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Landon Donovan

 
Who2 Biography: Landon Donovan, Soccer Player
 
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  • Born: 4 March 1982
  • Birthplace: Ontario, California
  • Best Known As: Star forward for the Los Angeles Galaxy

By age 24 Landon Donovan had played in two World Cups, won three Major League Soccer titles, and had three times been named the U.S. player of the year. A speedy striker with a scorer's flair around the goal, Donovan was a teen phenom: he was first called up for the U.S. national team in 1999, at the age of 17, and the same year he signed with the prominent German club Bayer Leverkusen. The pairing was a poor one; he was loaned back to the U.S. and played professionally for the San Jose Earthquakes from 2001-2004, helping the team to MLS Cup wins in 2001 and 2003. After another awkward stint with Bayer Leverkusen in 2005, he returned to America and joined the Los Angeles Galaxy, leading them to the 2005 MLS Cup. Donovan starred on the 2002 United States team that reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup, and by the World Cup of 2006 he had become the best-known player on the American squad.

Donovan has a twin sister named Tristan... He has a tattoo of a hummingbird on the inside of his left wrist... He became engaged to actress Bianca Kajlich in 2005; Kajlich had recurring roles in the TV shows Dawson's Creek and Boston Public and co-starred in the 2002 film Halloween: Resurrection

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Wikipedia: Landon Donovan
 
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Landon Donovan
Personal information
Full name Landon Timothy Donovan
Date of birth March 4, 1982 (1982-03-04) (age 27)
Place of birth Ontario, California, United States
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position Striker, Winger
Club information
Current club Los Angeles Galaxy
Number 10
Youth career
1998–1999 IMG Soccer Academy
1999–2001 Bayer Leverkusen
Senior career1
Years Club Apps2 (Gls)2
2001–2005 Bayer Leverkusen 7 (0)
2001–2004 → San Jose Earthquakes (loan) 87 (32)
2005– Los Angeles Galaxy 107 (58)
2009 → Bayern Munich (loan) 6 (0)
National team3
1998–1999 United States U17 41 (35)
2000 United States U23 15 (9)
2000– United States 115 (41)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 May, 2009.

2 Appearances (Goals).

3 National team caps and goals correct as of 28 June, 2009

Landon Donovan (born March 4, 1982, in Ontario, California) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer. He plays as a withdrawn forward, usually on the left wing.

A member of the inaugural class of the U.S. Soccer residency program in Bradenton, Florida, Donovan was declared player of the tournament for his role in the national U-17 team that finished fourth in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship, before signing for Bayer Leverkusen. After six years with the club, including a loan spell at San Jose Earthquakes, Donovan moved to Los Angeles Galaxy in 2005, though he returned to the Bundesliga for a six-month spell at the start of 2009 on loan to Bayern Munich.

For the United States national team, Donovan currently is the all-time leader in scoring and assists, and has the most caps of all active players.[1][2] He is the only five-time winner of the Honda Player of the Year award.[3]

Contents

Early life and career

The son of Timothy Donovan and Donna Kenney-Cash, Donovan grew up in Redlands, California, and attended Redlands East Valley High School. As a youth he was active in the gymnastics world and was invited to attend the olympic training workshop because of his all around skill in the sport. Donovan was a member of the inaugural class of the U.S. Soccer residency program in Bradenton, Florida with many current international teammates including Oguchi Onyewu, DaMarcus Beasley, and Bobby Convey. The U-17 team that was formed from that class competed at the 1999 U-17 World Championship, finishing in fourth-place with Donovan receiving the Golden Ball as the tournament's outstanding player. Shortly after the tournament, Donovan signed a professional contract with German club Bayer Leverkusen, becoming the youngest American to sign with a foreign club.

Club career

San Jose Earthquakes

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 soccer in America.[4] 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.[5]

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,[5] taking the award for that year. After playing seven games with Bayer Leverkusen, only two of which were starts, Landon stated his intentions to return to MLS. Despite a late offer from English club Portsmouth, Bayer Leverkusen officials respected his wishes. However, because San Jose GM Alexi Lalas had traded away Donovan's rights, the Los Angeles Galaxy, his hometown team, were able to trade leading scorer Carlos Ruiz to FC Dallas to get on top of the MLS allocation order one week before the season started.[6]

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 after the season.[7] 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.[8] 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. Donovan now has 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.[8]

Bayern Munich

Since the summer of 2008, Donovan had been linked with a move back to Europe during the January 2009 transfer window. Landon himself mentioned German side Bayern Munich as a potential destination.[9] Concerning a possible move to Europe he has said, "If the Galaxy is OK with me going, if the league is willing to accept an offer, if an offer comes. In my situation, I can't be super picky but if it's the right offer and makes sense with the right team ... there's a lot of ifs. But from my standpoint, I'm ready to take that step and I want to."[10] From November 11-21, 2008 he trained with Bayern Munich,[11] and at the end of his training period, Bayern Munich entered into negotiations to acquire him on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, allowing Donovan to play for the German club until at least the start of the next MLS season in mid-March.[12] The loan, which Bayern Munich says is the only move it will make during the January transfer window, is scheduled to end on March 15.[13] Donovan made his friendly debut on January 10 against Al-Jazira Club, playing the full ninety minutes and assisting on a goal by Bastian Schweinsteiger,[14] and scored his first goal for the club in his second game, in a friendly against Al-Wehda.[15]

