Landon Donovan

Football player infobox| playername= Landon Donovan


fullname = Landon Timothy Donovan
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|3|4
cityofbirth = city-state|Ontario|California
countryofbirth = United States
height = height|ft=5|in=8
currentclub = Los Angeles Galaxy
clubnumber = 10
position = Forward / Attacking midfielder / Winger
youthyears = 1999-2001
youthclubs = Bayer Leverkusen
years = 2001–2005
2001–2004
2005–
clubs = Bayer Leverkusen
→ San Jose Earthquakes "(loan)"
Los Angeles Galaxy
caps(goals) = 007 0(0)
087 (32)
093 (51)
nationalyears = 2000–
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 105 (37)
pcupdate = 4 October 2008
ntupdate = 9 June 2008

Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982 in city-state|Ontario|California), is an American professional soccer player on the Los Angeles Galaxy and is the all-time leading scorer for the United States men's national soccer team. [cite web | url=http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_950286.html | title=USA Continues Domination with 2-1 Victory Over Mexico to Lift Fourth Overall CONCACAF Gold Cup Trophy | publisher=United States Soccer Federation | date=June 24, 2007 | accessdate=2007-06-26] [Citation |last= |first= |title=FIFA makes Donovan's U.S. record official |url=http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/7855944/FIFA-makes-Donovan's-U.S.-record-official |publisher="FOX Sports" |date=2008-02-29 |accessdate=2008-03-01] Donovan is the only four-time winner of the Honda Player of the Year award. [cite web | url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=470125&cc=5901 | title=Donovan becomes award's first four-time winner | publisher=Associated Press | date=October 5, 2007 | accessdate=2007-10-11]

Early life/Career

Landon, the son of Timothy Donovan and Donna Kenney-Cash, grew up in Redlands, California, and attended Redlands East Valley High School. Landon signed a professional contract with Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 16, but not before playing in the U.S. Soccer Residency program at Bradenton with many current international teammates including Oguchi Onyewu, DaMarcus Beasley, and Bobby Convey.

an Jose Earthquakes

He was unhappy with his situation in Germany, so he 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. [cite web | url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_events_news.jsp?ymd=20051110&content_id=47956&vkey=mlscup2005&fext=.jsp | title=Los Angeles Galaxy mini bios | date=November 10, 2005 | accessdate=2007-06-25] 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.cite web | url=http://www.soccerhall.org/history/ChevroletWinners.htm | title=U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year | publisher=National Soccer Hall of Fame | accessdate=2007-06-26]

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, taking the award for that year.

After several games at Leverkusen, with Donovan only garnering two starts, Donovan was put into the starting line-up in a Champions League encounter versus Liverpool. During the game, Donovan passed the ball to a Liverpool player leading to a counterattack goal in the 3-1 loss.Fact|date=August 2008

Landon stated his intentions to come back to MLS, and despite a late offer from English club Portsmouth, club officials respected his wishes. However, because San Jose GM Alexi Lalas had traded away Donovan's rights, the Galaxy were able to trade leading scorer Carlos Ruiz, a striker, to FC Dallas to get on top of the allocation pecking order one week before the season started. [cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2005-03-30-dallas-ruiz_x.htm | title=Galaxy trade Ruiz to Dallas, Donovan returning to L.A.? | publisher=USA Today | date=March 30 2005 | accessdate=2007-06-26]

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. [cite web | url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_events_news.jsp?ymd=20051111&content_id=47999&vkey=mlscup2005&fext=.jsp | title=MLS All-Time Best XI team unveiled | publisher=Major League Soccer | first=Jonathan | last=Nierman | date=November 11, 2005 | accessdate=2007-06-25] 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. [cite web | url=http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t106&player=donovan_l&playerId=don474618&statType=current | title=Landon Donovan | publisher=Los Angeles Galaxy | accessdate=2007-06-25] In the 2007 Superliga tournament, Donovan was the top scorer. Donovan scored a goal in every game except for the Final, where he missed the game winning penalty kick. On April 26, 2008, Donovan scored his second career MLS hat trick, giving him 72 all time regular season goals. He now has 80 all time regular season goals. This put him ninth on the league's all time scoring list.

Donovan has been in good form in the 2008 season with the Galaxy, scoring 19 goals and 8 assists in the 20 games this season, forming an offensive partnership with David Beckham.

Since the summer of 2008, Donovan has been linked with a move back to German football, particularly Bayern Munich, stating, "That's one of the best teams in the world. As of now, I've got to worry about what's going on here, but if January rolls around and there's interest, and the league is willing to discuss it, I would be excited to talk about it." [ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=574511&sec=mls&root=mls&&cc=5901 Donovan Eyes Potential Move to Germany ]

International career

Donovan was a member of the inaugural class at the national soccer academy in Bradenton, Florida. 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 has 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. [cite news | url=http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2006/men/games/apr11.htm | title=Donovan becomes leader in career assists in 1-1 draw with Jamaica | publisher=Soccer Times | date=April 11, 2006 | accessdate=2007-06-25]

After his performances in Asia, Landon had high expectations going into the 2006 World Cup, but was the subject of much criticism for his play as the US failed to advance out of the group stage.

Donovan reached 100 caps at the age of 26 on June 8, 2008 in a friendly against Argentina.

Donovan has worn 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. He is currently the all time leading goalscorer of the US national team with 36 goals.

Personal life

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

International goals

Honors

an Jose Earthquakes

* MLS Cup (2): 2001, 2003

Los Angeles Galaxy

* MLS Cup:* Champion: 2005
* Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup:* Champion: 2005:* Runner Up: 2006
* SuperLiga:* Runner-Up: 2007

International

* FIFA World Cup:* Quarterfinal: 2002
* Summer Olympic:* Fourth Place: 2000
* CONCACAF Gold Cup:* Champion: 2002, 2005, 2007:* Third Place: 2003

Personal

* U-17 World Championship Golden Ball: 1999
* CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2002, 2003, 2005
* U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year (2): 2003, 2004
* Honda Player of the Year (4): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007
* MLS All-Time Best XI
* MLS Best XI: 2003
* MLS Cup MVP: 2003
* MLS All-Star MVP: 2001
* Los Angeles Galaxy Team MPV: 2006
* Los Angeles Galaxy Golden Boot: 2005, 2006, 2007

Records

United States men's national soccer team:* All time goals leader:* All time assists leader

Major League Soccer:* Career regular seasons goals list: 7th place:* Career playoff goals list: 2nd place:* Career playoff assists list: 7th place

References

External links

* [http://www.landondonovan.com/donovan/index LandonDonovan.com] Landon Donovan's Official website
*
* [http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t106&player=donovan_l&playerId=don474618&statType=career MLS Player Stats]
* [http://www.usoc.org/26_806.htm Landon Donovan's U.S. Olympic Team profile]
* [http://www.leverkusen.com/whoiswho/whoiswho.php4?view=DonovanL Leverkusen Who's who]
* [http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=players&id=27 Landon Donovan on Yanks Abroad]
* [http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/donovan-intlg.html RSSSF Archive]
* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=542&b=true&pn=Landon_Timothy_Donovan Football Database Profile and Statistics for Landon Donovan]

Persondata
NAME=Donovan, Landon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Professional soccer player
DATE OF BIRTH=March 4, 1982
PLACE OF BIRTH=Ontario, California
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=