Latest news with #TimHoward
New York Post
22-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Tim Howard: USMNT's 'hard truths' must be faced for a World Cup run
Tim Howard had just completed a comeback. When the legendary United States men's national team goalkeeper recently spoke to The Post, he was wrapping up an appearance on behalf of Airbnb, which has a three-year partnership with FIFA to support accommodations around the recently completed Club World Cup, next summer's World Cup in North America and the 2027 Women's World Cup. Howard — the 46-year-old New Jersey native who tops goalies with 121 career appearances for the USMNT and who played professionally for the likes of Manchester United and Everton — led a training session 'experience' for select participants, which ended with instruction on penalty shootouts. 'It was the first time since I retired that I actually got in goal and dove around,' Howard said. 'I tried. I was actually OK.'
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Howard Echoes Pochettino's Complaints: Referees Favor Mexico Against the USMNT
Howard Echoes Pochettino's Complaints: Referees Favor Mexico Against the USMNT originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Mauricio Pochettino had similar feelings with USMNT players and fans after the controversial handball in the game against Mexico was not called a penalty. USMNT fans believe a penalty should've been given, while others explain why the handball wasn't given. Advertisement Pochettino's comments suggesting referees favor Mexico over the USMNT have sparked controversy in the CONCACAF region, with some believing the manager has handled the loss poorly. Mauricio Pochettino: "The truth was that if that happened in the opposite half in their box, for sure is a penalty." Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard agreed with Pochettino's comments towards Mexico being favored over the USMNT over the years. The goalkeeper mentions that he has felt the same feelings before. In the Unfiltered Soccer podcast with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, Donovan read Pochettino's quote on the handball and was surprised to hear Howard's feelings towards previous matches against Mexico. Advertisement Tim Howard on Gold Cup Final Handball Donovan was surprised to hear that Howard felt that Mexico was 'favored' over the USMNT now and in the past. At first glance, Howard did not believe the handball warranted a penalty, but he changed his mind quickly. Tim Howard: "The handball initially, I didn't think so. I believe in the rule of if you're bracing your fall with your hand and it hits your hand, whatever. But these still photos. Now you look back and are like 'How is this possible?'" Donovan mentions Pochettino's complaint about the handball as he describes the Mexican player holding the top of the ball as he is falling, making the play controversial. He also believes the handball would've been awarded a penalty under different circumstances. Landon Donovan: "If that happened in the group stage, I bet it's a handball. Because it's a final, the ref doesn't want to impact the game." Advertisement Chris Richards on the handball decision After the game, Chris Richards had strong words on the handball during the USA vs Mexico match. The defender was one of the top players of the USMNT during the Gold Cup, and he showed frustration over the referee not calling a penalty for Team USA. Richards couldn't believe the USMNT were not awarded a penalty. He goes on to agree with Howard and Pochettino's complaints, and names CONCACAF as Richards talks about the controversial play. Chris Richards: "Homie palmed the ball like Shaq in the box. That's CONCACAF for you - they hate us. But we have to just keep moving with it." Advertisement Related: Diego Luna Sidelines Top USMNT Star - Donovan's Bold World Cup Call This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Tim Howard says FIFA should not ‘dilute' anti-racism campaigns, players ‘have a choice' over White House visits
Tim Howard, the most-capped goalkeeper in the history of the United States men's national team, has urged FIFA not to water down its campaigns against racism after the sport's global governing body appeared to roll back its messaging during the Club World Cup in the United States. Contrary to previous tournaments, including the men's World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and the women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023, FIFA has elected not to use videos or signage within its stadiums or on social media to promote its 'no racism' or 'no discrimination' campaign, while there has also been no sign of FIFA's Unite for Inclusion campaign. Advertisement Howard, in an interview with The Athletic, said: 'When it comes to racism in the game and racism in America, unfortunately, it is alive and well. For a long time, we gained a lot of traction in (progressing), but certainly we have gone backwards and and you feel the tensions. 'As for racism and campaigns, there's never a time when we shouldn't amplify the message. If you have a campaign that's important, that should be important everywhere and always.' FIFA is instead using the slogan from its less specific 'Football Unites the World' campaign during the tournament. FIFA did show signage for its 'no racism' campaign for one day on June 18 — which it said was to mark International Day for Countering Hate Speech — but this followed The Athletic reporting on how the campaigns had been missing from the opening days of the tournament. Multiple campaign groups then criticised FIFA for the rollback. FIFA did not respond when asked if the political climate in the U.S. — where President Trump has sought to cut the government's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs — has played any part in its decision but pointed to FIFA's statutes, which say the organisation is neutral on matters of politics. FIFA insists it has a zero-tolerance position on racism and discrimination. Kick It Out, a leading UK anti-discrimination charity, said the changes were 'concerning' and called on FIFA to reverse its decision. Evan Whitfield, the chair of the Human Rights Soccer Alliance (HRSA), an American group of former players, NGOs, lawyers and grassroots soccer organisations established this year, said the campaigns 'need to be consistently underlined to the world.' He added: 'A basic message of football unites the world doesn't achieve this clearly enough. And it certainly doesn't reflect the need for messaging among those who are coming new to soccer as a sport, or seeing a global soccer tournament for the first time. If FIFA can have strong messaging in Russia, Qatar, New Zealand, and Australia, then the same should apply in the United States.' Advertisement Howard says players should take the lead if FIFA isn't. 