Experiencing a LegenD: Reflections on covering Landon Donovan's career

Landon Donovan is officially retired after capturing a record sixth MLS Cup on Sunday. The all-time leader in goals and assists for both the U.S. men's national team and MLS leaves behind a legacy that will be hard to surpass or match for anyone in the current and next generation of American soccer players. 

What was it like to cover such an iconic figure in U.S. soccer? Planet Futbol's staff of writers shares some personal experiences of working with and observing Donovan over the duration of his career.

GRANT WAHL

If I’m going to be honest and give you my deepest personal recollection of covering Landon Donovan over the years, it’s not going to be about watching his exploits on a soccer field, no matter how many there have been. You’ve seen them. I’ve seen them. They reveal a remarkable talent, the best player the U.S. men’s national team and Major League Soccer have ever seen. And I’m not going to write about anything I did covering him for Sports Illustrated, though there was plenty of that, too.

Landon Donovan retires a champion; Galaxy top Revs to win MLS Cup

I learned far more about Landon Donovan while writing my 2009 book, The Beckham Experiment, about the whirlwind caused by David Beckham’s first two seasons as Donovan’s teammate with the LA Galaxy. Writing a book is a completely different experience than working for SI, when I typically parachute into a city for a couple days for a magazine story, usually one that talks about how well someone is performing.

Sometimes I wonder why Donovan agreed to provide so much access for my book. He wasn’t being paid a dime. I was asking for a lot of his time. And truth be told, those first two years with Beckham didn’t go well for the Galaxy at all. Donovan was often unhappy with his teammate, who he felt lacked a proper commitment to the team at that point. Yet even as the Galaxy performed progressively worse in 2008, Donovan remained willing to participate and willing to be brutally honest, even when that honesty might not have been in his best interests overall.

We shared several meals together over those two years, in places like Providence, R.I.; New York City; Manhattan Beach, California; and even Zurich, Switzerland. And what struck me most during those conversations and interviews was Donovan’s interest in things outside of soccer. Here was a guy who liked reading books and who took a particular interest in food and what people were putting into their bodies. I gave him my copy of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, and we had some good talks about it. It was clear during that time that there was much more in life to Donovan than soccer, so it doesn’t surprise me that he’s retiring from the sport at age 32.

Landon Donovan goes out on his unique terms, with one final title

When my book was finally released in July 2009, it included several controversial comments by Donovan criticizing Beckham. Donovan knew they were coming, and he could have tried to say he was quoted out of context or that his words had been misconstrued. He could have gone after the messenger. But to his credit, he didn’t. He owned his words and took his own share of criticism from some quarters for saying them.

He patched things up with Beckham. And when things turned around for them that season, when the Galaxy reached the MLS Cup final, we spoke again for a new afterword for the paperback edition. Donovan said he had learned a lot from the process and had become a better person for it.

It’s that constant growth process—he’s always learning, always growing—that fascinates me most about Donovan. I think it’ll continue in his post-playing career.

BRIAN STRAUS

Nonbelievers often wonder how soccer can be so compelling when goals are such a relative rarity. Believers understand that the rarity is a big part of the answer. Goals are meaningful. One can alter your fate. They're worth savoring and waiting for. And that’s why soccer fans analyze and celebrate the smaller things that come in between. A move, a pass, a touch or a tackle – all might be part of the build-up to a goal. Any one of them could light the fuse. At its heart, soccer is a sport of anticipation.

In rising above detractors, Landon Donovan sealed his legacy

When asked to reflect on Landon Donovan’s career, it’s easy to recall the goals. He’s scored plenty – 182 for clubs in the U.S., England and Germany and a record 57 for his country. He’s the most productive American player ever.

Yet that production tells only part of the story, for Donovan was equally as compelling during the moments and matches in between.

He was so dynamic on the dribble, so dangerous from different spots on the field and so deft with the ball at his feet that he forced you to focus, anticipate and hope every time it came his way. He compelled you to expect the unexpected. That collective inhale – the sense inside a stadium that something magical might be about to happen – is what makes soccer so captivating. Whether he scored or not, Donovan was guaranteed to deliver those addictive moments in between.There has been no sensation in American soccer like watching Donovan latch onto an outlet pass with a full field in front of him, a desperate defense in near disarray. The possibilities were limitless.

