Landon Donovan
Encyclopedia
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...

 soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...

 in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...

 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing.

A member of the inaugural class of the U.S. Soccer residency program
IMG Soccer Academy
The IMG Soccer Academy is part of the IMG Academies located in Bradenton, Florida. It is U.S. Soccer's full-time residency program for the United States' U-17 and U-16 mens national teams. Started in 1999, it has become integral in developing the United States' top youth soccer prospects...

 in Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...

, Donovan was declared player of the tournament for his role in the national U-17 team
United States U-17 men's national soccer team
The United States U-17 men's national soccer team is the national under-17 association football team of the United States and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation...

 that finished fourth in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
The FIFA U-17 World Championship 1999 was held in the cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, and Dunedin in New Zealand between 10 November and 27 November 1999...

, Donovan later signed with the German side Bayer Leverkusen. After six years with the club, the majority of which was spent on loan at the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....

, Donovan moved to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2005, though he returned to the Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...

 for a three-month spell at the start of 2009 on loan to Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....

. He went on loan again from January to March 2010 with English Premier League side Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...

, where he scored twice in ten appearances.

For the United States national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...

, Donovan is the all-time leader in scoring and assists, and has the most cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...

s of all active players. He is a four-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year
U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...

 award (the only male to do so and the only male to win in consecutive years), as well as the only three-time winner of the Honda Player of the Year
Honda Player of the Year
The Honda Player of the Year recognizes the best player on the United States Men's National Soccer Team, as chosen by the national sports media.The winner of the Honda Player of the Year award receives a new Honda motor vehicle....

 award, having won it six times. His goals in the 2010 World Cup made Donovan the highest scoring American player in World Cup history and the third American player to score in more than one World Cup (after Brian McBride
Brian McBride
Brian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...

 and Clint Dempsey
Clint Dempsey
Clinton Drew "Clint" Dempsey is an American soccer player who plays for Fulham and the United States national team. Dempsey usually plays as either an attacking midfielder, or a striker....

).

Early years

Donovan was born on March 4, 1982, in Ontario, California
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...

, to Donna Kenney-Cash, a special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...

 teacher, and Tim Donovan, a semi-professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 player originally from Canada.
When Donovan was six, his mother allowed him to join an organized league, and he scored seven goals in his first game. Donovan was a member of Cal Heat – a club based in Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Cucamonga was a Mexican land grant in present day San Bernardino County, California given in 1839 to dedicated soldier, smuggler and politician, Tiburcio Tapia by Mexican governor Juan Bautista Alvarado. The grant encompassed present day Rancho Cucamonga...

 under coach Clint Greenwood. In 1997, he was accepted into U.S. Youth Soccer’s Olympic Development Program. He attended Redlands East Valley High School
Redlands East Valley High School
Redlands East Valley High School is a public high school in Redlands, California, near the San Bernardino Mountains. The school opened in the 1997-1998 school year as part of the Redlands Unified School District.-Colors and mascot:The official school colors of REV are red, white and black...

 in California. In 1999, Donovan attended the IMG Soccer Academy
IMG Soccer Academy
The IMG Soccer Academy is part of the IMG Academies located in Bradenton, Florida. It is U.S. Soccer's full-time residency program for the United States' U-17 and U-16 mens national teams. Started in 1999, it has become integral in developing the United States' top youth soccer prospects...

 in Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...

, part of U.S. Soccer's
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...

 training program. While at IMG Academy Donovan almost had his feet bitten off by an alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....

 while enjoying a post-training round of golf.

Bayer Leverkusen/San Jose Earthquakes

Later in 1999 Donovan signed a six-year contract for German club Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...

, whose sporting director Michael Reschke spotted him at a youth tournament in Europe. Unhappy with his situation in Germany, he was loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes of 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 football 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
U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...

 in 2003.

In 2004 Donovan became the first man to be named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year two years in a row, before returning to Bayer Leverkusen in 2005. After playing seven games with Leverkusen, only two of which were starts, Donovan stated his intentions to return to MLS. Despite a late offer from English club Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...

