Landon Donovan had some good things to say about MLS and an improving relationship with US Soccer following his 2014 World Cup snub when he joined USA Today's For the Win podcast Wednesday, ahead of the US national team’s friendly against Mexico later in the day (8:30 pm ET; Fox Sports 1, UniMas).
In making the rounds in his new role as a spokesman for US Soccer’s new sponsorship deal with Liberty Mutual, about his memories of the USMNT’s rivalry with El Tri.
When asked about the growth of MLS, the former LA Galaxy legend – who retired at the end of the 2014 season – drew on his experience at the Minnesota United FC expansion announcement in his role as a league ambassador, saying he was “blown away” by the support at that event.
He even said people from Minnesota at the Masters golf tournament, where he was over the weekend, were talking about the new team.
“It’s crazy to see the paradigm shift,” Donovan said. “The tipping point has happened now, and now the reality is just how fast is it going to go.”
He also said his relationship with US Soccer is continuing to heal following his exclusion from last summer’s World Cup roster.
“Very good,” he said of the relationship. “I think it’s been a process because there was a difficult end to my playing career, but the reality is that I’m a product of US Soccer. So I’ve benefited greatly from all of this. … Of course there were some bitter moments, but as a whole my relationship with soccer in this country has been incredible.”
He said he hasn’t struggled to stay busy in his new retirement, explaining that his new role allows him to see the game’s importance in different communities and meet people he would have never met as a player. He’s also planning lots of travel and has returned to school, taking several online classes at a community college.
“Now I have this opportunity that I’ve never had where I have time to give and to help,” he said.
Donovan also spoke to SportsCenter about Wednesday night’s friendly against Mexico at the Alamodome in San Antonio (8:30 pm ET; Fox Sports 1), recalling the 2001 "dos a cero" World Cup qualifier as well as his national-team debut in 2000, also against Mexico, where he scored the first goal a 2-0 victory.
He said Cuauhtémoc Bravo was the best Mexican player he ever played against.
“Not the most athletically gifted guy but definitely special in the way he did things, the way he moved around the field,” Donovan said. “I thought he was the most talented player Mexico has ever produced.”
He also touched on USMNT’s struggles since the World Cup, collecting just two wins in nine matches since Brazil.
“I think there are goods and there are bads; there are pluses and minuses,” he said. “I think they’ve scored in a lot of games; they’re creating chances in a lot of games. I think the downfall as of late has been defensively, the team has been not great, and that can happen in a transition year.”
