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'Landon Timothy Donovan ' (born March 4, 1982 in Ontario, California), is an American professional soccer player on the Los Angeles Galaxy, who is the co-all-time leading scorer for the U.S. National Team (along with Eric Wynalda).[1]
| Contents |
| Biography |
| Post World Cup 2006 |
| Personal life |
| International Goals |
| Honors |
| Major League Soccer |
| San Jose Earthquakes |
| Los Angeles Galaxy |
| United States |
| See also |
| References |
| External links |
Biography
Landon is the son of Timothy Donovan, and Donna Kenney Cash. Donovan grew up in Redlands, California, and attended Redlands East Valley High School. Landon signed a professional contract with Bayer Leverkusen, but not before playing in a youth club with 4 of his current U.S teamates including Oguchi Onyewu and Bobby Convey.
Landon could not break into the first team and, unhappy with his situation in Germany, was loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes, playing in Major League Soccer, for the 2001 season. In MLS, Donovan had immediate success, leading the Earthquakes to MLS Cup championships in 2001 and 2003 and becoming one of the most recognizable faces of soccer in America.[2] In four years in the league, he scored 32 goals and 29 assists in league play, and 10 goals and six assists in the playoffs. Donovan was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 2003.[3]
After starring in the 2000 Summer Olympics, he earned his first cap for the U.S. National Team on October 25, 2000 against Mexico, scoring on his debut. He was an asset to the United States' run to the quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, scoring two goals. Through the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he has amassed 88 caps for the US, scoring 30 goals, including a rare four-goal game against Cuba in 2003. On April 11, 2006, Landon became the United States' all-time assist leader with 23 when he set up Ben Olsen. The previous all-time assist leader was Cobi Jones.[4]
Landon wore both numbers 21 and 10 on the national team, the latter when Claudio Reyna was unavailable, Since Reyna's retirement from the national team, Donovan now wears the number 10 full-time.
On June 3, 2004, Bayer Leverkusen announced that Donovan would return to the club in 2005, and Landon followed suit, announcing his return to Germany on November 23, 2004. He then became the first man to be named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year two years in a row, taking the award for that year.
After several games at Leverkusen, with Donovan only garnering two starts, Landon stated his intentions to come back to MLS, and club officials respected his wishes. However, because the Galaxy had traded leading scorer Carlos Ruiz, a striker, to FC Dallas to get on top of the allocation pecking order one week before the season started, a return to San Jose was not possible.[5]
In his first season with the Galaxy, Donovan scored 12 league goals and 10 assists and added four goals and an assist in the playoffs as the Galaxy won the MLS Cup (his third MLS championship to date). He was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI after the season.[6] In his second season with the Galaxy, Donovan scored 12 league goals and 8 assists. Donovan also scored 3 goals in the Open Cup. Despite this, Landon and the Galaxy failed to make the playoffs and lost in the Open Cup to Chicago Fire. Donovan's playoff goals make him MLS' 2nd all-time leading scorer in the playoffs with 14, behind Carlos Ruiz with 15.[7]
Many soccer critics have criticized Donovan for returning to MLS, as he is perceived to be not up to the rigors of European soccer.[8] Many also criticized Landon for his poor performance on the US national team at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.[9]
Post World Cup 2006
When Donovan returned to the Galaxy after the 2006 World Cup, new head coach Frank Yallop named him captain of the team, taking over for Peter Vagenas, who is still active with the Galaxy.
Since the 2006 World Cup he has been outstanding with the national team. So far in 2007, Donovan has scored nine goals, including the United States' second goal in their 2-0 victory over Mexico, a hat trick in a 3-1 win over Ecuador, and a penalty kick goal against Mexico in the 2-1 win in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, tying Eric Wynalda for the national team's all-time goal scoring record with 34 goals.
After much deliberation, Donovan was not selected for the 2007 Copa America roster for undisclosed reasons, though Galaxy coach Frank Yallop and General Manager Alexi Lalas had expressed the mutual desire for Donovan to be with the struggling Galaxy for the arrival of David Beckham.
Personal life
Landon married Bianca Kajlich on December 31, 2006.
International Goals
Honors
Major League Soccer
★ 'MLS All-Time Best XI': 2005
San Jose Earthquakes
★ 'MLS Cup' (2): 2001, 2003
Los Angeles Galaxy
★ 'MLS Cup' (1): 2005
★ 'Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup' (1): 2005
United States
★ 'CONCACAF Gold Cup' (3): 2002, 2005, 2007
★ 'U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year' (2): 2003, 2004
See also
★ List of current MLS players
References
1. USA Continues Domination with 2-1 Victory Over Mexico to Lift Fourth Overall CONCACAF Gold Cup Trophy
2. Los Angeles Galaxy mini bios
3. U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
4. Donovan becomes leader in career assists in 1-1 draw with Jamaica
5. Galaxy trade Ruiz to Dallas, Donovan returning to L.A.?
6. MLS All-Time Best XI team unveiled
7. Landon Donovan
8. http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060525/7/6wlp.html
9. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/lopez/3967356.html
External links
★ Landon Donovan's U.S. Olympic Team profile
★ Leverkusen Who's who
★ Landon Donovan articles on Yanks Abroad
★ RSSSF Archive
★ Landon Donovan on lagalaxy.tv
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