World Cup South Africa 2010
History - Groups - Players - Venues
Favorite Players by Country (Germany 2006)
Group E - United States:
Landon Donovan
Place of Birth: March 4th, 1982
Date of Birth: Ontario, California
Position: Midfielder / forward
Clubs: Bayer Leverkusen, San Jose Earthquakes, Bayer Leverkusen, Los Angeles Galaxy
Landon signed a professional contract with Bayer Leverkusen in February 1999 at the age of 17, shortly before playing in the U-17 World Championship, where he won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
In MLS, Donovan had immediate success, leading the Earthquakes to MLS 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 ten goals and six assists in the playoffs. Donovan was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 2003.
Donovan has also been successful on the international stage. After starring in the 2000 Summer Olympics, he earned his first cap for the U.S. National Team on October 25, 2000 against Mexico. He was integral to the United States' run to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan, scoring two goals. The previous all-time assist leader was Cobi Jones. On May 2, 2006, Donovan was named to the US roster for the FIFA World Cup in Germany.
On June 3, 2004, German soccer club Bayer Leverkusen announced that Donovan would return in 2005. 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.
In early 2005, after failing to perform in his limited chances with Bayer, Donovan stated his intentions to come back to MLS. His wish was quickly granted, but it was not San Jose that he returned to. Los Angeles traded leading scorer Carlos Ruiz to F.C. Dallas to get on top of the allocation pecking order and signed Donovan on March 31, 2005. 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.
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