Gregory Zuckerman - Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars

T im Howard had a feeling he was about to play one of the toughest matches of his life.

It was July 2014, and Tim was in goal as the United States mens national soccer team faced Belgium in a key round of sixteen World Cup match. The stands in Salvador, Brazil, were packed with nearly fifty-seven thousand fans. Back in the US, twenty-two million viewersmore than the number who had watched the NBA finals or the World Series that yearwere glued to their television sets, many of them skipping work to catch the game. Thousands more watched on a giant video screen at Chicagos Soldier Field.

In Washington, DC, President Barack Obama joined two hundred staff members in a historic building close to the White House, pulling hard for Tim and his teammates.

I believe that we can win! President Obama cheered.

The odds were stacked against the Americans. Belgium had finished first in its opening-round grouping, while the U.S. had tied for second in its own section. In its history against Belgium, the US team had four losses and just one win.

Before the match, Tim sat in his locker room, dressing the same way he did before every game. First, he put on his right shin guard, sock, and shoe. Then he did the same on his left side. Many players follow the same routine before each game, but with Tim it was more than habit or superstition. Tim had to follow the same pattern in much of what he did or he would become anxious and uncomfortable. He couldnt explain it. It was a compulsion, not a choice.

Tim began coughing and clearing his throat, over and over again. He couldnt seem to stop. His teammates, focused on the match, didnt pay much attention. They knew Tim was dealing with Tourette syndrome as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder. They were accustomed to his unusual behavior.

Walking down the stairs toward the soccer pitch with the rest of the American team, Tim was deep in thought, preparing himself for the big game. He ran onto the field and bolted toward his goal, nervous and excited, as the crowd roared.

It was like I was floating on air, Tim says.

Suddenly, Tim looked uphe was surrounded by red uniforms, not the familiar white shirts of his American teammates. Instantly, Tim realized he had made an embarrassing mistake, even before the game had begunhe had taken a left toward Belgiums goal, not a right to his own.

Sheepishly, Tim turned around and sprinted toward the American side, hoping no one in the huge stadium had noticed.

I was so tuned in, praying, thinking of my kids, that I looked up and saw I went to the wrong goal, Tim remembers.

After rejoining his teammates, Tim approached the referee, asking if he could hold the game ball. Tim turned it over, feeling the curve against his gloves. Back in goal, Tim bent and touched the grass. Then he felt the goal. Finally, Tim made the sign of a cross and said a short prayer for his children.

He followed the same ritual before each game, a result of his compulsive behavior. There was something about touching his surroundings that calmed Tim and gave him a sense of control he desperately sought.

Its my security blanket when chaos is all around, Tim says. I find shelter in my routine.

It didnt take long for Tim to come under heavy fire. Just forty-three seconds after kickoff, Belgiums Divock Origi bolted past the American defense, reaching the box with a surprising burst of speed. Tim moved to his left, squaring off against the young forward as Origi fired a cannon of a shot at the goal. Tim knocked it away cleanly, a big early save. The Americans breathed a sigh of relief, as did their fans.

I got it with my right shin, Tim says.

Belgium put more shots on goal in the first half, but Tim continued to fend them off, one impressive save after another. Yet the Americans failed to put any goals on the board, either, and the first half ended in a scoreless tie.

The Americans werent mustering much offense and pressure grew. But at least they remained neck and neck with the heavily favored Belgians.

We held our own, Tim says.

Just ten minutes into second half play, something extraordinary happened to Tim and his teammates. Belgiums strikers began launching shots at Tim from all angles and speeds, an offensive assault that felt like it wouldnt end.

Dries Mertens headed a ball high on goal that Tim only managed to stop with an acrobatic leap. Origi took another thunderous shot that Tim barely nicked away. Kevin Mirallas seemed to have an easy goal when he streaked into the box untouched, firing a shot with his powerful left foot only to be thwarted by Tims last-minute kick save.

I barely got my left foot on it, Tim says. Every time I looked up, there was a shot.

A buzz grew in the stands, among viewers watching at home, and on social media about the remarkable show Tim was putting on. They knew they were seeing something truly special. When regulation ended, the match still was scoreless. Somehow, Tim was single-handedly keeping the Americans in the game.

In extra time, Tim made five improbable saves, bailing the Americans out over and over again. Then Belgian star striker Romelu Lukaku entered the game, like a man on a mission. Lukaku stole the ball from an American defender and burst down the right wing, spotting Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne running toward the middle of the penalty area. Tim slid to stop the shot, but De Bruyne spotted a crack between Tim and a defender and his shot found the net. A few minutes later, a wide-open Lukaku fired a ball past Tim.

Suddenly, the US was down two goals.

The Americans mounted a furious comeback, and teenage sub Julian Green scored on a gorgeous volley to bring the Americans within a goal of tying the game.

But it wasnt enough. The US team failed to score another goal and, in heartbreaking fashion, lost 21.

After the match, American fans were disappointed. But a funny thing happened. In spite of the loss, all anyone could talk about was how hard the team had competed and how remarkable Tim had played. His sixteen saves were the most in any World Cup in fifty years. Tim was named Man of the Match, an unusual honor for a losing team.

All over the Internet, people were in awe of Tims performance. Some fans turned to humor to express their amazement.

A popular tweet that day read: If Obama appointed Tim Howard to Secretary of Defense tomorrow Id be cool with that.