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The Keeper: The Unguarded Story of Tim Howard Young Readers' Edition
The uplifting memoir of U.S. national soccer team goalkeeper Tim Howard, adapted for young readers. In this heartwarming and candid account, Tim Howard opens up about how a hyperactive kid from New Jersey with Tourette Syndrome defied the odds to become one of the world's premier goalkeepers. Tim shares his remarkable journey in an accessible way that will speak to soccer fans, kids struggling with issues that make them feel "different," and any young person looking for a compelling autobiography to read for a report or just for fun. After a successful seventeen-year professional soccer career, Tim became an overnight star during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. His heroic performance in the game for the United States against Belgium, in which he saved an astonishing fifteen shots—the most for any goalkeeper in a World Cup game—made him a household name as well as a trending internet meme. In the course of 120 minutes, Tim went from a player known mainly by soccer fans to an American icon, loved by millions for his dependability, daring, and humility. The book includes a glossary, a poster on the other side of the jacket, and a full-color insert.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published December 9, 2014
50 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
May 20, 2015
The Keeper Ungraded stories of Tim Howard was about his life and how he became a premier league. It said that how it was a hard for he in school because he had TS and it went away when he was playing soccer. it said how he Got better with a goalie coach that said he would work with him for free because he had something that others didn't. When he got to be on Everton he loved it there and they won and he went to the World Vup with the US team and they got close but did not win.
I liked the book and would say for people to read it, but in the end of the book it got boring and hard to keeping reading.
I liked the book and would say for people to read it, but in the end of the book it got boring and hard to keeping reading.
April 26, 2018
This book is a very good book for people who like soccer.
February 1, 2022
Reading the story of Tim Howard's life will leave you believing that you can do great things. Growing up in North Brunswick, New Jersey wasn’t easy for Tim. His family had little money to pay for his education and shoveled together the rest of their extra money for his soccer. To make it worse Tim found out that he has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Tourrete’s, which are both disorders that cause focus issues. Tim speaks a lot on his struggles and how he overcame obstacles in life with these problems. From a small town in New Jersey to the world’s largest stage in sports, Tim Howard overcame it all. He talks about his defining games and moments that made him and how he got to play with amazing players from around the world. His story is truly one of strength and courage.
I loved reading this biography. As a goalkeeper myself at the age of 16 I felt that I could relate to Tim on a very personal level. From how taxing it is to playing goalkeeper to how amazing it feels to be the hero in a game, I felt it all. I loved how he shared his feelings, they added a lot to the story and just how great he makes his thrilling life seem. I loved the way he described how when he entered the field and got into game mode, all of his problems melted away and he could just focus on the game. I feel the exact same way every time I walk onto the field and put on my gloves. I would recommend this book to anybody who may need a boost of confidence and some encouragement. Tim Howard’s story of perseverance and determination is one that you should not miss.
I loved reading this biography. As a goalkeeper myself at the age of 16 I felt that I could relate to Tim on a very personal level. From how taxing it is to playing goalkeeper to how amazing it feels to be the hero in a game, I felt it all. I loved how he shared his feelings, they added a lot to the story and just how great he makes his thrilling life seem. I loved the way he described how when he entered the field and got into game mode, all of his problems melted away and he could just focus on the game. I feel the exact same way every time I walk onto the field and put on my gloves. I would recommend this book to anybody who may need a boost of confidence and some encouragement. Tim Howard’s story of perseverance and determination is one that you should not miss.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2022
I like this book because im a soccer fan and he played for the club I sopport. I think it was nice to see the struggles he went through growing up. I also like how he described every moment in the games he played, it makes you feel like you are in his spot.
There was not a whole lot to not like about this book since it is a biography. I think there could have been more about his carrer in the premier leaugue.
I would reccomend this book to anyone whon likes soccer and/or wants to get into it. It shows a great perspective of a GK and has a great story.
There was not a whole lot to not like about this book since it is a biography. I think there could have been more about his carrer in the premier leaugue.
I would reccomend this book to anyone whon likes soccer and/or wants to get into it. It shows a great perspective of a GK and has a great story.
