Tim Howard: Not players' job to develop U.S. soccer

Following the U.S.'s 2-1, extra-time loss to Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16 on Tuesday, goalie Tim Howard told ESPN Radio on Wednesday that it's not U.S.

Following the U.S.'s 2-1, extra-time loss to Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16 on Tuesday, goalie Tim Howard told ESPN Radio on Wednesday that it's not U.S. players' job to take American soccer to the next step in its growth as a sport.

Instead, Howard said those players representing the U.S. simply have to keep competing and produce better results, and fan support will continue to grow from there.

More from Howard, via ESPN.com:

"The numbers have been staggering — people want to watch. That's all we have to do. Go out there and try to win. America loves winners, we know that."

"We're getting closer. It takes time, some of these countries have been playing the game 100 years longer than we have. We need to keep producing young talent, clearly we've shown we can."

Howard came up with 16 saves in Tuesday's loss, the most recorded by any player in a World Cup since 1966, when statistics were first kept.

The 35-year-old also said that he isn't sure right now if he'll attempt to play in the next World Cup in 2018 or if 2014 has been his last, and that he'll decide sometime in the future.

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—Ben Estes