Galaxy's unrivaled success continues with MLS Cup win over Revolution

They usually were away from the field as well, which is what made covering Donovan so fascinating. He was as unique in front of a microphone as he was when bearing down on a defender, and although he paid a price for that individuality (with some fans and with the current U.S. national team coach), he refused to deviate.For reporters who lament canned quotes and clichés, Donovan was the antidote.

I remember being moved in 2010 when, at a pre-World Cup press conference in Princeton, N.J., he opened up about his divorce, his depression and the demons that followed him after the 2006 tournament.

I recall sitting with three other reporters in a hotel lobby in Orlando, Florida, in 2012, when he first revealed the fatigue that eventually resulted in his decision to retire. None of us anticipated that conversation. SI’s Grant Wahl, ESPN’s Doug McIntyre and Fox’s Ives Galarcep and I stood in a small circle after Donovan departed, trying to process what we’d just heard. Should we all just skip U.S. training and race back to our hotels and write? We were a defense in disarray. (It’s worth noting that Donovan tallied a hat trick a few days later against Scotland.)

Landon Donovan's long, burdensome run as face of American soccer ends

I laughed out loud, in a press conference, when Donovan was asked by another reporter what Jurgen Klinsmann said when Donovan exited the field following his national team farewell in October.

“He told me he should have taken me to Brazil,” Donovan said, deadpan, as if it had been scripted.

He was funny and serious, thoughtful yet guarded, somehow passionate and aloof. He certainly was introspective and generous, and he definitely was one of a kind. He kept us on our toes for 14 years. And in the end, that’s why we watch.

Landon Donovan's most iconic moment: His 2010 World Cup goal against Algeria.

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

LIVIU BIRD

I’ll admit that at first, I didn’t like Landon Donovan.

I grew up watching him as a youth player. As a conscious consumer of football in the United States, I’ve never known a time without him. He seemed like a bit of a punk, with the bleached-blonde hair and his showy goalscoring celebrations.

Watch: Landon Donovan leads American Outlaws in 'I Believe!'

But at some point — probably as I grew up, and possibly as he did, too — I came to appreciate that he did things on his own terms. It didn’t always bode well for his development in a strictly on-field sense, such as when he left Bayern Munich, but it’s hard to hate a guy for wanting to be happy.

In many ways, Donovan’s career path has reflected the current state of the American player.

Future generations will perhaps be more willing to take the steps he didn’t, as with the multitude of youth players jumping the ocean to European clubs early in their careers.

Donovan didn’t have the benefit of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, although he was on board with the U.S. National Team Residency Program. What we see as his weaknesses have slowly been addressed in his career for the players who came after him.

More than anything, the U.S. can thank Donovan for being its guinea pig. Through watching him closely, those in charge can learn how far the U.S. has come in terms of development — and how far it still has to go.

Donovan, Henry make MLS Best XI in final season; MVP finalists all honored

For being that bellwether and for his individual moments of brilliance, Donovan has been the most important American player. As a college sophomore, I screamed and cried as Donovan scored against Algeria in 2010. As a newly minted soccer writer, I shook my head as he went on his hiatus in 2012.

Both moments were important, and I’ll remember him for both. Eventually, I’ve reached a sort of equilibrium that goes beyond like or dislike. When he revealed his battle for mental health earlier this year, which a great number of players face but never speak about publicly, that respect level only increased.

It’s appropriate to appreciate everything Donovan has done for the American game, but rather than dwelling on it, the next step should be to ask how the U.S. can do better. Nothing will change Donovan’s status as a pioneer, but with any luck, he won’t be considered the best American player for much longer.

It’s time to evolve again, just as Donovan’s generation provided not just through the man himself, but through the players around him as well.

Donovan playing for Bayer Leverkusen in 2005.

Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images

ALEXANDER ABNOS​

I remember two main things from the first time I spoke with Landon Donovan 10 years ago. The first: I was ridiculously nervous. Of course I was. I was 18 years old, just getting my start in soccer writing, and was still unprofessional enough that I arrived late to the BayArena for Bayer Leverkusen's game against Mainz that night. Surrounded by grizzled pros in the press box, I barely felt like I belonged.