'The power is also with the players and the players certainly have a responsibility to carry that message forward, on their own, whether FIFA's doing it or not,' he says. 'There will always be opportunities to take a stand and to do what's right, whether that is an official campaign or not. It (racism) needs to be eradicated. It's not going to happen anytime soon because of how divided this country currently is, but hopefully one day we get there.' FIFA confirmed last week that the organization's disciplinary committee had opened proceedings against CF Pachuca player Gustavo Cabral after the Argentine was accused of racially abusing the Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger during a Club World Cup group stage fixture. And last night, supporters at Monterrey's Club World Cup last-16 game against Borussia Dortmund were warned that the game could be suspended after homophobic chants were heard repeatedly during the second half. Asked whether he would like FIFA to be stronger in its proactive messaging at next year's World Cup, which will be hosted across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, Howard said: 'If there is a campaign, it shouldn't be diluted. So again, it's on the players, the ones who are in the arena, and the supporters, to push back if they feel like there hasn't been enough of that campaign pushed forward. 'So next year is another opportunity to do that. Whether they do so is to be seen, but certainly we can keep across that messaging.' This month, two USMNT players, Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah, were part of a Juventus group invited to the White House on the day of the Italian team's Club World Cup match against Al Ain in Washington, D.C. It culminated in surreal scenes as the Juventus owner, executives and players stood behind President Trump as he discussed issues such as whether to strike Iran, his administration's travel bans and asked the group whether a woman could get into their team. Weah subsequently said: 'They told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go. I was caught by surprise. It was a bit weird. When he started talking about the politics… it's kind of like, 'I just want to play football, man'.' Howard, who has visited the White House under previous presidents, says he would have gone along out of respect for the institution but also added that 'you always have a choice.' 'I've had this conversation with some athlete friends of mine,' Howard says, when asked if he would have accepted the invitation to Trump's White House. Howard has previously said he believes Trump to be racist. Advertisement 'The institution of the White House as an American is awesome,' Howard says. 'I would encourage anybody under any president, Republican, Democrat, or otherwise, if you have the opportunity to go to the White House, I would certainly take it. But if you choose not to, by all means, you have a choice. There are different reasons or specific moments that you should go or not go. Some of those feel tense and some of them feel exciting. You have to make your decision based on that.' Howard was talking to The Athletic as part of an initiative led by Abbott, a healthcare firm that has partnered with Real Madrid as part of the Abbott Dream Team program, which sees youngsters try out in cities across the U.S. this summer for the opportunity to then travel to Spain to train under Real Madrid coaches and learn about sports nutrition from the club's medical team. Try-outs remain in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles. Howard was present at the tryouts in Philadelphia, which he described as 'a million miles an hour' with kids who were 'hungry and excited' to access an opportunity in sport. Access to soccer in the United States at youth level has long been a source of debate and consternation. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has criticized the 'pay-to-play' model for many young soccer players in the U.S., saying it 'must be free' for children to play. Former USMNT midfielder Clint Dempsey last week told The Athletic his family went into debt to help him make it in the game. 'We need to make it easier for people who are less fortunate to have the chance to go chase their dreams,' Dempsey said. Howard says he is an 'incredible place' to discuss the issue because of his own experiences. 'I got lucky,' Howard says. 'The pay-to-play model is broken and it needs fixing or revamping. But it is not going anywhere, so that's the other issue. Then it is, 'How do you create parameters around that and how do you create opportunities around that where we can be more inclusive?'. 'People are asking, 'When is the U.S. gonna produce a World Cup champion? When is the U.S. gonna produce more top-quality talent?'. If we keep ostracizing people on a socioeconomic level, then we're not. I went through it and I was lucky because I had people who looked the other way. 'My family didn't have the money. Clint Dempsey's parents, who are amazing, drove him hundreds and hundreds of miles and spent countless money that they didn't have to give him opportunities. In my case, people were like, 'This kid's really good, let's somehow get him on our team and we'll pay for him'.' Advertisement 'And then I raised a strong young woman in my daughter who is going off to the University of Tennessee to play soccer. She comes from a very privileged background and her parents have money but it's not a system that works for everyone and so we need to figure out a better way.' Howard says there is a risk that young people will turn away from soccer if opportunities are not made more affordable. He says: 'I think about myself growing up and other families and the communities that I know. I'm talking about spending tens of thousands of dollars. My daughter played ECNL (Elite Clubs National League). I can show you the receipt if you want. Tens of thousands of dollars for traveling, all the rest of it. When I look at some of the families, and so many of the communities across this country, and the list of priorities on what bills need to be paid, youth soccer is not one of them, so the kids are gonna miss out.'
