Landon Donovan vs. Clint Dempsey
LA Galaxy legend and all-time MLS assists leader.
Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player and coach who played as a winger or forward. He most recently was the interim head coach of San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Widely regarded as one of the greatest American players in history and as the greatest U.S. men's national team player of all time, Donovan was the all-time top assist provider in international football (58) until 2023 and is tied with Clint Dempsey for the most international goals scored by a male U.S. player (57). Donovan won a record six MLS Cups and is the league's all-time assists leader with 136. The Major League Soccer MVP Award has been renamed the Landon Donovan MVP Award in his honor.
Quick Facts
- Landon donovan affiliation
- LA Galaxy (Primary Club)
- Clint dempsey affiliation
- New England Revolution & Seattle Sounders FC
- Shared honor
- 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions
- Donovan record status
- MLS All-Time Leading Scorer and Assister
- Dempsey league title
- U.S. Open Cup Champion (Seattle Sounders FC)
- Relationship dynamic
- Teammates internationally, rivals domestically
Lore & Background
An early soccer product of IMG Academy, Donovan signed for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in 1999, though the majority of his club time was spent on loan with the San Jose Earthquakes of MLS, winning the MLS Cup in 2001 and 2003. In 2005, Donovan moved back to the United States permanently to sign with the Los Angeles Galaxy, winning the MLS Cup in 2005 and the MLS Golden Boot in 2008. In 2009, he returned to Germany for a loan with league champions Bayern Munich, and twice went on short loans to Premier League club Everton in 2010 and 2012, winning his fourth MLS Cup between the loans in 2011. He returned to LA Galaxy and won the MLS Cup twice more in 2012 and 2014. He retired as a player in 2014, but made a brief comeback with Galaxy late in the 2016 season and then in 2018 to play for Mexican club León. He further played one season with the San Diego Sockers of the Major Arena Soccer League.
Reader's Guide
Donovan represented his country in several youth levels; winning the Golden Ball of the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He made his senior debut for the United States national team in 2000. He is the all-time leader in assists, tied with Clint Dempsey as the all-time leader in scoring, and is the second-most capped player of his country (157). He is the only American player to reach the 50 goals/50 assists mark. He starred in the U.S. team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup where he received the FIFA Best Young Player Award, becoming the first and only North American (CONCACAF) recipient, and was named to the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team as a reserve. He is the highest-scoring American player in World Cup history (5), scoring in the 2002 and 2010 editions. Donovan was runner-up of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and scored in the final. He won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2002, 2005, 2007, and 2013; winning the MVP award of the 2013 edition and the Golden Boot award of the 2003, 2005, and 2013 editions. Individually, he is tied for the record of four U.S. Soccer Player of the Year awards with Christian Pulisic, and is the only seven-time winner of the Fútbol de Primera Player of the Year award. Donovan was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2023.
Did You Know?
- Donovan was born with twin sister Tristan on March 4, 1982, in Ontario, California.
- He holds Canadian citizenship through his father, who was a semi-professional ice hockey player from Canada.
- Donovan scored seven goals in his first organized soccer match at age six.
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