Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan is a prominent figure in American soccer, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Born on March 4, 1982, in Ontario, California, he displayed exceptional talent from a young age, quickly becoming a star in high school soccer. Donovan's career took off when he signed with Bayer Leverkusen at just 17, although he found greater success upon returning to Major League Soccer (MLS), where he played for clubs like the San Jose Earthquakes and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He is well-known for his tenure with the U.S. Men's National Team, becoming the all-time leading scorer and a key player in multiple World Cup appearances.
Throughout his career, Donovan earned numerous accolades, including six MLS Cup championships and several player-of-the-year awards. His impact on the sport was recognized in 2015 when the MLS renamed its annual best player award in his honor. Beyond his playing days, Donovan has taken on various roles, including coaching and sports commentary, and co-founding the San Diego Loyal. His legacy in American soccer is marked by his skill, leadership, and contributions to the growth of the sport.
Landon Donovan
Soccer Player
- Born: March 4, 1982
- Place of Birth: Ontario, California
SPORT: Soccer
Early Life
Landon Donovan was born in Ontario, California, on March 4, 1982. He and his twin sister, Tristan, and older brother, Josh, were raised by their single mother, Donna, in Redlands, California. As a struggling single-parent family, the Donovans often felt ostracized. Donovan’s older brother taught Donovan the basics of soccer. When Donovan was five years old, he played in his first organized game in a league with six- and seven-year-olds. He scored seven goals.
![Landon Donovan 2004 MLS All-Star. Landon Donovan, then of San Jose Earthquakes, at the 2004 Major League Soccer All-Star game. By Sgt. Lorie Jewell/United States Army (United States Army via archive.org) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons 89405092-114022.jpg](https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/embimages/ers/sp/embedded/89405092-114022.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNHX8kSepq84xNvgOLCmsE2epq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS)
![WikiLando. Landon Donovan in 2010. By Regular Daddy (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons 89405092-114021.jpg](https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/embimages/ers/sp/embedded/89405092-114021.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNHX8kSepq84xNvgOLCmsE2epq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS)
The Road to Excellence
By the time Donovan was a freshman in high school, he had become a star. During that first high school season, Donovan was named the league's most valuable player. As a sophomore, Donovan transferred high schools and played in only ten games. He scored 16 goals and had 12 assists. In 1997, he also began playing for the U.S. national under-seventeen team. During his first season of international competition, Donovan was the team’s leader in both goals, with 23, and assists, with 13. He was named an all-American by the National Soccer Coaches of America.
While he could not devote himself to his high school team as a sophomore, Donovan still managed to score 15 goals and rack up 19 assists in a short season. Following the season, he was named to the 1999 Parade magazine high school all-American team. As Donovan continued his exploits on the international level, many hailed him as the best prospect in the history of American soccer. With lofty expectations, Donovan was soon approached by international teams. In 1998, the German squad Bayer Leverkusen began courting Donovan. The change would be enormous, but Donovan and his father, who had recently reentered his life, both felt that playing in Europe was best for Donovan's development.
The Emerging Champion
In the spring of 1999, Donovan left the United States to play for Bayer Leverkusen. The team signed the seventeen-year-old to a four-year contract worth $400,000. Then, Donovan signed a more lucrative deal with Nike. Though Donovan learned much about the technical aspects of soccer, he was not happy in Germany. In 2001, he was loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer (MLS) and returned to the United States. In his first season in MLS, Donovan led the Earthquakes to the MLS Championship. He played four seasons in MLS and was named U.S. soccer athlete of the year in 2003. Then, in 2004, Donovan returned to Germany a more accomplished and confident player.
Donovan's second stay in Germany did not turn out much better than his first. He did not receive many starts and soon desired to return to the United States. This time, Donovan returned home to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy. In 2007, he was teamed with international superstar David Beckham. After that, the two formed a potent offensive duo. In 2008, the Galaxy lent Donovan to Bayern Munich.