, Bayer Leverkusen officials respected his wishes. However, because San Jose GM Alexi Lalas
Alexi Lalas
Panayotis Alexander Lalas is a retired American soccer player who played mostly as a defender for the United States national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup...

 had traded away Donovan's rights, the Los Angeles Galaxy, his hometown team, were able to trade leading scorer Carlos Ruiz to FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...

 to get on top of the MLS allocation order
Allocation (MLS)
In Major League Soccer, an allocation represents an amount of money teams can use to sign players and/or allocate to their salaries to get under the salary cap. Allocations are given to teams that have missed the playoffs the previous seasons, given to expansion teams, or awarded as compensation...

 one week before the season started.

Los Angeles Galaxy

In his first season with the Galaxy, Donovan scored twelve league goals and ten 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
MLS All-Time Best XI
In 2005, as part of its tenth anniversary celebrations, Major League Soccer, the United States' top soccer league, named its All-Time Best XI, a selection of the best eleven players in the history of the league...

 after the season. In his second season with the Galaxy, Donovan scored twelve league goals and eight assists. Donovan also scored three 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' second all-time leading scorer in the playoffs with fourteen, behind Carlos Ruiz with fifteen.

Donovan had a mixed year with the Galaxy in 2007. Upon the signing and arrival of David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...

, Donovan relinquished his captaincy to the English superstar. In the 2007 SuperLiga
North American SuperLiga
The SuperLiga was an official North American association football competition between teams from the Primera División of Mexico and Major League Soccer of the United States and Canada, the top divisions in each country. The competition was sanctioned by CONCACAF, U.S...

 tournament, Donovan was the top scorer. Donovan scored a goal in every game except for the final. At this point in his career, Donovan had eighty-four all-time regular season goals putting him in seventh place on the league's all time scoring list. Although the 2008 season was a disappointment for the Galaxy, it was a banner year for Donovan as he scored twenty goals and nine assists in twenty-five games, forming a strong offensive partnership with David Beckham and Edson Buddle
Edson Buddle
Edson Buddle is an American soccer player who currently plays for Ingolstadt 04 in Second Bundesliga, the second-highest level of competition of soccer in Germany. Buddle previously spent his entire career in North America, beginning in 2000 with the Long Island Rough Riders, who played in the USL...

.

After his former national team manager Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena is a former coach of the United States men's national soccer team as well as a former professional soccer and lacrosse player...

 was named Galaxy head coach and Beckham joined AC Milan on loan in early 2009, Donovan once again was given the club captaincy on a permanent basis. In July 2009, Donovan received praise and criticism for his critical comments about Beckham in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...

journalist Grant Wahl's
Grant Wahl
Grant Wahl is an American sports journalist who is best known for being a writer for Sports Illustrated. He is also the author of the controversial book, The Beckham Experiment.-Career:...

 book The David Beckham Experiment, calling Beckham a poor captain and teammate. He later apologized to Beckham for discussing his concerns to a reporter rather than to him directly. The two reconciled upon Beckham's midseason return to Los Angeles and Donovan enjoyed an outstanding 2009 campaign, winning the league's Most Valuable Player and MLS Goal of The Year 2009
MLS Goal of the Year Award
In the United States, Major League Soccer has handed out a Goal of the Year Award since its inception in 1996. It is selected from the season's Goal of the Week Award winners by fans' online vote. Here is a list of the past winners:...

 award and leading the Galaxy to MLS Cup 2009
MLS Cup 2009
The 2009 MLS Cup was the championship match of the 2009 Major League Soccer season, the 14th season of the league. The final was played at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington on November 22, 2009. The match was contested by Eastern Conference champion Real Salt Lake and Western Conference champion...

, which they lost on penalties. Following the season Donovan agreed to a four-year extension to his contract with the Galaxy, with clauses that allow him to seek loans during the MLS offseason. On August 1, 2010, Donovan scored the 100th goal of his MLS career. On September 18, 2010, he became the all-time leading scorer for the LA Galaxy.

The Galaxy had another successful campaign in 2010 winning the Supporters' Shield
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...

 for the first time since 2003. In that campaign, Donovan notched 7 goals and a team high 16 assists. In the playoffs
2010 MLS Cup Playoffs
The 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs was the postseason tournament subsequent to Major League Soccer's 2010 season. The Colorado Rapids defeated FC Dallas 2–1 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario....

