2014 World Cup. Having missed out on the previous two tournaments, they were determined to make their mark in Brazil.

Belgium swept through all three group stage fixtures to top Group H, yet the Red Devils had still not hit their stride. Klinsmann, for his part, insisted his squad had "no fear at all" going into the contest, with Lionel Messi's Argentina lying in wait in the quarterfinals. Only once previously had the USMNT advanced that far in a World Cup.

Howard, who had served as Kasey Keller's backup in 2006 before becoming the first-choice starter in South Africa and going on to earn 121 caps for his nation, was shielded by a backline of Geoff Cameron, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, and DaMarcus Beasley. It's little wonder, then, that the former Everton and Manchester United stopper was kept so thoroughly occupied in Salvador!

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Howard stood firm against a glittering Belgian attack, pulling off a record-breaking 16 saves to keep the USMNT alive. He was especially impressive using his legs and feet to deny the Red Devils, with Divock Origi and Everton club-mate Kevin Mirallas both expertly turned away in one-on-one situations. Origi's early attempt, inside the first 40 seconds, set the tone for the entire evening.

The majority of Howard's saves came during the second half of regulation, as Belgium relentlessly pressed a U.S. side that could barely generate any attacking momentum of its own. It was almost entirely one-directional, yet Howard's heroics left the Belgians increasingly frustrated, sensing that a sucker punch might be coming. That opportunity should have fallen to Chris Wondolowski, who spurned a golden chance late in the match.

Neither side could find a winner in 90 minutes, and the momentum failed to shift significantly in extra time. Romelu Lukaku came on for Origi and proved transformative. While Howard denied him on several occasions, Lukaku — another Everton team-mate — was pivotal in Belgium finally breaking through at the start of extra time, before adding a second himself with a characteristically composed finish.

Julian Green pulled one back for the USMNT shortly after, but no miraculous comeback materialized. Lukaku forced Howard into his 16th and final save in the 120th minute. No goalkeeper has matched that tally in a single World Cup match, at least not since records began being kept in 1966.

Belgium were subsequently eliminated by Argentina courtesy of an early Gonzalo Higuaín strike, and their celebrated generation of players would ultimately fall short of claiming the sport's greatest international prize. They did finish third in 2018 on the back of a brilliant Eden Hazard campaign, but that represented the closest Belgium, at the height of their powers, ever came to ruling the soccer world.

Tim Howard vs. Belgium: Statistical Breakdown

How the World Reacted to Tim Howard's Performance

🦖🚢🎞️ Dinosaurs, the Titanic & Private Ryan were suggestions as #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave trended after a 2014 #WorldCup thriller. @Wikipedia's USA Secretary of Defense was changed to Tim Howard 🇺🇸🦅

🎉 Happy 42nd birthday to @USMNT great @TimHowardGK 🧤pic.twitter.com/vb8gVpPYWX

Social media was still finding its footing during the 2014 World Cup, but a rapidly expanding online community produced some of its most memorable content in response to Howard's breathtaking display.

#ThingsTimHowardCouldSave exploded across the internet during the second half of the round of 16, while Belgium were still being kept at bay. Dinosaurs, Ned Stark, and The Titanic were among the most hilarious suggestions. The hashtag would go on to become the top 'meme' in Google's 2014 #YearInSearch.

#ThingsTimHowardCouldSave pic.twitter.com/wTmBjDFV20

Some called on President Barack Obama to appoint Howard as his new Secretary of Defense, and a White House petition was launched to rename Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in his honor. That never came to fruition, but he was briefly listed as 'American Jesus' on his Wikipedia page.

Even his opponents that night paid tribute. Then-club teammate Mirallas declared it "has to be" the finest goalkeeping performance he had ever witnessed, while Belgium captain Vincent Kompany, who had forced Howard into a sharp low save at the end of normal time, tweeted: "Two words.. TIM HOWARD #Respect".

"Tim, I don't know how you're going to survive the crowds when you get back home, man," President Obama told America's newest hero during a phone call the next day. "You're going to have to shave your beard so they don't recognize you! I hope I get the chance to see you again at The White House sometime soon."

Howard himself initially underestimated just how deeply his performance had resonated with the nation, even in defeat. After suggesting his display would be "forgotten about very soon," he later reflected: "I've since learned to embrace it. It's all people ever want to talk to me about. They come up to me on the street, in supermarkets, airports, wherever I am to talk about Belgium. They tell me where they were, who they were with, what they were doing for the game. Yeah, I'm proud of it. It made Americans proud."