Tim Howard: Best memes of things USA goalkeeper could save after brilliant performance against Belgium

Howard made 16 saves against Belgium, the most since 1966

Tim Howard's Wikipedia page was changed to claim he was the new Secretary of Defence of the USA (Twitter)

Tim Howard’s brilliant performance in the United States’ 2-1 defeat after extra time to Belgium saw the American goalkeeper make the most saves in a World Cup match since 1966, but it wasn’t enough to keep his side in the tournament.

With their brave performances and passionate support winning over many neutral fans, their exit comes as a disappointment for many after the US became the favourite ‘second team’ in Brazil. Howard’s heroics between the sticks gained praise from manager Jurgen Klinsmann – who knows a thing or two about scoring in World Cups – but the credit didn’t stop there.

In fact, Howard has his Wikipedia page edited to give him the new role as the Secretary of Defence of the United States of America, while the Twitter trend ‘Things Tim Howard could save’ took off on Tuesday night.

Here’s a few of the best memes to emerge after Howard’s performance:

His altered Wikipedia page gives him a new role to look forward to

The Lion King could’ve been a much happier story had Howard been in the Pride Lands of Africa

Howard could have saved the doomed Titanic had he been born about 80 years earlier

England could've reached the 1986 World Cup final had Howard stopped Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God'

Luis Suarez could still be playing in Brazil had Howard stopped him biting Giorgio Chiellini

Bambi wouldn’t have fallen through the ice had Howard been at hand

Perhaps the most telling of all was Lukaku’s appreciation of Howard’s performance at the full-time whistle.

In what was likely to be his final World Cup appearance, 35-year-old Howard was awarded the man-of-the-match award for keeping Belgium starlet Divock Origi at bay, while Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard and the likes couldn’t find a way past the Everton goalkeeper, who made the most saves in a World Cup match since the stat began to be tracked 48 years ago.

It took the introduction of Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, who has been far from his best so far in the tournament, to take it to the tiring American defence. His physicality helped set up the extra-time opener for De Bruyne, before adding a second soon after to put the game just out of the US’s reach.