Donovan made his competitive debut for Bayern in their 5-1 win over Stuttgart in the DFB-Pokal on January 27, 2009, coming on as a 66th minute substitute for Luca Toni,[16] and made his Bundesliga debut on January 30, 2009, against Hamburg, as a seventy-seventh minute substitute for Bastian Schweinsteiger.[17] He ended up with a total of four goals scored in five friendly matches for Bayern, but did not score any in league play.[18] The team declined to extend his loan, with Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stating that with strikers such as Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni already available, additional forwards should be young "with perspective".[19]

International career

Donovan (left) playing against Jamaica's Fabian Dawkins during an international game in 2006.

Donovan was a member of the inaugural class at the U.S. Soccer Residency Program, U.S. Soccer's full-time residency at the IMG Soccer Academy, in Bradenton, Florida. He won the Golden Ball at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championships 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.[20] In 2000, he moved up to both the United States U-23 men's national soccer team as well as the senior team.

After starring for the U.S. team that nearly won a medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics, he earned his first cap for the United States senior team on October 25, 2000 against Mexico, and scored in his debut. He scored two goals during the United States' run to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, and during the 2002 year he received two third place votes for FIFA World Player of the Year. He had a rare four-goal game against Cuba in 2003. On April 11, 2006, Landon became the United States' all-time assist leader with twenty-three when he set up Ben Olsen; the previous all-time assist leader was Cobi Jones.[21] Donovan reached 100 caps at the age of twenty-six on June 8, 2008, in a friendly against Argentina that ended in a 0-0 draw, and was the fourth-youngest person to do so. Landon Donovan scored his fortieth international goal from a penalty kick against Italy in the Confederations Cup, shortly after his team had been reduced to 10 men. Donovan scored his 41st goal for the United States against Brazil in the Confederations Cup Final.

Personal life

Donovan is married to actress Bianca Kajlich, whom he wed on December 31, 2006. The couple currently reside in Manhattan Beach, California, a suburb of Los Angeles.

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 2000-10-25 Los Angeles, California  Mexico 1-0 2-0 Friendly match
2 2002-01-19 Pasadena, California  Korea Republic 1-0 2-1 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
3 2002-03-02 Seattle, Washington  Honduras 2-0 4-0 Friendly match
4 2002-03-02 Seattle, Washington  Honduras 4-0 4-0 Friendly match
5 2002-05-16 East Rutherford, New Jersey  Jamaica 4-0 5-0 Friendly match
6 2002-06-14 Daejeon, South Korea  Poland 1-3 1-3 2002 FIFA World Cup
7 2002-06-17 Jeonju, South Korea  Mexico 2-0 2-0 2002 FIFA World Cup
8 2003-03-29 Seattle, Washington  Venezuela 2-0 2-0 Friendly match
9 2003-05-26 San Jose, California  Wales 1-0 2-0 Friendly match
10 2003-07-06 Columbus, Ohio  Paraguay 1-0 2-0 Friendly match
11 2003-07-19 Foxboro, Massachusetts  Cuba 1-0 5-0 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
12 2003-07-19 Foxboro, Massachusetts  Cuba 2-0 5-0 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
13 2003-07-19 Foxboro, Massachusetts  Cuba 4-0 5-0 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
14 2003-07-19 Foxboro, Massachusetts  Cuba 5-0 5-0 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
15 2004-01-18 Carson, California  Denmark 1-1 1-1 Friendly match
16 2004-06-20 St. George's, Grenada  Grenada 1-0 3-2 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
17 2004-09-04 Foxboro, Massachusetts  El Salvador 2-0 2-0 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
18 2004-10-13 Washington, D.C.  Panama 1-0 6-0 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
19 2004-10-13 Washington, D.C.  Panama 2-0 6-0 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
20 2005-06-04 Salt Lake City, Utah  Costa Rica 1-0 3-0 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
21 2005-06-04 Salt Lake City, Utah  Costa Rica 2-0 3-0 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
22 2005-06-08 Panama City, Panama  Panama 2-0 3-0 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
23 2005-07-07 Seattle, Washington  Cuba 2-1 4-1 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
24 2005-07-07 Seattle, Washington  Cuba 4-1 4-1 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
25 2005-07-09 Seattle, Washington  Canada 2-0 2-0 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
26 2007-01-20 Carson, California  Denmark 1-1 3-1 Friendly match
27 2007-02-07 Glendale, Arizona  Mexico 2-0 2-0 Friendly match
28 2007-03-25 Tampa, Florida  Ecuador 1-0 3-1 Friendly match
29 2007-03-25 Tampa, Florida  Ecuador 2-1 3-1 Friendly match
30 2007-03-25 Tampa, Florida  Ecuador 3-1 3-1 Friendly match
31 2007-06-12 Foxboro, Massachusetts  El Salvador 2-0 4-0 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
32 2007-06-16 Foxboro, Massachusetts  Panama 1-0 2-1 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
33 2007-06-21 Chicago, Illinois  Canada 2-0 2-1 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
34 2007-06-24 Chicago, Illinois  Mexico 1-1 2-1 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
35 2008-01-19 Carson, California  Sweden 2-0 2-0 Friendly match
36 2008-06-15 Carson, California  Barbados 4-0 8-0 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
37 2008-10-11 Washington, D.C.  Cuba 3-1 6-1 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
38 2009-06-03 San Jose, Costa Rica  Costa Rica 1-3 1-3 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
39 2009-06-06 Chicago, Illinois  Honduras 1-1 2-1 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
40 2009-06-15 Pretoria, South Africa  Italy 1-0 1-3 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
41 2009-06-28 Johannesburg, South Africa  Brazil 2–0 2–3 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup

