Landon Donovan Totally Explained

Everything about Landon Donovan totally explained

| cityofbirth = Redlands, California | countryofbirth = USA | height = | currentclub = Los Angeles Galaxy | clubnumber = 10 | position = Second Striker / Attacking Midfielder / Winger | youthyears = 1999-2001 | youthclubs = Bayer Leverkusen | years = 1999-2005
2001-2004
2005- | clubs = Bayer Leverkusen
→ San Jose Earthquakes (loan)
Los Angeles Galaxy | caps(goals) = Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982 in Redlands, California), is an American professional soccer player on the Los Angeles Galaxy, who is the all-time leading scorer for the United States men's national soccer team. He is the only four-time winner of the Honda Player of the Year award.

Early Life/Career

Landon, 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 the U.S. Soccer Residency program at Bradenton with four of his current U.S teamates including Oguchi Onyewu, DaMarcus Beasley and Bobby Convey.

San Jose Earthquakes

He was 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. 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.

Bayer Leverkusen

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,

Los Angeles Galaxy

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. 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, Donovan 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. On April 26, 2008, Donovan scored his second career MLS hat trick, giving him 72 all time regular season goals. This put him tenth on the league's all time scoring list.
Donovan has been in excellent form in the opening weeks of the 2008 season with the Galaxy, scoring 9 goals in the first 9 games of the season, forming a deadly offensive partnership with David Beckham.

International Career

Donovan was a member of the inaugural class at the national soccer academy in Bradenton, Florida and is, along with DaMarcus Beasley, considered the program's most successful graduate. He won the Golden Ball at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championships as best player.
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 a crucial asset to the United States' run to the quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, scoring two goals along the way to being named Best Young Player for the 2002 World Cup. Through the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he's amassed 88 caps for the U.S., scoring 35 goals, including a 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 the Cobi Jones.
Landon wore both numbers 21 and 10 on the national team, the latter when Claudio Reyna was unavailable. As a result of Reyna's retirement from the national team, Donovan now wears the number 10 full-time.

Criticism

Due to his status as arguably the most gifted American footballer of his era, Donovan has weathered much criticism and discussion surrounding his life and career. Fans have criticized Donovan for returning to MLS, instead of staying in Europe at Bayer Leverkusen. Many also criticized Landon for his poor performance on the U.S. national team at the 2006 World Cup in Germany in which the US failed to reach the second round.

Personal life

Landon Donovan wed actress Bianca Kajlich on December 31, 2006. Landon speaks fluent Spanish. The couple currently reside in Manhattan Beach, California.

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Score	Result	Competition
1	2000-10-25	Los Angeles, California	1-0	2-0	Friendly match
2	2002-01-19	Pasadena, California	1-0	2-1	2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
3	2002-03-02	Seattle, Washington	2-0	4-0	Friendly match
4	2002-03-02	Seattle, Washington	4-0	4-0	Friendly match
5	2002-05-16	East Rutherford, New Jersey	4-0	5-0	Friendly match
6	2002-06-14	Daejeon, South Korea	1-3	1-3	2002 FIFA World Cup
7	2002-06-17	Jeonju, South Korea	2-0	2-0	2002 FIFA World Cup
8	2003-03-29	Seattle, Washington	2-0	2-0	Friendly match
9	2003-05-26	San Jose, California	1-0	2-0	Friendly match
10	2003-07-06	Columbus, Ohio	1-0	2-0	Friendly match
11	2003-07-19	Foxboro, Massachusetts	1-0	5-0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
12	2003-07-19	Foxboro, Massachusetts	2-0	5-0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
13	2003-07-19	Foxboro, Massachusetts	4-0	5-0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
14	2003-07-19	Foxboro, Massachusetts	5-0	5-0	2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
15	2004-01-18	Carson, California	1-1	1-1	Friendly match
16	2004-06-20	St. Georges, Grenada	1-0	3-2	WCQ
17	2004-09-04	Foxboro, Massachusetts	2-0	2-0	WCQ
18	2004-10-13	Washington, D.C.	1-0	6-0	WCQ
19	2004-10-13	Washington, D.C.	2-0	6-0	WCQ
20	2005-06-04	Salt Lake City, Utah	1-0	3-0	WCQ
21	2005-06-04	Salt Lake City, Utah	2-0	3-0	WCQ
22	2005-06-08	Panama City, Panama	2-0	3-0	WCQ
23	2005-07-07	Seattle, Washington	2-1	4-1	2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
24	2005-07-07	Seattle, Washington	4-1	4-1	2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
25	2005-07-09	Seattle, Washington	2-0	2-0	2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
26	2007-01-20	Carson, California	1-1	3-1	Friendly match
27	2007-02-07	Glendale, Arizona	2-0	2-0	Friendly match
28	2007-03-25	Tampa, Florida	1-0	3-1	Friendly match
29	2007-03-25	Tampa, Florida	2-1	3-1	Friendly match
30	2007-03-25	Tampa, Florida	3-1	3-1	Friendly match
31	2007-06-12	Foxboro, Massachusetts	4-0	4-0	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
32	2007-06-16	Foxboro, Massachusetts	1-0	2-1	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
33	2007-06-21	Chicago, Illinois	2-0	2-1	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
34	2007-06-24	Chicago, Illinois	1-1	2-1	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
35	2008-01-19	Carson, California	2-0	2-0	Friendly match

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

Honda Player of the Year (4): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007

International

2002 World Cup Best Young PlayerFurther Information

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