Since Landon Donovan’s final USMNT game is Friday night in East Hartford, CT, it’s time to talk about legacies. Yes, the well will certainly run dry on this topic in short order, but before it goes as bare as the Aral Sea, examining Landon’s legacy is important. Whether he is the best player to ever represent the Stars and Stripes is debatable. Whether or not he is the most important player to do so is, however, not debatable at all. So what is his legacy, other than being the most important player in the history of the beautiful game on these shores?
Simply put: Landon Donovan took the USMNT from a team that was just happy to be at a World Cup, to one that expects to be there and more.
When one thinks back to his first cap back in October of 2000, the USMNT was in a very different place. They were struggling somewhat in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, and were still adapting to life under Bruce Arena. The debacle that was France ’98 was well in the rearview mirror, but seeing the field through the trees was not easy. So Arena decided to gamble and give a cap to the Golden Ball winner of the 1999 U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. And the rest they say is history.
Landon always had a knack for the big occasion, and look at the 2002 World Cup as proof positive of that. Whenever the US needed a spark, Landon was always in the center of it, whether he was scoring or assisting. 38 of his 57 goals have come in competitive fixtures, including five World Cup goals. He was almost never invisible in his 156 caps, as he always made some sort of impact in every game. And you could tell how much it meant to him to represent the US every time he played, even with the pressure of being the big crossover star and wearing the No. 10 too.
Landon’s star has been fading for some time, but even then the outrage from him missing out on the 2014 World Cup roster had everything to do with his importance to all fans of the US National Team and belief in what he was at his prime, not necessarily in 2014. Prime Landon Donovan was transcendent not only in the States, but in Europe too. US Soccer hasn’t had another player like him, and his heir apparent is still largely unknown.
From 1990 to 2002, one could reasonably say the US was just happy to be in a World Cup at all. When Landon and the 2002 made it to the quarterfinals, expectations changed dramatically and permanently. Now, it’s expected that the US qualify for the World Cup, and advance out of the Group Stage every time. For a recently revived soccer nation and one that is still growing, that’s incredible.
If Landon Donovan of 1999-2002 was emerging now instead of when he did, people would be talking about how the US has a legitimate shot to win a World Cup sooner rather than later.
As Landon moves on, US Soccer will have to as well, which will be difficult considering the separation anxiety from this summer that still lingers, but also the fact that no one appears to be the crossover star that transcends soccer. The new face of US soccer will emerge, and who it will be can be debated endlessly, but that’s for the pub, not here.
Thanks Landon. Thanks for taking US Soccer to new heights, and making us expect, not just respect. The send-off you’ll get on Friday night will be well worth it.
Maybe Paul Caligiuri started it in 1989, Eric Wynalda and Alexi Lalas carried it through the 90’s, but Landon Donovan took it to another level in the 2000’s.
The next star up has huge shoes to fill.
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lg
December 6, 2016 at 10:16 pm
You’ll want the promotion on-hand if you like it to be
good.
Frill Artist
October 7, 2014 at 3:21 pm
Legend? More like a coward.
Joe
October 7, 2014 at 3:56 pm
Hahahaha you are a complete joke. Nice tinfoil hat.
bloop
October 7, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Donovan was, and still is a great player. He was definitely still good enough to be in the starting 11 in Brazil. While some consider the US’ World Cup a success, who knows what kind of spark Donovan could have provided. To say that LD “could have been so much more”, I’m taking a shot in the dark here, but im guessing he has done a lot more than you.
Yespage
October 7, 2014 at 4:02 pm
Well yeah, I suppose, in the football world. I have had my own accomplishments, but that would be off-topic, as we are talking about “legends”.
The article was about Donavon being a “legend”. And in being a “legend” requires a very high level of accomplishment in the field. Something he certainly has not obtained. Being a top tier MLS player is certainly a consolation prize in the sport of Football.
And while his exclusion from the World Cup team riled many underpants, the team did very well and demonstrated that he wasn’t needed anymore. Sure, maybe Donavon could have scored a critical goal against Belgium like he did against Algeria. But of course, we are talking Belgium, not Algeria.
bloop
October 7, 2014 at 5:45 pm
They’re not talking about him being a legend in the world of football. They’re referring to him as a legend for the game of soccer in the United States. Whether you think that is an accomplishment, or not, really doesn’t mean much. Also what Landon has done at the International level, (the highest level) is impressive no matter what team you’ve played for. Npt to mention impressive loans for Everton im the bpl
Tim
October 8, 2014 at 8:22 am
You have to understand in the close minded, Eurosnob poser world, they hate Americans that were successful because to them they didnt do it in England so it does not count. LD is a legend here in the US to “American” soccer fans. The people who see that otherwise would only accept him if he had an accent.
Yespage
October 7, 2014 at 11:31 am
US Soccer moved on years ago. In fact, did really well in a very tough group and bowed out to a very strong Belgium side in this years World Cup.
I don’t understand the Donavon worship. He could have been so much more.