December 15, 2018
Audiobook: I listened to this after my 10 yr old son loved it and asked me to read it. Tim, you’re an inspiration to our soccer youth! We hope to meet you this season! Thanks for sharing your story. A true role model. There’s a Howard jersey under the tree for my son this year!
May 24, 2023
What a good book! A beautiful story that shows people with disabilities or not can succeed and prosper. It shows an aspect that we usually never see, how TS had played such a heavy role on his job as a goalkeeper and further his life professionally and personally. It truly is an inspirational book about his journey into becoming a national hero for the United States in soccer, how TS blocked him and how he was able to climb over his obstacles and inspire others to do the same. Really well written and easy to digest, the highs and the lows, the problems and his solutions. Definitely recommend.
February 17, 2021
Tim Howard’s story is inspirational!
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September 25, 2020Have you ever read a book so fascinating it felt impossible to put it down? Tim Howard’s autobiography, “The Keeper”, talks about his life as a professional soccer player on and off the pitch which was an enthralling read from start to finish. Howard goes in depth about how he began his soccer career on a lower level team in New Jersey, called the MetroStars. From there, he was scouted by one of the best teams in the world: Manchester United. He earned a high salary and got to play with some of the all-time greats. Just a couple weeks in, Tim Howard was named the starting goalkeeper but, one bad game cost him his starting spot and resulted with him getting benched. He realized that his talents were being wasted sitting on the bench and asked to be transferred to Everton where he spent the remainder of his career. Howard was also the starting goalkeeper for the United States National team eventually traveling to two World Cups. I would highly recommend this autobiography because the captivation made me feel as though I was right in the stadium listening to the roars of the fans cheering him on. In addition, Tim Howard faced the challenges of having OCD and Tourette's Syndrome which has created an inspiring atmosphere around his professional career. Howard’s story is riveting right from the first word where he carried on to write an extraordinary piece of literature.
In Tim Howard's thrilling and intriguing writing, he included the obstacles he overcame throughout his childhood and career making his story different and unique compared to other professional athletes. He explained in meticulous detail his life ranging from where he grew up to off-field deeds such as helping the New Jersey Center for Tourette’s Syndrome. As someone with this diagnosis Tim Howard spoke to young children who had the same disorder and shared his story. For instance, Howard states, ”When I tried to hide my tics, I wasn’t able to focus on anything going on in the classroom. I’d had a choice: tic, and learn, or hide tics, and learn nothing. I’d chosen to hide them, and I’d learned almost nothing.” He wanted them to choose a different path and explained not to make the same mistakes he did as a child: hiding and feeling embarrassed everytime he had a “touch” or tic. He told them to embrace it rather than hide it. Howard also faced difficulties during his time as a soccer player. For example, he notes, ”I had been playing high-intensity soccer for fourteen months straight. I’d gone from the MLS preseason in January straight into the Premier League season.” This meant he had to train nonstop because there was no break from when he left the MetroStars to when he joined Manchester United. Most people only know him for his soccer career, but in his autobiography I was able to discover the other half of the incredible Tim Howard.
Tim Howard wrote his autobiography chronologically to showcase his life’s story. He began recalling his childhood in North Brunswick, New Jersey, where he developed a passion for soccer. His closing remarks explained that he is currently a soccer broadcaster on NBC’s weekly coverage of the English Premier League. Howard made sure to include all of the important moments on the field as well as off the field. A prime example of a moment on the field in the text is, ”I had to extend my body fully, reach toward it with everything I had. But before I made contact with the ball, I knew: I had this one. I forced It wide, knocked the ball to safety. Instantly, half of the stadium- the roughly 30,000 fans in Manchester United shirts- sprang to their feet. They cheered wildly; we’d won. We'd won on penalty kicks.” This captures a huge moment in Tim Howard's career when he won the Community Shield in August, 2003 for Manchester United, saving the last penalty to do so. An important instance off the field for Howard was, ”The best day of my life? Not even a question: September 5, 2005. That’s when I became a father. Sweet Jacob, my son was born in a hospital in Manchester.” He describes the birth of his first child which was a milestone in his life. Tim Howard decided to tell his magnificent story in a sequence of events ensuring that his audience understands how he started and how he ended.