, the Galaxy would ultimately succumb to FC Dallas in the semifinals.

In 2011, the Galaxy again won the MLS Supporter's Shield. In the 2011 MLS Cup, Donovan scored the title-clinching goal in the 72nd minute over the Houston Dynamo, securing his 4th MLS Cup title.
Donovan was named the MLS Cup MVP.

Loans to other clubs

In November 2008 Donovan trained with Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....

, before joining the German club on loan until the start of the 2009 MLS season in mid-March. During his stay with Bayern, Donovan had appearances in five friendly matches
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...

, in which he scored four goals, five league games, and one DFB Cup
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...

 match. At the end of the loan period, Bayern declined to extend his loan.

After the 2009 MLS season had finished, Donovan joined English Premier League side Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...

 on loan in January 2010. During this period, he played in thirteen games in all competitions, scored two goals, and was named the club's Player of the Month for his performances in January. Everton were keen on extending his loan deal, but the Galaxy refused, and Donovan returned to the US in time for the start of the 2010 MLS season.

When asked by the BBC about his future in football in an October 2010 interview, Donovan said the following: "It's hard for me to say as I've had a really long year. But we'll see after a few week's rest and we'll see how it goes." He also went on to say the following of a possible return to Everton: "It would be hard to say no. I really hope that, if it's not this year, I get to go back there and play again. But if you asked me now I would lean towards a little more uncertainty." Everton were keen to sign Donovan in the summer transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...

 but due to lack of funds, no formal offer was made.

Career statistics

|-
|1999–00
1999–2000 Fußball-Regionalliga
The Fußball-Regionalliga 1999–2000 was the sixth season of the Fußball-Regionalliga as the third tier of German football. It was also the last season to be competed in four divisions...

||rowspan="2"|Bayer Leverkusen II||Regionalliga West/Südwest
Regionalliga West/Südwest
The Regionalliga West/Südwest was the third tier of the German football league system in the states of Saarland, Rheinland-Pfalz and Nordrhein-Westfalen from 1994 to 2000.- Overview :...

||20||6||0||0||0||0||0||0||20||6
|-
|2000–01||Regionalliga Nord
Regionalliga Nord
The Regionalliga Nord is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the northern and eastern part of Germany. It covers ten of the sixteen states of Germany...

||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0

|-
|2001||rowspan="4"|San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....

||rowspan="4"|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...

||22||7||2||0||6||5||0||0||30||12
|-
|2002||20||7||2||0||2||1||0||0||24||8
|-
|2003||22||12||1||0||4||4||0||0||27||16
|-
|2004||23||6||3||1||2||0||0||0||28||7

|-
|2004–05||Bayer Leverkusen||Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...

||7||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||9||0

|-
|2005||rowspan="4"|Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...

||rowspan="4"|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...

||22||12||4||2||4||4||0||0||30||18
|-
|2006||24||12||4||3||0||0||2||1||30||16
|-
|2007
2007 Major League Soccer season
The 2007 Major League Soccer season was the 12th season in league history. The season began on April 7 and concluded with MLS Cup 2007 on November 18, 2007 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.....

||25||8||1||0||0||0||0||0||26||8
|-
|2008
2008 Major League Soccer season
The 2008 Major League Soccer season was the 13th season in league history. The season began on March 29 and ended with MLS Cup 2008, on November 23 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.-Changes from the 2007 season:...

||25||20||0||0||0||0||0||0||25||20

|-
|2008–09||Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....

||Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...

||6||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||7||0

|-
|2009
2009 Major League Soccer season
The 2009 Major League Soccer season was the 14th season of Major League Soccer. The season began on March 19 and ended with Real Salt Lake winning the MLS Cup 2009, on November 22 at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington-Changes from the 2008 season:...

||Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...

||Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...

||25||12||0||0||4||3||0||0||29||15

|-
|2009–10||Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...

||Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...

