The U.S. national team convenes in Cary, N.C., on Wednesday and the process of preparing for another World Cup begins. In this week's First XI, Landon Donovan talks about attitude, happiness and the belief that the U.S. could do something special when the first ball is kicked in Germany next month.
11. U.S. national team head coach Bruce Arena has told me the reason you and DaMarcus Beasley got the start vs. Portugal in the USA's opening game of World Cup in 2002 was because he knew you guys would not be in awe of the competition, even though you were so young. Was Bruce speaking the truth?
Landon Donovan: The only awe I remember was being in the tunnel before the first game, peering out to the stadium and seeing everybody there, and just realizing that I was in the World Cup. As far as fearing the other players, you have to remember, DaMarcus and I played a lot of international soccer in our age groups. So we had seen players our age, and the level they were at, and it didn't ever blow us away. We respect those guys greatly but we're not in awe of them. So, yeah, we weren't afraid of the competition.
10. Is it possible that the Czech Republic and Italy could make the same mistake that Portugal made and come in overconfident? Or did the U.S. performance in 2002 serve notice to those teams?
LD: I think they know we're a decent team. but I've said it a lot of times, until we beat top teams, not consistently, but until we beat them and have good performances against them in meaningful matches, no one is going to care about us.
9. How about you? Do you consider yourself a world-class player?
LD: Sure, why not? I don't ever feel like players out there are better than me. There are some players that I think are better at certain points, but I don't feel overmatched.
8. Have you ever played a game where you felt out of your realm?
LD: Yeah, the game we played as MLS All-Stars against Real Madrid. I think the circumstances were pretty poor for us. But that's the only game I've played where I was just like, we're not even close to them.
7. Did you hear the criticism from the people who were also saying that you'll never become the soccer player you can be by coming back here to MLS?
LD: Yeah, but that's people's opinion. People who say that, sit at home and don't play soccer for a living. At the end of the day, you have to live your life. No one else does, and I have to live my life.
6. Bruce says you've always played your best when you're happiest. You agree with that obseration?
LD: For me, soccer is important. It's not everything to me. And basically, I just weighed the lifestyle. You know, I could be in Europe and, at some point, I could be successful, but I would never be close to being as happy as I am now, never. Nothing could possibly happen, I could play in the [UEFA] Champions League and score three goals, and I will never be as happy as I am here. And that's what's most important.
5. Why would you not be as happy in Europe?
LD: Just everything. As exciting as the day-to-day lifestyle of the European soccer player is, basically just day-to-day living stinks. It's miserable. And so it would never be worth it to me. We don't have to deal with all the junk. We don't deal with bad media, we don't deal with over-the-top angry fans. We have a great place to play right here. Play and live. And in Germany, I've seen people, some Bulgarians or Croatians or whatever, come to training, go home, and they're miserable. They have nothing to do. They sit at home all night and just live miserable lives. The only thing they have is training every day. I would never ever want to be that way.
4. Did you ever feel like well, you got three titles in five seasons? That, you know, this league is too easy for you?
LD: No. It's never easy. If it was easy, it'd spoil the game. It's not easy and it never will be.
3. But you have been criticized in the past for not always bringing your 'A' game to MLS, for taking nights off, so to speak. Even you've admitted to it.
LD: Sure. No, I have times where I've done that. And I made a vow to myself when I came back. I said, "I really got everything I wanted. I got everything I could possibly want." Reciprocally, I think I owe it to everybody, including myself, to give everything I have. And last year I worked really hard at just being consistently into every game, every practice, every moment. I've continued it this year, and you know what, it's hard, man. I'm not here to complain and say look how bad my life is. But it's difficult to be at your best mentally every single night. I don't know how baseball guys do it. How do you get up for 160 games. I keep trying my best and it's an incredible challenge.
2. Is the fatigue more physical or mental?
LD: Emotionally, it's extremely difficult to be constantly on edge. And obviously that's my job, but I've told Bruce too, I said I need help with that. I need you to push me as much as you can and make that a part of my game, because I really need that. I want to be that player. I hate coming home and saying to myself, I couldn't get it going today. It bothers me.
1. When you and DaMarcus were kids at Bradenton, Fla., together, I remember talking to both of you guys, and you guys used to talk pretty big. The two of you felt that you could be different, that you could make people believe that soccer was becoming America's game. Do you still carry that belief today?
LD: Absolutely. Why not? It's going to be hard to get back to where we were in 2002, but we're a better team. We're more experienced. Something incredible could certainly happen.
Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. Send your comments and complaints (200 words or less, please) to Jeff at jbradleyespn2003@yahoo.com and he promises to read (but not respond to) all of them. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
