Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. Donovan was co-founder and vice-president of soccer operations for USL Championship side San Diego Loyal. Considered one of the greatest American players of all time, he is frequently debated with Clint Dempsey for the title. Donovan holds the world record for the male with the most international assists (58) and is tied with Dempsey for the most international goals scored by an American player (57).
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Donovan playing for LA Galaxy in 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Landon Timothy Donovan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | March 4, 1982 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Ontario, California, United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger, forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | IMG Academy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Bayer Leverkusen II | 28 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2005 | Bayer Leverkusen | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | → San Jose Earthquakes (loan) | 87 | (32) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2014 | LA Galaxy | 247 | (112) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | → Bayern Munich (loan) | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | → Everton (loan) | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | → Everton (loan) | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | LA Galaxy | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | León | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | San Diego Sockers | 10 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 416 | (161) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | United States U17 | 41 | (35) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | United States U20 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2004 | United States U23 | 15 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2014 | United States | 157 | (57) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | United States (arena) | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2022 | San Diego Loyal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
An early soccer product of IMG Academy, Donovan signed for Bayer Leverkusen in 1999. In 2005, after six years with Leverkusen, the majority of which were spent on loan with the San Jose Earthquakes of MLS, Donovan moved back to the United States permanently to sign with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He later returned to Germany for a loan with Bayern Munich, and twice went on short loans to English Premier League club Everton in 2010 and 2012. He retired as a player in 2014, but made a brief comeback with LA Galaxy late in the 2016 season and then in 2018 to play for León. He further played one season with the San Diego Sockers of the Major Arena Soccer League. Overall 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.
Donovan made his senior debut for the United States men's 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. Donovan is the only American player to reach the 50 goals/50 assists mark. He is tied with Christian Pulisic for the record of four U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year awards (the first man to win in consecutive years), as well as the only seven-time winner of the Player of the Year award. Donovan starred in the U.S. team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup where he received the Best Young Player Award. His three goals in the 2010 World Cup made Donovan the highest-scoring male American player in World Cup history.