Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Landon Donovan
Discover the career path of Landon Donovan, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Landon Donovan is an American former professional soccer player widely regarded as the greatest U.S. men's player ever. He holds numerous records, including being the all-time top assist provider in international football until 2023, and is tied for the most international goals scored by a male U.S. player. Donovan won a record six MLS Cups and leads the league in assists. His contributions to Major League Soccer are so significant that the MVP award was renamed the Landon Donovan MVP Award in his honor.
1930: First Place in World Cup Group Since 1930
In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Landon Donovan helped lead the U.S. to first place in their World Cup group for the first time since 1930, marking a significant achievement.
1999: Career at Bayer Leverkusen
In 1999 Landon Donovan Began his career at Bayer Leverkusen.
1999: Attended IMG Academy
In 1999 Landon Donovan attended the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He was also a member of the inaugural class of the U.S. Soccer youth residency program in Bradenton, Florida and Player of the Tournament for his role in the United States under-17 squad that finished fourth in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship before signing with German club Bayer Leverkusen later that year.
1999: Golden Ball at FIFA U-17 World Championship
In 1999, Landon Donovan won the Golden Ball at the FIFA U-17 World Championship as the tournament's best player. He also represented the United States at the 1999 Pan American Games, showcasing his talent on an international stage.
1999: Donovan Signed for Bayer Leverkusen
In 1999, Landon Donovan, a soccer product of IMG Academy, signed for Bayer Leverkusen.
2000: Donovan's Senior Debut
In 2000, Landon Donovan made his senior debut for the United States men's national team.
2000: Move to U-23 and Senior National Teams
In 2000, Landon Donovan progressed to both the United States U-23 men's national soccer team and the senior team, marking a significant step in his career.
2001: Loan to San Jose Earthquakes
In 2001, unhappy with his situation with Leverkusen, Landon Donovan was loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer (MLS).
2002: FIFA World Cup Quarter-Finals and Best Young Player Award
In 2002, Landon Donovan starred in the U.S. team that reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup, where he received the Best Young Player Award.
2002: World Cup Debut and Best Young Player Award
In the 2002 World Cup, Landon Donovan made his debut, contributing to a 3–2 upset win against Portugal with a deflected cross. He scored his first World Cup goal against Poland and another against Mexico, helping the U.S. reach the quarter-finals. Donovan was later named Best Young Player of the tournament.
2003: MLS Cup Win and Athlete of the Year
In 2003, Landon Donovan led the Earthquakes to another MLS Cup championship, earning Man of the Match. He was also named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year.
January 2005: Return to Bayer Leverkusen and Request to Leave
In January 2005, Landon Donovan returned to the Bayer Leverkusen first team. After playing seven matches, he requested to leave the club.
2005: Donovan Moved to Los Angeles Galaxy
In 2005, after six years with Bayer Leverkusen (mostly on loan with San Jose Earthquakes), Donovan moved back to the United States permanently to sign with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
2006: 2006 World Cup
During the 2006 World Cup, Landon Donovan was a member of the U.S. squad. The Americans were eliminated in the group stage, and Donovan faced criticism for his performance.
2007: 2007 Gold Cup Title
In 2007, Landon Donovan led the U.S. to the Gold Cup title, scoring four goals, including a crucial penalty in the 2–1 victory over Mexico in the final.
2007: Donovan Relinquished Captaincy
In 2007, upon the signing and arrival of David Beckham, Landon Donovan relinquished his captaincy to the English superstar. Donovan was also the top scorer in the 2007 SuperLiga tournament.
January 19, 2008: All-Time Leading Goal Scorer
On January 19, 2008, Landon Donovan scored his 35th international goal against Sweden, surpassing Eric Wynalda to become the United States' all-time leading goal scorer.
June 8, 2008: Reaching 100 Caps
On June 8, 2008, Landon Donovan reached 100 caps at age 26 in a friendly against Argentina, becoming the fourth-youngest person to achieve this milestone.
November 2008: Trained with Bayern Munich
In November 2008, Landon Donovan trained with Bayern Munich, before joining the German club on loan until the start of the 2009 MLS season in mid-March.