||10||2||1||0||0||0||2||0||13||2

|-
|2010
2010 Major League Soccer season
The 2010 Major League Soccer season was the 98th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 32nd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 15th in MLS history. It began on March 25 at Seattle's Qwest Field with Seattle Sounders FC defeating the expansion...

||rowspan="2"|Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...

||rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...

||24||7||0||0||3||0||2||0||29||7
|-
|2011
2011 Major League Soccer season
The 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 33rd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 16th season of Major League Soccer. The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver...

||23||12||1||0||3||2||5||1||32||15
33||6||2||0||0||0||2||0||37||6
255||115||9||5||28||19||4||1||296||140
10||2||1||0||0||0||2||0||13||2
298||123||12||5||28||19||8||1||346||148

Statistics accurate as of match played November 8, 2011

International career

Donovan was a member of the inaugural class at U.S. Soccer
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...

's full-time residency program at the IMG Soccer Academy
IMG Soccer Academy
The IMG Soccer Academy is part of the IMG Academies located in Bradenton, Florida. It is U.S. Soccer's full-time residency program for the United States' U-17 and U-16 mens national teams. Started in 1999, it has become integral in developing the United States' top youth soccer prospects...

, in Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...

. He won the Golden Ball at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
The FIFA U-17 World Championship 1999 was held in the cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, and Dunedin in New Zealand between 10 November and 27 November 1999...

 as the tournament's best player. In his two years playing for the U-17 team, he scored thirty-five goals in forty-one games. In 2000, he moved up to both the United States U-23 men's national soccer team as well as the senior team. Despite this he played for the United States U-20 men's national soccer team
United States U-20 men's national soccer team
The United States U-20 men's national soccer team is the national under-20 soccer team of the United States of America and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. The highest level of competition in which the team competes is the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every two years.The...

 in 2001. In March 2001 he was involved in a collision with Marvin Lee, the captain of Trinidad and Tobago national football team
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...

 U20s in Macoya
Macoya
Macoya is a small town located alongside the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in Trinidad and Tobago. It is located between Tunapuna and Trincity on the island of Trinidad...

, Trinidad, which resulted in Lee being paralyzed and broke one of Donovan's ribs. Lee later died from his injuries in 2003.

In 2006 he became the United States' all-time assist leader with twenty-three when he set up Ben Olsen
Ben Olsen
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...

; the previous all-time assist leader was Cobi Jones
Cobi Jones
Cobi N'Gai Jones is a retired American soccer player who formerly served as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer , with whom he had been involved as a player and coach since the team's inaugural season in 1996...

.

Donovan made his World Cup Finals debut in the 2002 World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...

 starting in the shock upset of pre-tournament favorites Portugal, a match the Americans won 3–2. Donovan's cross in the 29th minute deflected in off Rui Costa
Rui Costa
Rui Manuel César Costa, OIH is a former Portuguese football player and current Director of Football for Sport Lisboa e Benfica. An attacking midfielder also capable of playing as a deep-seated defensive midfielder, he most recently played for Portuguese club Benfica...

, giving the U.S. a 2–0 lead. Later, Donovan would tally his first World Cup Finals goal in the 83rd minute of a 3–1 loss to Poland in the third match of the group stage. He then scored his second goal of the tournament on a header which clinched a 2–0 "Round of 16" victory for the Americans over arch-rival Mexico. Though the U.S. would go on to lose 1–0 to Germany in the quarterfinals, Donovan would later be named "Best Young Player" of the tournament.

Donovan was a member of the U.S. squad at the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...

, in which the Americans were eliminated in the group stage. He led the U.S. to the 2007 Gold Cup title with 4 goals, including a crucial penalty in the 2–1 victory over Mexico in the final. On January 19, 2008, Donovan scored his 35th international goal, a penalty against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...

, and passed Eric Wynalda
Eric Wynalda
Eric Boswell Wynalda is a retired American soccer player, and former sports broadcaster. He was the co-host of Fox Football Fone-In on Fox Soccer Channel and is currently employeed as the president of international operations at Mexican third division club Murcielagos.Wynalda scored the first goal...

 as the United States' all-time leading goal scorer. Donovan reached 100 caps at the age of 26 on June 8, 2008, in a friendly against Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...

 that ended in a 0–0 draw, and was the fourth-youngest person to do so.

