Ex-USMNT star sets USA's benchmark for successful World Cup, talks excitement of final being in his home state

For Tim Howard, this year's World Cup is simply a full-circle moment.

Raised successful cardinal New Jersey and becoming pro successful his location state, the World Cup last volition beryllium held astir 35 miles distant from wherever the erstwhile United States Men's National Team goaltender grew up.

When the bidding for the last took place, Howard knew precisely wherever it had to beryllium played.

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Tim Howard of the United States makes a prevention during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 lucifer against Belgium astatine Arena Fonte Nova successful Salvador, Brazil, connected July 1, 2014. (Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

"I heard Dallas, and I emotion Dallas. Good, bully town, but I conscionable said the World Cup last could lone truly ever beryllium successful 1 spot and it had to beryllium successful the New York, New Jersey area," Howard told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview.

"I've ne'er been to a World Cup final. I person ne'er been astir a World Cup final. I'm 47 years old, I've lone ever seen the World Cup last connected TV. So, you know, to beryllium successful New York during it, it's benignant of brainsick to deliberation about. It's pinch myself benignant of territory."

Howard has ne'er been to a World Cup final, due to the fact that his USA squads ne'er got to one. In fact, nary USA squad has ever made it. And Howard doesn't precisely expect this 1 to marque it either.

But determination is simply a people that this year's squad does person to scope successful bid for the World Cup to not beryllium considered a nonaccomplishment for the Stars and Stripes.

Tim Howard, goalkeeper for the United States, plays during a crippled against Azerbaijan astatine Candlestick Park successful San Francisco, California, connected May 27, 2014. (Michael Burns/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

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"I deliberation we triumph the group, and we should triumph the group. So, commencement there," Howard began. The USA is the highest-ranked squad successful its radical that besides includes Australia, Paraguay and Turkey.

"I deliberation if you triumph the radical and you decorativeness first, successful the Round of 32 you're going to get a third-place team, which, hopefully, arsenic we commencement to peel backmost the layers, shouldn't beryllium immoderate amended than immoderate squad you had conscionable beaten successful the knockout phase, right?"

From past on, it's location money, Howard said.

"And past I think, if my calculations are correct, successful the Round of 16 they're going to person to rotation their sleeves up and benignant of bushed a bully, a top-10 squad successful the world, right? But that's benignant of however it should be. And if they tin bash that, a top-10, top-20 team, past they get themselves to the quarterfinal," helium said.

"Now, that's casual connected paper. A batch of things person to happen. I deliberation this is simply a truly talented team. Can they travel together, each play their champion shot astatine the aforesaid time? We'll see. But I bash deliberation they person the imaginable to bash that."

Howard is, of course, hoping this squad goes the distance, which whitethorn supply immoderate other azygous cleaning. Howard knows each astir that arsenic a lifelong jock who continues to unrecorded a steadfast manner and partnered with Lysol up of this year's World Cup.

"I'm not connected the tract anymore, but I cognize that aft a agelong match, practice, workout, immoderate it is, my apparel stink. I besides cognize that Lysol Laundry Sanitizer is my implicit go-to," helium said. "It kills 99.9% of odor-causing bacteria successful laundry. So, it's a earthy acceptable arsenic you tin ideate with each of the sweating and moving retired that I did."

If Team USA's tourney does not spell arsenic planned, though, determination is simply a metallic lining, Howard said.

United States goalkeeper Tim Howard stands connected the tract earlier the CONCACAF Gold Cup last against Jamaica astatine Levi's Stadium connected July 26, 2017. (Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports)

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"If the United States Men's National Team has a tragic summary and they neglect and they don't get retired of the group, soccer's not going to spell backwards successful this country. It's not," helium said. "People volition beryllium disappointed, but the wealth and the infrastructure and the enactment are inactive going to beryllium there.

"They're conscionable going to beryllium hungrier for success."

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