Throughout my time reading Tim Howard's autobiography, I stumbled upon new facts and areas about him that were revealed in his writing. For instance, he mentions that in the 2014 World Cup he set a record for the most amount of saves made in a single game, completing 16. He recalled, ”So much has been said about the Belgium game. Every minute of play has been discussed and dissected. All 16 saves I made have been analyzed and evaluated again and again. The voices of fans shouting it was the game of my life playing over and over in my head. But was it?” He never believed it was the “game of his life” because they lost 2-1 to Belgium and were knocked out of the tournament. Though he made a record amount of saves the loss was the only aspect of the game that stuck with him. Another piece of his life that was uncovered was that before Howard, along with the United States national team, headed to South Africa to play in the World Cup, President Barack Obama told them to make a quick stop at the White House. Howard recalls in awe, “I was standing in the West Wing of the White House. Everything around me was exactly like I’d seen it a hundred times before. I’d seen this setting in movies and on television. But now it felt like I'd unzipped a television screen and walked right onto set.” This was a surreal feeling for Howard as this was something he never thought he would do. Obama gave the team a tour of the White House and told them, “I just wanted to say how incredibly proud we are of the team. We are incredibly proud of what you’ve done already, and we are going to be proud of what you do when you get to South Africa.” Coming from The President of The United States, this praise meant the world to Howard, as he even mentions, ”My thoughts were broken by President Obama.” Not only was this a confidence booster for the team, but it was an unparalleled lift for Howard to come to D.C as an honored guest of the White House. From reading Tim Howard’s autobiography, I have come to know more about him as a player and as a person.
The manner in which Tim Howard phenomenally captures his life’s story in his autobiography, ranging from adolescence to post-retirement, showcases his ability to entice the reader along the path of his career. His diagnosis of Tourette’s Syndrome from a young age was not easy to cope with but in his writing he demonstrates how he overcame that struggle and emerged into one of the all-time greats in soccer. I have never been interested in autobiographies, but Tim Howard’s one-of-a-kind story has sparked my curiosity to explore other professional sports players in terms of their paths from childhood to present day.
In Tim Howard's thrilling and intriguing writing, he included the obstacles he overcame throughout his childhood and career making his story different and unique compared to other professional athletes. He explained in meticulous detail his life ranging from where he grew up to off-field deeds such as helping the New Jersey Center for Tourette’s Syndrome. As someone with this diagnosis Tim Howard spoke to young children who had the same disorder and shared his story. For instance, Howard states, ”When I tried to hide my tics, I wasn’t able to focus on anything going on in the classroom. I’d had a choice: tic, and learn, or hide tics, and learn nothing. I’d chosen to hide them, and I’d learned almost nothing.” He wanted them to choose a different path and explained not to make the same mistakes he did as a child: hiding and feeling embarrassed everytime he had a “touch” or tic. He told them to embrace it rather than hide it. Howard also faced difficulties during his time as a soccer player. For example, he notes, ”I had been playing high-intensity soccer for fourteen months straight. I’d gone from the MLS preseason in January straight into the Premier League season.” This meant he had to train nonstop because there was no break from when he left the MetroStars to when he joined Manchester United. Most people only know him for his soccer career, but in his autobiography I was able to discover the other half of the incredible Tim Howard.
Tim Howard wrote his autobiography chronologically to showcase his life’s story. He began recalling his childhood in North Brunswick, New Jersey, where he developed a passion for soccer. His closing remarks explained that he is currently a soccer broadcaster on NBC’s weekly coverage of the English Premier League. Howard made sure to include all of the important moments on the field as well as off the field. A prime example of a moment on the field in the text is, ”I had to extend my body fully, reach toward it with everything I had. But before I made contact with the ball, I knew: I had this one. I forced It wide, knocked the ball to safety. Instantly, half of the stadium- the roughly 30,000 fans in Manchester United shirts- sprang to their feet. They cheered wildly; we’d won. We'd won on penalty kicks.” This captures a huge moment in Tim Howard's career when he won the Community Shield in August, 2003 for Manchester United, saving the last penalty to do so. An important instance off the field for Howard was, ”The best day of my life? Not even a question: September 5, 2005. That’s when I became a father. Sweet Jacob, my son was born in a hospital in Manchester.” He describes the birth of his first child which was a milestone in his life. Tim Howard decided to tell his magnificent story in a sequence of events ensuring that his audience understands how he started and how he ended.
