Landon Donovan - International Career

International Career

Donovan was a member of the inaugural class at U.S. Soccer's full-time residency program at the IMG Academy, in Bradenton, Florida. He won the Golden Ball at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship 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 in 2001. In March 2001 he was involved in a collision with Marvin Lee, the captain of Trinidad and Tobago national football team U20s in Macoya, Trinidad, which resulted in Lee being paralyzed and broke one of Donovan's ribs. Lee later died in 2003.

Donovan made his World Cup Finals debut in the 2002 World Cup 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 Jorge Costa, 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.

In 2006 he 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.

Donovan was a member of the U.S. squad at the 2006 World Cup, 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, and passed Eric Wynalda 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 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 due to Carlos Bocanegra's injury absence. Donovan scored on a penalty kick against Italy, shortly after his team had been reduced to 10 men, and scored for the United States in a 3–2 defeat to Brazil in the final. On October 10, 2009, Donovan scored on a free kick, giving the U.S. a 3–2 victory over Honduras in San Pedro Sula, clinching a berth in the 2010 World Cup.

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