Donovan captained the U.S. in the group stage of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...

 due to Carlos Bocanegra
Carlos Bocanegra
Carlos Manuel Bocanegra is an American soccer player who plays for Scottish Premier League club Rangers and is the captain of the United States national team.-Chicago Fire:...

's injury absence. Donovan scored on a penalty kick against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...

, shortly after his team had been reduced to 10 men, and scored for the United States in a 3–2 defeat to Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...

 in the final. On October 10, 2009, Donovan scored on a free kick, giving the U.S. a 3–2 victory over Honduras
Honduras national football team
The Honduran national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor or La H, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras...

 in San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean. With an estimated population of 638,259 people in the main municipality, and 802,598 in its metro area , it is the second...

, clinching a berth in the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...

.

Donovan was included in the squad for the 2010 World Cup, and played all four games in the United States' campaign. He scored against Slovenia
Slovenia national football team
The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....

 with a shot straight up into goal past the goalkeeper's face, in a 2–2 tie, and the only goal in a 1–0 defeat of Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...

 off of a rebounded attempt on goal by teammate Clint Dempsey, leading the USA to win their World Cup group for the first time since 1930. Donovan scored a penalty against Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...

 as the U.S lost 2–1 after extra time and were eliminated from the competition. His goals in the 2010 World Cup made Donovan the highest scoring American man in World Cup history, and just the third American man to score in more than one World Cup (after Brian McBride
Brian McBride
Brian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...

 and Clint Dempsey
Clint Dempsey
Clinton Drew "Clint" Dempsey is an American soccer player who plays for Fulham and the United States national team. Dempsey usually plays as either an attacking midfielder, or a striker....

). His total of five World Cup goals is the most for any man representing a team from CONCACAF.

International goals


Personal life

Donovan married actress Bianca Kajlich
Bianca Kajlich
Bianca Maria Kajlich is an American actress. Kajlich has had starring and supporting roles in television and film; she currently plays Jennifer on the CBS comedy Rules of Engagement.-Early life:...

 on December 31, 2006; the couple separated in July 2009, and Donovan filed for divorce in December 2010. He currently resides in Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach is the wealthiest beachfront city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The city is on the Pacific coast, south of El Segundo, and north of Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach is the home of both beach and indoor volleyball, and surfing. During the winter, the...

. He speaks Spanish, which he learned in high school and while playing with the Cal Heat club (which consisted primarily of players of Hispanic descent). He also speaks German as a result of his three separate stints in Germany. After his brief stint playing for Everton in 2011, Donovan declared himself an "Evertonian for life".

United States

  • CONCACAF Gold Cup
    CONCACAF Gold Cup
    The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...

     (3):
    • Winner: 2005
      2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
      The 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the eighth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested in the United States in July 2005. The United States emerged victorious in the final against an upstart Panama team led by tournament...

      , 2007
      2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
      The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the ninth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean , and was won by the United States over Mexico. It was contested in the United States from June 6 to June 24, 2007.This competition was the third...

    • Runners-up: 2011
      2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
      The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...

  • FIFA Confederations Cup
    FIFA Confederations Cup
    The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...

    :
    • Runners-up: 2009
      2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
      The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...


Los Angeles Galaxy

  • MLS Cup
    MLS Cup
    The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...

     (2):
    • Winner: 2005
      MLS Cup 2005
      The 2005 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2005 Major League Soccer season. It was played on November 13, 2005 at the new soccer-specific stadium, Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. In a rematch of the 2002 final, the Los Angeles Galaxy again beat the New England Revolution 1-0 in overtime,...

      , 2011
      MLS Cup 2011
      The 2011 MLS Cup Final was the sixteenth edition of the MLS Cup championship match held in the United States and Canada. The match was played on Sunday, November 20, 2011 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California...

    • Runners-up: 2009
      MLS Cup 2009
      The 2009 MLS Cup was the championship match of the 2009 Major League Soccer season, the 14th season of the league. The final was played at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington on November 22, 2009. The match was contested by Eastern Conference champion Real Salt Lake and Western Conference champion...

  • Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
    Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
    The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...

     (1):
    • Winner: 2005
      2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
      -Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-Qualifying round:Teams from USASA and PDL start.-----First round:Teams from USASA, PDL, and USL-2.----...

    • Runners-up: 2006
      2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
      -Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-Qualifying round:Teams from USASA and PDL start.-----First round:Teams from USASA, PDL, and USL-2.----...

  • MLS Supporters' Shield
    MLS Supporters' Shield
    The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...

     (2):
    • Winner: 2010
      2010 Major League Soccer season
      The 2010 Major League Soccer season was the 98th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 32nd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 15th in MLS history. It began on March 25 at Seattle's Qwest Field with Seattle Sounders FC defeating the expansion...

      , 2011
      2011 Major League Soccer season
      The 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 33rd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 16th season of Major League Soccer. The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver...

    • Runners-up: 2009
      2009 Major League Soccer season
      The 2009 Major League Soccer season was the 14th season of Major League Soccer. The season began on March 19 and ended with Real Salt Lake winning the MLS Cup 2009, on November 22 at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington-Changes from the 2008 season:...


San Jose Earthquakes

  • MLS Cup
    MLS Cup
    The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...

     (2):
    • Winner: 2001 & 2003
  • MLS Supporters' Shield
    MLS Supporters' Shield
    The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...

    :
    • Runners-up: 2002 & 2003

Individual

  • U.S. Soccer Young Athlete of the Year
    U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
    The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...

    :
    • Winner: 2000
  • U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
    U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
    The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...

    :
    • Winner: 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010
  • Honda Player of the Year
    Honda Player of the Year
    The Honda Player of the Year recognizes the best player on the United States Men's National Soccer Team, as chosen by the national sports media.The winner of the Honda Player of the Year award receives a new Honda motor vehicle....

    :
    • Winner: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
  • FIFA U-17 World Championship Golden Ball
    1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
    The FIFA U-17 World Championship 1999 was held in the cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, and Dunedin in New Zealand between 10 November and 27 November 1999...

    :
    • Winner: 1999
  • FIFA World Cup Best Young Player of the Tournament:
    • Winner: 2002
  • FIFA World Cup Best 23 of the Tournament:
    • Winner: 2002
  • CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI
    CONCACAF Gold Cup
    The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...

    :
    • Winner: 2002, 2003, 2005
    • Honorable Mention: 2007
  • Everton Player of the Month:
    • Winner: January 2010
  • MLS All-Time Best XI
    MLS All-Time Best XI
    In 2005, as part of its tenth anniversary celebrations, Major League Soccer, the United States' top soccer league, named its All-Time Best XI, a selection of the best eleven players in the history of the league...

    :
    • Midfielder
      Midfielder
      A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...

  • Major League Soccer MVP:
    • Winner: 2009
  • MLS Best XI
    MLS Best XI
    The MLS Best XI is an acknowledgement of the best eleven players in the league in a given season for Major League Soccer in Canada and the United States.-Winners:*Players in bold text also won the Major League Soccer MVP Award award for that season....

    :
    • Winner: 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
  • MLS Cup
    MLS Cup
    The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...

     MVP:
    • Winner: 2003, 2011
  • MLS All-Star MVP
    MLS All-Star 2001
    -External links:*...

    :
    • Winner: 2001
  • MLS Golden Boot
    MLS Golden Boot
    The MLS Golden Boot has been awarded since the 2005 season to Major League Soccer's regular season leading scorer...

    :
    • Winner: 2008
  • MLS Silver Boot
    2010 Major League Soccer season
    The 2010 Major League Soccer season was the 98th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 32nd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 15th in MLS history. It began on March 25 at Seattle's Qwest Field with Seattle Sounders FC defeating the expansion...

    :
    • Winner: 2010
  • MLS Goal of the Year:
    • Winner: 2009

United States national team

  • United States All-time Goalscorer (46)
  • United States All-time Assists Leader (47)

Major League Soccer

  • Career regular seasons goals list: 3rd place
  • Career regular seasons assists list: 6th place
  • Career playoff goals list: 1st place
  • Career playoff assists list: 7th place

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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