Throughout my time reading Tim Howard's autobiography, I stumbled upon new facts and areas about him that were revealed in his writing. For instance, he mentions that in the 2014 World Cup he set a record for the most amount of saves made in a single game, completing 16. He recalled, ”So much has been said about the Belgium game. Every minute of play has been discussed and dissected. All 16 saves I made have been analyzed and evaluated again and again. The voices of fans shouting it was the game of my life playing over and over in my head. But was it?” He never believed it was the “game of his life” because they lost 2-1 to Belgium and were knocked out of the tournament. Though he made a record amount of saves the loss was the only aspect of the game that stuck with him. Another piece of his life that was uncovered was that before Howard, along with the United States national team, headed to South Africa to play in the World Cup, President Barack Obama told them to make a quick stop at the White House. Howard recalls in awe, “I was standing in the West Wing of the White House. Everything around me was exactly like I’d seen it a hundred times before. I’d seen this setting in movies and on television. But now it felt like I'd unzipped a television screen and walked right onto set.” This was a surreal feeling for Howard as this was something he never thought he would do. Obama gave the team a tour of the White House and told them, “I just wanted to say how incredibly proud we are of the team. We are incredibly proud of what you’ve done already, and we are going to be proud of what you do when you get to South Africa.” Coming from The President of The United States, this praise meant the world to Howard, as he even mentions, ”My thoughts were broken by President Obama.” Not only was this a confidence booster for the team, but it was an unparalleled lift for Howard to come to D.C as an honored guest of the White House. From reading Tim Howard’s autobiography, I have come to know more about him as a player and as a person.
The manner in which Tim Howard phenomenally captures his life’s story in his autobiography, ranging from adolescence to post-retirement, showcases his ability to entice the reader along the path of his career. His diagnosis of Tourette’s Syndrome from a young age was not easy to cope with but in his writing he demonstrates how he overcame that struggle and emerged into one of the all-time greats in soccer. I have never been interested in autobiographies, but Tim Howard’s one-of-a-kind story has sparked my curiosity to explore other professional sports players in terms of their paths from childhood to present day.
March 20, 2019
I loved reading this book because in a way it's sort of an underdog story from someone having Tourette Syndrome. Reading this would make you wonder how life would play out because for Tim’s coach was scouted to be coach of a professional team. This would later turn to him being a professional athlete that was heading to be a hall of famer. Reading about his ups and downs really makes the reader wants to read more. He doesn’t really into full detained of his childhood and why he decides to play soccer other than basketball. That’s one thing I didn’t enjoyed reading because he just skips to playing soccer to being professional soccer.
December 15, 2014
Absolutely fantastic book! I bought the young readers edition for my 13 year old. She read it in one evening. Then I did the same. If you have watched Tim play, you likely have a great respect for him as a keeper. I didn't really know much about him until the 2014 World Cup, but he is now among my favorite players. It was interesting to hear about his life. The highs and the lows that have made him who he is today. This is a must read for any soccer fan. I think I will also read the regular edition of his book.
August 7, 2015
I read this aloud to my son and we both loved it. Granted, we both enjoy soccer and were familiar with many of the teams, leagues, and games Howard describes, but I underestimated how exciting it would be to revisit them (the games especially). I was also surprised by how moved I was when Howard shared how difficult it was/is for him to be separated from his children. I can't imagine.
There's much to be inspired by here -- hard work, perseverance, humility, and Howard's struggle with Tourette's syndrome. A really enjoyable read.
There's much to be inspired by here -- hard work, perseverance, humility, and Howard's struggle with Tourette's syndrome. A really enjoyable read.
October 19, 2015
The Keeper (the unguarded story of Tim Howard) is an amazing book. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it. It is very inspirational and shows how he fights. It was a great book and I hope you read it!
March 30, 2015
I think it was an inspiering story about soccer and I hope you will read it
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September 14, 2015I think this book is very good for many things. One reason y is because it has reasons to try your hardest because you could succeed in many things like Tim Howard.
September 24, 2015
I think that this book is very inspiring to me. I love to play soccer like Tim Howard does.