Meanwhile, at 22, Donovan was well on his way to becoming the best soccer player the U.S. had ever produced. He made his first Bundesliga start that night. This was 2004, and neither I nor Donovan could know what the next decade would bring. But it was pretty clear where Donovan was heading, and I assumed his demeanor would reflect that.

Rapid fire with Landon Donovan: Top opponent, goal, advice and more

Which brings me to the second thing I remember from the first time I met Landon Donovan: How quickly my nerves faded away. I may have been new to the writing game, but I had been around long enough to know how aloof players could be toward the press. That's no fault of theirs, of course. Pro athletes aren't paid to be personable, nor should they be. I had already accepted that, and discovered that often the walls players put around themselves can get taller and thicker with the more eyes that are on them.

I waited in the tunnel at the BayArena expecting Donovan to ignore me like so many other players had in the past. When he came through the tunnel, I gathered my nerves, and introduced myself.

"Hey, how's it going?" was his response as he stopped and shook my hand. Set against my expectations, this action registered in my mind as if he had given me a fist-bump and a nonchalant "'Sup, bro?"

It was all I could do to ask my next question -- a simple one about what it was like to make his first start with Leverkusen.

"Oh man, it was great!" he said. It was the first time I had ever had a player say "oh man" in response to a question, and also the first time I'd heard a player express genuine excitement about pretty much anything (remember: I had just started doing this).

Landon Donovan's 57 USA goals: By minute, location, opponent

My recording of that interview has long since been lost, and if I heard it now I'd probably cringe at my nervous state, which I'm guessing was painfully obvious. But in the moment it really did feel like I was talking with a peer. Landon Donovan was the first famous American player that talked the way people my age did, handled themselves the way we did, and wasn't afraid to show any of that.

As such, it seems completely appropriate that he became the poster boy for soccer’s rise in the United States, thanks largely to a swell if interest in the sport from people his age and mine. Donovan was the star that spoke to them, just as he spoke to me that night in Leverkusen.

"It's really fun to play with that team," he told me after that game, a 2-0 win in which he worked multiple neat combinations with future stars Dimitar Berbatov and Andriy Voronin. “They make the right runs, they make the right passes...It’s a joy.”

One week later he reached what, in retrospect, is an underrated turning point in his career -- a second-leg Champions League clash at home against Liverpool in which Donovan succumbed to pressure, played horribly, and felt the inevitable backlash from the press, the fans, and even the club itself. He would make three more appearances with Leverkusen, all as a late substitute.

Most would have hardened in the face of such adversity. Donovan kept on being himself. That’s why, as he hangs up his boots, his journey makes me think about my own, and that of everyone else that came of age with Donovan as the face of U.S. Soccer. We all must sometimes face people we’d otherwise have nothing to do with, and deal with dire situations that test our resolve.

I won’t go so far to say that Donovan showed me the answer to those questions. But he definitely showed me the right way to answer them. 

GALLERY: Classic Landon Donovan Photos

Landon Donovan Classic Photos

Landon Donovan

Courtesy of SportsNet

A former dare-to-dream-big kid who matured into the most decorated male player to ever don the United States uniform, Landon Donovan will retire at the end of the 2014 MLS season. On the heels of that news, here are some classic photos of Landon Donovan.

Landon Donovan

Andrew Cornaga/AFP/Getty Images

Donovan and Julio Bracamontes of Mexico battle during the quarterfinals of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand. The U.S. defeated Mexico 3-2.

Landon Donovan

Norbert Schmidt/SI

Donovan standing in front of the Bayer pharmaceutical plant in Cologne, Germany. He had a brief stint with German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Landon Donovan

Norbert Schmidt/SI

Donovan, right, runs through an agility drill at a practice session in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.

Landon Donovan

Sandra Behne/Bongarts via Getty Images

Donovan during a quiet moment with Bayer Leverkusen.

Landon Donovan

David J. Phillip/AP

Donovan hits out of a bunker while playing a round of golf in Adelaide, Australia, on an off-day before playing Japan in one of the quarterfinal matches of the Olympics.