2008: Banner Year for Donovan
The 2008 season was a banner year for Landon Donovan as he scored 20 goals and nine assists in 25 matches, forming a strong offensive partnership with David Beckham and Edson Buddle.
October 10, 2009: World Cup Qualification Goal
On October 10, 2009, Landon Donovan scored a free-kick goal, securing a 3–2 victory for the U.S. against Honduras and clinching World Cup qualification.
2009: Joined Everton on Loan
After the 2009 MLS season had finished, Landon Donovan joined English Premier League side Everton on loan in January 2010.
2009: Loan with Bayern Munich
In 2009, Landon Donovan had appearances in five friendly matches, in which he scored four goals, six league matches and one DFB-Pokal match during his stay with Bayern Munich. At the end of the loan period, Bayern declined to extend his loan.
January 2010: Player of the Month for January
In January 2010, Landon Donovan joined Everton on loan and was named the club's Player of the Month for January.
August 1, 2010: 100th MLS Goal
On August 1, 2010, Landon Donovan scored the 100th goal of his MLS career.
September 18, 2010: All-Time Leading Scorer for LA Galaxy
On September 18, 2010, Landon Donovan became the all-time leading scorer for LA Galaxy.
2010: 2010 FIFA World Cup Goals
During the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Landon Donovan scored against Slovenia and Algeria, leading the U.S. to first place in their group. He also scored a penalty against Ghana in the round of 16.
2010: Donovan Loaned to Everton
In 2010, Landon Donovan went on a short loan to Premier League club Everton.
2010: World Cup Goals Record
In the 2010 World Cup, Landon Donovan scored three goals, making him the highest-scoring male American player in World Cup history.
December 2011: Agreement for Second Loan to Everton
In December 2011, an agreement was reached for Landon Donovan to spend another two months at Everton beginning in January 2012.
January 4, 2012: Returning Debut for Everton
On January 4, 2012, Landon Donovan made his returning debut for Everton against Bolton Wanderers.
January 2012: Loan to Everton
In January 2012, Landon Donovan spent another two months at Everton. In his third match on loan, he assisted Everton's only goal in a 1–1 draw against Aston Villa on January 14. On January 27, he assisted in both goals in a 2–1 win over Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round proper.
2012: Second Loan to Everton
In 2012, Landon Donovan had a second short loan to Premier League club Everton.
March 25, 2013: Returned to Training
On March 25, 2013, Landon Donovan returned to training with LA Galaxy.
July 5, 2013: 50 International Goal Mark
On July 5, 2013, Landon Donovan became the first U.S. player to reach the 50 international goal mark and the fourth man in CONCACAF to achieve this feat after a brace against Guatemala.
May 2014: Named in preliminary squad for the 2014 World Cup
In May 2014, Landon Donovan was named in the preliminary squad for the 2014 World Cup and joined the team in training camp before his omission from the final squad.
May 22, 2014: Omission from World Cup Squad
On May 22, 2014, Landon Donovan was controversially omitted from the final U.S. squad for the 2014 World Cup by manager Jürgen Klinsmann, sparking widespread debate.
May 25, 2014: All-Time Leading Goalscorer
On May 25, 2014, Landon Donovan became MLS's All-Time leading goalscorer with 136 goals.
August 7, 2014: Announcement of Retirement
On August 7, 2014, Landon Donovan announced he would be retiring at the end of the 2014 Major League Soccer season.
October 10, 2014: Final Match for the United States
On October 10, 2014, Landon Donovan played his 157th and final match for the United States in a friendly against Ecuador, marking the end of his international career.
December 7, 2014: MLS Cup Win
On December 7, 2014, the season ended with LA Galaxy winning MLS Cup 2014.
2014: Donovan's First Retirement
In 2014, Landon Donovan retired as a player.
2014: World Cup Analyst for ESPN/ABC
In 2014, after being left off the World Cup roster, Landon Donovan joined the ESPN/ABC broadcast team for the World Cup as a studio analyst, transitioning into a media role.
July 2015: Appointed Head Coach for MLS Homegrown Game
In July 2015, it was announced that Landon Donovan had been appointed as head coach for a team of young MLS players for the 2015 MLS Homegrown Game.