December 12, 2017
Goodreads Review, By Noah Levine
The Keeper The Unguarded Story Of Tim Howard, by Ali Benjamin has a theme of you can accomplish anything with hard work. I think this because in the story, Tim Howard starts out as a little boy in a poor family but since he worked and achieved his goals and did not give up, he succeeded and became wealthy. I think the author would want us to get the idea of that we can succeed like Tim Howard did because the book was all about Tim Howard accomplishing his goals. This compares to the real world because if someone follows their goals and they work hard, they can accomplish anything and the book did a good job explaining that for Tim Howard.
This book is about Tim Howard following his dreams of being a famous soccer player but to become that, he has to overcome some obstacles. The genre is non-fiction because this book is biography about Tim Howard. The setting occurs in his house and the fields he plays soccer on like his club, college and professional fields. The action occurred on page 157, chapter 16 when Tim Howard played great in his first professional soccer game. I think the author does not do a good job of making me feel like I am there because he doesn’t use much detail and everything is about Tim Howard. The main characters are believable because this book is nonfiction and all about real characters like Tim Howard because it is a biography on him.
The books strengths were the detail on Tim Howard's journey in his goal to becoming a professional soccer player. The weaknesses of this book were the transitions and adding detail during the transitions like when he is at soccer practice and the next page or chapter he is at his house or college. He should add his setting between his transitions and more detail. In the book he was at his house and the next page he was at one of his soccer games. I like the vocabulary the author uses to describe Tim Howard’s journey to becoming a famous soccer player. For example on page 80 it states, “I became the starting goalkeeper for the MetroStars.” This shows that he is getting better and he got his first start.
I would recommend this book because it has great detail and it was well written. I would recommend this book to people who like soccer and books that like books that have a journey to becoming what the character wanted to be because that is what this book is all about.
The Keeper The Unguarded Story Of Tim Howard, by Ali Benjamin has a theme of you can accomplish anything with hard work. I think this because in the story, Tim Howard starts out as a little boy in a poor family but since he worked and achieved his goals and did not give up, he succeeded and became wealthy. I think the author would want us to get the idea of that we can succeed like Tim Howard did because the book was all about Tim Howard accomplishing his goals. This compares to the real world because if someone follows their goals and they work hard, they can accomplish anything and the book did a good job explaining that for Tim Howard.
This book is about Tim Howard following his dreams of being a famous soccer player but to become that, he has to overcome some obstacles. The genre is non-fiction because this book is biography about Tim Howard. The setting occurs in his house and the fields he plays soccer on like his club, college and professional fields. The action occurred on page 157, chapter 16 when Tim Howard played great in his first professional soccer game. I think the author does not do a good job of making me feel like I am there because he doesn’t use much detail and everything is about Tim Howard. The main characters are believable because this book is nonfiction and all about real characters like Tim Howard because it is a biography on him.
The books strengths were the detail on Tim Howard's journey in his goal to becoming a professional soccer player. The weaknesses of this book were the transitions and adding detail during the transitions like when he is at soccer practice and the next page or chapter he is at his house or college. He should add his setting between his transitions and more detail. In the book he was at his house and the next page he was at one of his soccer games. I like the vocabulary the author uses to describe Tim Howard’s journey to becoming a famous soccer player. For example on page 80 it states, “I became the starting goalkeeper for the MetroStars.” This shows that he is getting better and he got his first start.
I would recommend this book because it has great detail and it was well written. I would recommend this book to people who like soccer and books that like books that have a journey to becoming what the character wanted to be because that is what this book is all about.
February 24, 2022
I didn't rate this super high, but I love hearing about the stories of a goalkeeper that was my hero. I remember the first professional soccer game I ever attended was an MLS All-Star game in Memphis when I was a kid. It was the first time I saw Tim Howard in goal. He was incredible and I wanted to play goalkeeper like him. I followed him through his career, but not religiously. Soccer was hard to follow and I loved basketball and football too. But those USA matches and seeing him play in the Premier League--he was part of the boundary-breaking generation for US soccer. I never knew that he struggled with TS his entire career. Howard dealt with it well and has done much for children struggling with TS. And I loved hearing the stories of the iconic games. The national team games I was familiar with, but the Premier League games were just as exciting. Super fun to read about his career!