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Far from the Gold Cup, Christian Pulisic connects with youth soccer players who inspire him
Christian Pulisic was supposed to be in St. Louis on Tuesday, preparing to play in the national soccer team's Gold Cup semifinal with Guatemala. Instead he was standing under a freeway overpass in Culver City playing with a bunch of kids. 'This is kind of what I was, you know, born to do,' the former and perhaps future captain of the national team said. 'Having this platform and being here to inspire, hopefully, the next generation and do this for kids, it's special.' Advertisement Pulisic, 26, isn't far removed from being a kid himself, one who grew up learning the game on mini fields not too different from the one he was opening Tuesday. But for Pulisic soccer is no longer a child's game, it's a business. And that has taken a lot of fun out of it. So when Pulisic, the national team's active leader in both appearances (78) and goals (35), decided to pass up this summer's Gold Cup, the last major competition before next year's World Cup, he was widely pilloried as selfish and egotistical by former national team players including Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and Landon Donovan. American Christian Pulisic is grabbed by Bolivia's Hector Cuellar as they chase the ball during a Copa America match in Arlington, Texas, on June 23, 2024. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press) 'I just can't fathom turning down the privilege of representing my country,' added Alexi Lalas, who played on two World Cup teams for the U.S. Advertisement However, Pulisic says he was simply exhausted. He played a career-high 3,650 minutes in all competition for AC Milan last season, leading the team with 11 goals and nine assists in Serie A play while appearing in 118 games for club and country in the last 22 months. He needed a break to rest both body and mind before the World Cup, when he'll be the focus of a U.S. team playing the tournament at home for the first time in 32 years. So after consulting with U.S. Soccer and national team coach Mauricio Pochettino, he took it, offering to play in two June friendlies — an offer Pochettino declined — but turning down an invitation to play in the Gold Cup. The reaction was swift and hurtful, with many critics accusing Pulisic of turning his back on his country. Advertisement 'To question my commitment, especially towards the national team, in my opinion that's way out of line,' Pulisic said in his defense on a Golazo Network podcast last month. 'I don't regret my decision. I think it's the right thing for me." AC Milan's Christian Pulisic celebrates with teammate Tijjani Reijnders after Reijnders scored against Como in Milan, Italy, on March 15. (Antonio Calanni / Associated Press) Given a chance to expand on that Tuesday, Pulisic declined. 'I said what I needed to say. I don't think it's something that I want to harp on," he said. But events like Tuesday's clearly rekindle his passion for soccer by reminding him of what the game still looks like through a child's eyes. 'To see the joy that it brings to kids' faces and to give them a free space to just come and play and enjoy the game like I used to when I was a kid, that's what it's all about,' he said. 'When I was around their age, that's when I really grew the love for the game.' Advertisement His father, Mark, was a former indoor soccer player and longtime coach, so Pulisic spent much of his childhood in places just like the one in Culver City. Getting back to those basics after what has been one of the most trying months of his professional career has been a breath of fresh air and it showed because Pulisic, whose smiles are rare and generally sarcastic, was wearing a wide and sincere one Tuesday. The play space he was visiting is the second Christian Pulisic Stomping Grounds facility in the U.S., one developed in conjunction with the global sports brand Puma. The first Stomping Ground opened two years ago in Miami and there are plans to build a third in Texas. Read more: News Analysis: Why are big-name U.S. players passing on World Cup tuneup? Wedged into an industrial area crowded with storage facilities and warehouses beneath an on-ramp to the 405 Freeway, the space, home to the Culver City Football Club, was refurbished to include mini indoor and outdoor turf fields, a putting green and a life-size chess set. Advertisement The costly update was nice, said Krist Colocho, president and chief executive of the Culver City Football Club. But having the captain of the men's national team come to christen the site, then engage some three dozen players, ages 9 to 13, in training drills, was priceless. 'There's no words for it,' he said. 'The top player in the U.S.? It's amazing. To get to play with him? That's a cherry on top.' The nonprofit club, Colocho said, is dedicated to ending the pay-for-play model that has made soccer too expensive for many kids. The Pulisic-Puma partnership will help with that. 