Landon Donovan delivers on 2012 promise made to Emmanuel Boateng

Emmanuel Boateng - LA Galaxy - Dribbling upfield

Maybe Landon Donovan came out of retirement to make good on a promise he made to an 18-year-old Emmanuel Boateng.


Now 22, Boateng won the Gatorade High School Soccer Player of the Year award in 2012 as a junior at the Cate School in Southern California. According to a tweet the first-year Galaxy winger posted on Thursday, Donovan showed him a little love after receiving the honor, writing a special message for the young attacker at the ceremony where he received his award.

“To Ema,” Donovan wrote. “Look forward to playing with you soon!”


With Boateng playing in Sweden when Donovan retired in 2014, it didn’t look like the two would ever get the chance to be teammates. That, of course, all changed when Donovan shockingly returned to the Galaxy last week.


Boateng and Donovan, who shared the field during the veteran's brief substitute appearance in LA’s win against Orlando on Sunday, will have their next chance to suit up together on Sunday, when the Galaxy take on Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park (2 pm ET; FOX in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada).