Tim Howard

So Diego, we want to touch about on what's going on recently with your rise, and it's happened maybe for you, not quickly, but for a lot of fans who are just tuning in recently to the national team. I think you really announced yourself in January. I want to take people back to where you started. So you grew up in Sunnyvale. Is that right? Northern California?

So Diego, we want to touch about on what's going on recently with your rise, and it's happened maybe for you, not quickly, but for a lot of fans who are just tuning in recently to the national team. I think you really announced yourself in January. I want to take people back to where you started. So you grew up in Sunnyvale. Is that right? Northern California?

Okay. And you were part of the earthquake system, right? The youth Academy system. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. And then I want to start. And cause I think this is interesting for people to hear when we, when I was coaching in USL, a lot of times kids are talking about, I want to be an MLS. I want to be an MLS. I want to join an MLS team. I want to join an MLS roster.

Okay. And you were part of the earthquake system, right? The youth Academy system. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. And then I want to start. And cause I think this is interesting for people to hear when we, when I was coaching in USL, a lot of times kids are talking about, I want to be an MLS. I want to be an MLS. I want to join an MLS team. I want to join an MLS roster.

Okay. And you were part of the earthquake system, right? The youth Academy system. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. And then I want to start. And cause I think this is interesting for people to hear when we, when I was coaching in USL, a lot of times kids are talking about, I want to be an MLS. I want to be an MLS. I want to join an MLS team. I want to join an MLS roster.

I want to be, and we would say to, we would say to some of these young kids, The most important thing for you at 16, 17, 18 is to be playing soccer games now. You are developing well, but if you're on an MLS roster, you're not going to play.

I want to be, and we would say to, we would say to some of these young kids, The most important thing for you at 16, 17, 18 is to be playing soccer games now. You are developing well, but if you're on an MLS roster, you're not going to play.

I want to be, and we would say to, we would say to some of these young kids, The most important thing for you at 16, 17, 18 is to be playing soccer games now. You are developing well, but if you're on an MLS roster, you're not going to play.

I want to know why you made the decision to not go into an MLS academy and to go to a USL team where you had a much better chance of playing and then eventually prove yourself and played. So why did you make that decision?

I want to know why you made the decision to not go into an MLS academy and to go to a USL team where you had a much better chance of playing and then eventually prove yourself and played. So why did you make that decision?

I want to know why you made the decision to not go into an MLS academy and to go to a USL team where you had a much better chance of playing and then eventually prove yourself and played. So why did you make that decision?

It's really unique because nowadays, like I said, people are so obsessed with getting to the highest level as fast as possible and they forget about playing. And we see it with kids saying, I want to go to Europe. I want to go to Europe. And I always say, well, what does that mean? You can go to Europe and you can sit on a bench and never play soccer. Exactly. And that doesn't help you.

It's really unique because nowadays, like I said, people are so obsessed with getting to the highest level as fast as possible and they forget about playing. And we see it with kids saying, I want to go to Europe. I want to go to Europe. And I always say, well, what does that mean? You can go to Europe and you can sit on a bench and never play soccer. Exactly. And that doesn't help you.

It's really unique because nowadays, like I said, people are so obsessed with getting to the highest level as fast as possible and they forget about playing. And we see it with kids saying, I want to go to Europe. I want to go to Europe. And I always say, well, what does that mean? You can go to Europe and you can sit on a bench and never play soccer. Exactly. And that doesn't help you.

So I want to commend you for that because I think you're a great now story for other young kids to look at and say, I don't have to be in an MLS academy. Maybe I can go somewhere else and play soccer games and get better and better. And would you say, my guess is, At 16, 17, you're playing against full-grown men. You're competing now.

So I want to commend you for that because I think you're a great now story for other young kids to look at and say, I don't have to be in an MLS academy. Maybe I can go somewhere else and play soccer games and get better and better. And would you say, my guess is, At 16, 17, you're playing against full-grown men. You're competing now.

So I want to commend you for that because I think you're a great now story for other young kids to look at and say, I don't have to be in an MLS academy. Maybe I can go somewhere else and play soccer games and get better and better. And would you say, my guess is, At 16, 17, you're playing against full-grown men. You're competing now.

to earn a starting spot versus playing against 17 and 18 year olds. Right.

to earn a starting spot versus playing against 17 and 18 year olds. Right.

to earn a starting spot versus playing against 17 and 18 year olds. Right.