'This is a start,' he said. 'Coming from a background where soccer is difficult to afford, this is going to be one of those stepping [stones] that we work with.' AC Milan's Christian Pulisic celebrates after scoring against Cagliari in Milan, Italy, on May 11, 2024. (Antonio Calanni / Associated Press) Outside Pulisic backed toward a mini goal as 6-year-old Arih Akwafei charged forward, pushed the ball around Pulisic and tucked it into the net, then celebrated as only a 6-year-old can. Advertisement 'It was fun doing everything and using our bodies to try to play soccer with him to see if he was good or not,' Arih said, gulping air between words in an effort to control her excitement. 'I scored on him.' Cameron Carr, 9, agreed. 'It's a very big deal,' he said of Pulisic's visit. Asked whether he'd be happier if Pulisic was in St. Louis practicing with the national team, as so many critics had demanded, Cameron grew confused. To him the answer was as obvious as the question was stupid. 'I'm very happy that he's taking his time to meet with us kids when he could be training,' he said. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tim Howard & Landon Donovan Disagrees On Matt Freese's USMNT Future Vs Costa Rica
Tim Howard & Landon Donovan Disagrees On Matt Freese's USMNT Future Vs Costa Rica originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Tim Howard and Landon Donovan don't agree about Matt Freese playing versus Costa Rica, as the New York City goalkeeper made a mistake that almost cost the USMNT the win over Haiti. Advertisement The USMNT is playing the Gold Cup, and the next fixture will be against Keylor Navas' Costa Rica. The former Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain goalkeeper has been in great shape at 38 years old. Against Mexico, he delivered one of the best performances of a goalkeeper in the tournament so far, and that's something that worries Landon Donovan and Tim Howard. While discussing the next game of the USMNT in their podcast Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan & Tim Howard, Donovan suggested that, after the mistake Freese made against Haiti, Matt Turner should take his place. "He's a fine goalkeeper[Freese]. But now you need to win the Gold Cup. And I know Matt Turner's not been great, he's not been playing a lot, but that's the guy you need to have in the goal. We saw what Keylor Navas did yesterday against Mexico. You need the guy who can make the play. So that's my bet. No one cares what I have to say. You're the goalkeeper. So that's kind of the back and forth we have. So I think Matt Turner should start going forward. I just I want to hear your opinion on all that." - Donovan said Advertisement Howard didn't like the fact that USMNT started the tournament with Freese and switch to Turner because of the mistake. On the other hand, he suggested a move that would have avoided the mistake made by Freese since the game wouldn't change a thing on the board. "This was my point to you: you'd have been better off playing Matt Freese in Game 1, Game 2, right? Yesterday, on the board, was a nothing game, right? Play Matt. Turner. You can then actually go back to Matt Freese, because he's cooking, and he plays in the quarterfinal. Now, off the back of that mistake — which, again, whatever — you win the game, and those are the best times to make mistakes: when your team wins a game." Tim Howard analyses the mistake made by Freese The USMNT was winning 1-0 until Matt Freese accidentally handed the Haiti forward the ball. The play left everything even, but the national team managed to find a way to win with a late goal from Patrick Agyemang. Advertisement Howard during the podcast explained the way those type of situations should be handled, but also how different it is from the time he was playing. "So one way or another, that ball needs to end up in the stands. He can't ever take that risk. But what I would say is mistakes happen, and there's a learning process, LD, and so he'll learn from that. I still think you can play in moments, but that ball has to go, and he needs to make a simple decision." The former USMNT and Everton goalkeeper also stated that things would be handled differently if this happened to him in Everton. Advertisement "The problem is for all those people at home, football now is taught in a way on the training ground where it's play no matter what. See for me, when goalkeepers make mistakes now, they're just patted on the back, oh play again, keep playing. Where before, if I'd have done that, and you were in the dressing room, David Moyes would have absolutely throttled me, right? And so that plays a role, whether he should be playing or not." For now, Matt Freese continues as the starter for the USMNT game versus Costa Rica in the Gold Cup quarter-finals. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
