Los Angeles Galaxy standout Landon Donovan added to his historic year on Friday when he picked up the Honda Soccer Player of the Year.
After leading the U.S. national team in scoring in 2007 with nine goals, Donovan became the first player in the 17-year history of the award to claim it a fourth time. Winning another award, which included walking away with the keys to a new 2008 Honda Ridgeline, still brought both anticipation and exhilaration.
"I was a bit nervous driving in," Donovan said. "It's still exciting. It's human nature I think to be excited."
Donovan won the award three consecutive years, starting in 2002. This year, he helped the U.S. win the CONCACAF Gold Cup while equaling the USA's all-time goal scoring record.
But it is mentally where he said he's developed the most.
"I honestly think I've changed more in the last year than I have in the previous seven mentally," Donovan said. "It's not good enough that I show up in training or a game and do well 70 percent of the time or 80 percent of the time. I have to be good every time I'm around and that doesn't only mean training or games; that means in meetings, whatever, team functions -- I have to be that guy."
At the FIFA World Cup in 2006, Donovan was not that guy. He struggled as the United States failed to get past the group stage. With a new coach and a developing mentality, Donovan said he has been able to take on a greater role as a team leader.
"That's who I want to be and I've learned to be that," Donovan said. "I was far from that last year. It was a very hard year and a bad year. That's good learning, hard learning but it's never going to happen again. I'm happy where I'm at mentally."
U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley guided the U.S. to the Gold Cup championship in his first official tournament as coach.
Donovan, 25, had already had been the only three-time winner in the 17-year history of the award. He scored his 34th career goal for the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final and equaled Eric Wynalda's mark atop the all-time U.S. scoring charts. Donovan might yet still break the record this year as the U.S. has games at Switzerland (Oct. 17) and South Africa (Nov. 17) remaining on the calendar.
At the Gold Cup, Donovan stood out. He scored four goals -- all from the penalty spot -- as the U.S. successfully defended its regional championship crown. Additionally, Donovan had a hat trick in a 3-1 win against Ecuador and also scored goals in other friendlies against Denmark on Jan. 20 and Mexico on Feb. 7.
Though Donovan seemingly has plenty of years in front of him, Bradley said such awards serve as reminders of the kinds of players there are within the national team.
"Landon as a top player there is always extra responsibility and extra pressure and sometimes we need to have days like today to take a moment and see all that he's accomplished at such a young age," Bradley said. "Hopefully we can continue to raise the bar for him as he said in his speech today, the sense of winning and being a player on the team that accomplishes great things means more to him. That's what you want to see -- a young player who has talent and has won some individual awards and continues to mature and see a bigger picture of what he can mean to his country."
Donovan first won the award at the age of 20. By then, he'd already scored a pair of World Cup goals and was hailed by some as an U.S. superstar in the making.
That he's now on the verge of breaking the goal-scoring mark speaks well of his abilities, Galaxy president and general manager Alexi Lalas said.
"We talk about all these young players with potential and a lot of times they don't meet it," said Lalas, who won the award in 1995. "Yet with all the pressure and all the attention, he's been able to time and time again step on the field and make a difference. We're so fortunate to have him with the Galaxy."
Donovan beat out Everton and former MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard and Fulham and former Chicago Fire defender Carlos Bocanegra for the honors. The heir apparent to veteran goalkeeper Kasey Keller, Howard was in goal for the United States' Gold Cup final win against Mexico. In that match, Howard had a late save off a shot from Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista from short range that preserved the USA's win.
Bocanegra, meanwhile, manned the United States backline at the Gold Cup and in several other friendlies. Bocanegra donned the captain's armband in several U.S. matches this year. He also scored goals against Panama in a Gold Cup quarterfinal on June 16 and Brazil in a friendly on Sept. 9.
As for his new truck -- the fourth vehicle he's won as a part of this award now -- Donovan said he might hold on to this one.
"We might keep it," Donovan said. "I'm not much of a truck guy. I'm kind of small for a truck but Bianca might like it... It's a really nice truck so we'll see."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