While Donovan accomplished much in MLS, he might best known for his play for the U.S. national team. He was named Best Young Player for the 2002 World Cup. After his performance at the prestigious event, many predicted an even better showing for the U.S. team in the 2006 World Cup. However, the Americans did not advance from group competition, and Donovan took much of the blame. Nonetheless, Donovan is considered among the greatest all-time American soccer players.
Continuing the Story
Donovan played in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. At that time, Donovan was twenty-eight and in the prime of his career. The 2010 US team won its World Cup group, the first time that had happened since 1930. However, the team was defeated by Ghana in the round after group play. Nonetheless, Donovan scored a goal, becoming only the third U.S. player ever to score goals in multiple World Cups. Controversially, Donovan was left off the US World Cup team in 2014.
As a member of the Galaxy, Donovan continued to excite his hometown crowd. In the latter part of his Galaxy career, he led the team to three more championships, including consecutive ones in 2011 and 2012. During the 2014 campaign, he announced that he would retire at the end of the season. The team won another MLS championship, and Donovan retired as the all-time leading scorer in MLS history, with 144 goals.
Personal Life
Donovan was first married in 2006 to actress Bianca Kajlich. The couple divorced in 2010, and Donovan married again in 2015. He and his wife, Hannah Bartell, had one son, Talon, in 2016. Once he began playing for the Galaxy, he moved to Manhattan Beach, California.
Though he was left off the World Cup roster in 2014, Donovan became an analyst for ESPN/ABC. He has also commentated for Fox Sports and was a play-by-play analyst during the 2022 World Cup and for Euro 2024. In 2020, Donovan co-founded the San Diego Loyal, an expansion team of USL Championship. However, the team was never able to find a home venue and shut down after the 2023 season. During this time, in 2021, Donovan also became a Strategic Advisor for the Lincoln City Football Club. In 2024, Donovan was named interim head coach of the San Diego Wave FC.
Donovan has also had many endorsement deals throughout his career. Most notably, he was featured on the video game covers for U.S. FIFA Football 2003, FIFA 07, FIFA 11, and FIFA 12.
Summary
Landon Donovan is the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. men’s national soccer team. In addition to his six MLS Championship Cups and numerous player-of-the-year awards, Donovan became the national team’s leader in both all-time goals and assists. From his hometown of Redlands, California, he became a nationally recognized player in high school. Afterward, he played in Europe to hone his skills. However, he did not become a dominant player until he returned to the United States to play in MLS. Many consider Donovan to be the best soccer player in both MLS and US history. Highlighting Donovan's contribution to American soccer, in 2015, the MLS renamed its annual award for best player in the league the Landon Donovan MVP Award.
Bibliography
Buckley, James. Landon Donovan. Chanhassen: Child’s World, 2007. Print.
“Donovan Returns to MLS to Play for Galaxy.” USA Today 31 Mar. 2005. Print.
Gulati, Sunil, et al. One Hundred Years of Soccer in America: The Official Book of the US Soccer Federation. New York: Universe, 2013. Print.
“Landon Donovan.” Major League Soccer, www.mlssoccer.com/players/landon-donovan/. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Murcia, Rebecca Thatcher. Landon Donovan: World Class Soccer Star. Hockessin: Mitchell Lane, 2005. Print.
Omuya, Kevin. “Find Here Landon Donovan's Net Worth, Biography and All Other Details.” Sports Brief, 15 Jan. 2024, sportsbrief.com/football/55849-delve-landon-donovans-net-worth-biography-details/. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
"San Diego Wave FC Names Landon Donovan Interim Head Coach." San Diego Wave, 2024, sandiegowavefc.com/san-diego-wave-fc-names-landon-donovan-interim-head-coach/. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Serrano, Adam. "After a Legendary Career, Los Angeles Sports Icon Landon Donovan Has Found Peace in the City of Angels. LAGalaxy.com. MLS, 5 Mar. 2016. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
“US World Cup Hopes Lie at Donovan’s Talented Feet.” New York Times 13 May 2006. Print.