July 28, 2015: 2015 MLS Homegrown Game
On July 28, 2015, Landon Donovan coached a team of young MLS players in the 2015 MLS Homegrown Game, which ended in a 1–1 tie followed by a shootout loss.
September 8, 2016: Return from Retirement
On September 8, 2016, Landon Donovan announced his return from retirement and officially signed with LA Galaxy for the remainder of the 2016 season.
September 11, 2016: Match Against Orlando City
On September 11, 2016, Landon Donovan entered the match against Orlando City as a substitute. He selected number 26, which he wore at Bayer Leverkusen when he began his career in 1999.
2016: Part Owner of Swansea City
In 2016, Landon Donovan became a part owner of Welsh football club Swansea City, joining an investment group with a majority stake in the club.
2016: Second Retirement
In 2016, Landon Donovan played in all six remaining matches of the regular season, as well as in all three play-off matches. At the end of the play-off run, Donovan retired for the second time.
2016: Coached MLS Homegrown Team Again
In the 2016 edition of the event, Landon Donovan selected and coached the MLS Homegrown team for a second time, continuing his involvement with developing young talent.
2016: Brief Comeback with LA Galaxy
Late in the 2016 season, Landon Donovan made a brief comeback with LA Galaxy.
January 12, 2018: Signed with Club León
On January 12, 2018, Landon Donovan signed with Liga MX team León, having returned from retirement for a second time.
February 10, 2018: Liga MX Debut
On February 10, 2018, Landon Donovan made his Liga MX debut for León in a 2–1 victory over Club Puebla.
March 24, 2018: First Goal for Club León
On March 24, 2018, Landon Donovan scored his first goal for Club León in a friendly against the San Jose Earthquakes.
June 17, 2018: Contract Termination
On June 17, 2018, Club León announced they had decided to terminate Landon Donovan's contract early.
2018: Donovan Played for Club León
In 2018, Landon Donovan played for Mexican club León.
2018: Named to United States National Arena Soccer Team
In 2018, after playing in the Major Arena Soccer League during the 2018–19 season, Landon Donovan was named to the United States national arena soccer team ahead of a friendly against Mexico, expanding his career into arena soccer.
January 24, 2019: Signed with San Diego Sockers
On January 24, 2019, Landon Donovan signed with the San Diego Sockers in the Major Arena Soccer League.
June 2019: Founded USL Championship Expansion Team
In June 2019, Landon Donovan, along with Warren Smith, founded a USL Championship expansion team in San Diego, marking his venture into team ownership and management.
November 14, 2019: Inaugural Manager of San Diego Loyal
On November 14, 2019, Landon Donovan was named the inaugural manager of the San Diego Loyal, a team he co-founded. Donovan surrounded himself with an experienced backroom staff, marking a new phase in his career.
June 2021: Strategic Advisor for Lincoln City
In June 2021, it was announced that Landon Donovan would be joining Lincoln City as a Strategic Advisor, working to enhance the club's network and relationships, particularly within North America.
December 2, 2022: Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations for Loyal
On December 2, 2022, Landon Donovan was elevated to full-time Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations for Loyal. Nate Miller was promoted to head coach.
2022: Color Commentator for FOX Sports and ESPN/ABC
In 2022, Landon Donovan teamed up with ESPN/ABC's lead play-by-play announcer Ian Darke for the 2022 World Cup. Prior to this, Donovan became a color commentator for FOX Sports, participating in the network's coverage of the United States–Ecuador quarter-final of the Copa América Centenario.
August 16, 2024: Interim Head Coach of San Diego Wave FC
On August 16, 2024, Landon Donovan was announced as the interim head coach of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club San Diego Wave FC, replacing interim coach Paul Buckle.
November 18, 2024: End of Interim Head Coach Tenure
On November 18, 2024, Landon Donovan's tenure as interim head coach of San Diego Wave FC ended.
2024: Euro 2024 Commentator for ESPN/ABC
In 2024, Landon Donovan teamed up with ESPN/ABC's lead play-by-play announcer Ian Darke for the Euro 2024.
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