November 29, 2018
The book I read was “Tim Howard”. It is an autobiography written about his life and his struggles.
Tim Howard was born with a rare disorder called “Tourette Syndrome” It’s a disorder that causes uncontrollable “tics”. He goes through life playing soccer when he gets an opportunity to play for great teams. His life is filled with troubles ,but he powers through with the support with his mother and brother.
I recommend this book to people that love playing soccer or need an extra push in whatever they do. This story helped me through my life as a goalkeeper who also has a bad habit of having a tic. This story is very inspiring and is a great story for readers that love a great story. I rate this book a 5 star.
Tim Howard was born with a rare disorder called “Tourette Syndrome” It’s a disorder that causes uncontrollable “tics”. He goes through life playing soccer when he gets an opportunity to play for great teams. His life is filled with troubles ,but he powers through with the support with his mother and brother.
I recommend this book to people that love playing soccer or need an extra push in whatever they do. This story helped me through my life as a goalkeeper who also has a bad habit of having a tic. This story is very inspiring and is a great story for readers that love a great story. I rate this book a 5 star.
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February 28, 2020The Keeper the unguarded story of Tim Howard was an amazing book. It was an auto-biography that explained how tim howard grew up to become a professional goalkeeper. Tim Howard didn't grow up with a lot of money. He lived in an apartment with his older brother and his mom. He got a love for soccer early on. Soon he finds out that he has severe OCD. The book shows how he persevered through to become the goalkeeper for the USA. I give the book a 5/5 because it was inspirational while being intriguing to see what happened next in his life. The theme of the book is don't let anything stop you from what you want.
August 28, 2020
This is an inspirational story for young people with TE or a love of soccer or someone who wants to be successful. I read (can’t say I actually learned) a lot about national/international soccer, “football,” and all the work/dedication the players invest in their success. Included is Howard’s affliction with Tourette Syndrome, and how he defied the odds to become one of the world’s premier goalkeepers.
October 16, 2017
This book is a great autobiography about soccer player Tim Howard. He does a great job of including facts about himself and opinions. In this book it tells about himself and how he became a goalie. The book is a great way to learn about Tim Howard and soccer. It teaches you how to never give up and always chase your dreams.
October 15, 2018
I liked the book a lot actually because Iv'e always liked Tim Howard as keeper, but I didn't know this much about him. I learned a lot from the book, but I also felt like I was watching the game that he described. I think he did a good job at telling what he was feeling without his kids and all the grinding and trips.
February 10, 2019
Great story following the ups and downs of his life. Discussion around the many sacrifices, challenges and impact on him when he playing professional soccer. A solid read for middle school grades learning about different styles of learning and benefits of a life long mentor. Tim did a great job acknowledging the many suppo6both personally and professionally throughout his life.
January 14, 2020
This book really realatable to me because Im also a keeper myself and the book really talks about things that a keeper would deal with. This book is greatly made and Im very happy with it. I wish every keeper should read this book. Its written at a great pace for his life and I love this personal narrative very much. I greatly recomend it
September 15, 2019
As a child, I've always wanted to be a soccer player. So I thought this book would be interesting to read. I always thought the road to this goal would be easy. I never thought about hard work or the comitment that had to go into the process. This book thought me about that. Tim Howard was a U.S. soccer legend. The best Goalkeeper in U.S. soccer history. This book talked about his journey to where he is now. So this book really helped me understand the definition of hard work.
November 4, 2021
it was great lots of action. lot of soccer and intense detailed games. it really had a lot of soccer and impressed me how much detail they talked about becuase he talked about ho he thought and read how the ball moved. overall the book is great.
October 13, 2017
I really enjoyed the book mostly because I love soccer. If you like soccer and learning about soccer players in the major league you should like this book.
October 25, 2017
This was an amazing book, it highlights the idea that you can do anything if you just put your mind to it.
October 27, 2017
This book was great and I would highly recommend it to others; even if you don’t like soccer. It’s sad, happy, funny and cute!
November 12, 2018
I think it was a great story about somebody’s journey to becoming a great goalkeeper for Everton and USA and he is a inspiration for everyone especially someone who has Tourette’s syndrome.
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