Honors

San Jose Earthquakes

Los Angeles Galaxy

International

Individual

Major League Soccer

  • Career regular seasons goals list: 6th place
  • Career playoff goals list: 2nd place
  • Career playoff assists list: 7th place

References

  1. ^ "U.S. Men's National Team Prepares to Kick Off 2009 Confederations Cup Against World Champion Italy". United States Soccer Federation (Chicago). http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_14745621.html. Retrieved on 2009-06-25. 
  2. ^ "FIFA makes Donovan's record official". ESPN (New York). 29 February 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/print?id=512376&type=story&cc=null. Retrieved on 2008-10-29. 
  3. ^ "Donovan becomes award's first four-time winner". ESPN (Los Angeles: Associated Press). 5 October 2007. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=470125&cc=5901. Retrieved on 2007-10-11. 
  4. ^ "Los Angeles Galaxy mini bios". Major League Soccer. 10 November 2005. http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_events_news.jsp?ymd=20051110&content_id=47956&vkey=mlscup2005&fext=.jsp. Retrieved on 2007-06-25. 
  5. ^ a b "U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year". National Soccer Hall of Fame. http://national.soccerhall.org/history/ChevroletWinners.htm. Retrieved on 2007-06-26. 
  6. ^ "Galaxy trade Ruiz to Dallas, Donovan returning to L.A.?". USA Today (Carson, California: Associated Press). 30 March 2005. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2005-03-30-dallas-ruiz_x.htm. Retrieved on 2007-06-26. 
  7. ^ Nierman, Jonathan (11 November 2005). "MLS All-Time Best XI team unveiled". Major League Soccer (Frisco, Texas). http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_events_news.jsp?ymd=20051111&content_id=47999&vkey=mlscup2005&fext=.jsp. Retrieved on 2007-06-25. 
  8. ^ a b "Landon Donovan". Los Angeles Galaxy (Major League Soccer). http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t106&player=donovan_l&playerId=don474618&statType=career. Retrieved on 2008-10-29. 
  9. ^ Canales, Andrea (22 September 2008). "Donovan Eyes Potential Move to Germany". ESPN (Carson, California). http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=574511&sec=mls&root=mls&&cc=5901. 
  10. ^ Evans, Shane (27 October 2008). "Golden Boot winner Donovan looking abroad". Sports Illustrated (Goal.com). http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/10/27/donovan.europe/index.html. Retrieved on 2008-10-29. 
  11. ^ Wild, Karlheinz (11 November 2008). "Donovan zum FC Bayern?" (in German). Kicker. http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/startseite/artikel/500264/. 
  12. ^ "Bayern borrow Landon Donovan from Galaxy". ESPN. 20 November 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=594415&sec=europe&cc=5901. 
  13. ^ Lewis, Brian (2008-12-04), Landon Donovan's loan ends March 15. Or not., New York Post, http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/soccer/archives/2008/12/landon_donovans.html, retrieved on 2008-12-21 
  14. ^ U.S. star Donovan starts in Bayern debut, The Sports Network, 2008-01-10, http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=soc-mls/news/news.aspx?id=4202718, retrieved on 2008-01-11 
  15. ^ Landon Donovan Scores in Bayern Friendly, Goal.com, 2009-01-12, http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1614/americans-abroad/2009/01/13/1057811/landon-donovan-scores-in-bayern-friendly, retrieved on 2009-01-20 
  16. ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=261540&cc=5901
  17. ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=252559&cc=5901&league=GER.1
  18. ^ "Donovan will return to LA Galaxy". Los Angeles Galaxy. March 5, 2009. http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090305&content_id=221945&vkey=pr_lag&fext=.jsp&team=t106. Retrieved on 2009-06-25. 
  19. ^ "Donovan unlikely to extend with Bayern". Associated Press. February 17, 2009. http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/9230914/Donovan-unlikely-to-extend-with-Bayern. Retrieved on 2009-06-25. 
  20. ^ SoccerTimes.com player profile
  21. ^ "Donovan becomes leader in career assists in 1-1 draw with Jamaica". SoccerTimes.com (Cary, North Carolina). 11 April 2006. http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2006/men/games/apr11.htm. Retrieved on 2007-06-25. 

External links

Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Landon Donovan
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