Landon Donovan

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

To honor U.S. Women's National Team member Brandi Chastain -- who famously took off her shirt after winning the 1999 World Cup on a penalty kick -- Donovan pulled off his jersey to reveal a sports bra after he scored during the MLS All-Star Game in San Jose.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

Donovan gets off a shot as James Lawrence arrives too late to stop it during a 2002 World Cup qualifier against Jamaica.

Landon Donovan

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Donovan, then with the San Jose Earthquakes, hoists the MLS Cup trophy after defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Donovan scored the Earthquakes' first goal in the 43rd minute.

Landon Donovan

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley pass the ball in a stretching drill at the Misari Football Center in Seoul, Korea.

Landon Donovan

Tony Gutierrez/AP

Donovan autographs a USA team jersey for U.S. Army SPC 4 Jesus Medina of Houston during the team's visit to the demilitarized zone in Panmunjom, South Korea. The U.S. soccer squad faced Portugal, South Korea and Poland in the first round of the 2002 FIFA Korea-Japan World Cup.

Landon Donovan

Roberto Schmidt/AFP Photo

Donovan records teammate DaMarcus Beasley during the national team's visit to the demilitarized zone.

Landon Donovan

Ben Radford/Getty Images

Petit of Portugal holds back Donovan during the second half of the their Group D match played in South Korea. The U.S. won 3-2.

Landon Donovan

Pascal Guyot/AFP/Getty Images

Donovan celebrates following his 65th-minute goal during second-round playoff action against Mexico in the 2002 World Cup. The U.S. won 2-0.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

A disgusted Donovan reacts after barely missing out on a goal against Germany in a quarterfinal of the 2002 World Cup. The Germans defeated the U.S. 1-0.

Landon Donovan

Pascal Guyot/AFP/Getty Images

Donovan on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the national team began play in the 2002 World Cup.

Landon Donovan

SGranitz/WireImage

Donovan during the 2002 ESPY Awards with Bianca Kajlich at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. The two were married from 2006-2010.

Landon Donovan

Philippe Merle/AFP/Getty Images

Turkish defender Fatih Sonkaya and Donovan vie for the ball during their Confederations Cup match in Saint-Etienne, France.

Landon Donovan

John Todd/SI

Donovan played his fourth and last season with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2004. He made 87 appearances for them and scored 32 goals.

Landon Donovan

Peter Read Miller/SI

Donovan poses in Manhattan Beach, Calif., during a photo shoot with SI.

Landon Donovan

David Bergman/SI

Donovan in action vs. Mexico during a 2006 World Cup qualifier.

Landon Donovan

David Bergman/SI

Donovan runs off the field holding an American flag after the U.S. defeated Mexico to advance to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

Donovan with teammates Oguchi Onyewu (top, left), Bobby Convey (top, right), and DaMarcus Beasley.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Oguchi Onyewu and Bobby Convey on the cover of Sports Illustrated prior to the 2006 World Cup.

Landon Donovan

T. Quinn/WireImage

Ghana's Liliasu Shilla battles with Donovan during a Group E game. The U.S. lost 2-1 to Ghana, lost 3-0 to the Czech Republic and finished in a 1-1 draw with eventual champion Italy.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

A disappointed Donovan after the U.S. was eliminated from the 2006 World Cup after its third game.

Landon Donovan

Frankie Hejduk and Donovan parade around the field with the Gold Cup after the U.S. defeated Mexico in the final of the 2007 CONCACAF at sold out Soldier Field in Chicago.

Landon Donovan

AP

Donovan receives a kiss from his mother, Donna Kenney-Cash, after winning the Honda Player of the Year Award.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

Donovan clashes with the goalkeeper during a U.S. match with Cuba.

Landon Donovan

Tony Quinn/Getty Images

Donovan heads the ball against Mexico during a 2010 World Cup qualifying match at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The U.S. won, 2-0.

Landon Donovan

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

A Donovan assist on a goal by teammate Jozy Altidore led to this reaction during a 2010 World Cup qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago at LP Field in Nashville.

Landon Donovan

German Alegria/MLS via Getty Images

David Beckham and Donovan celebrate the latter's goal against the Houston Dynamo during the 2009 MLS Western Conference Championship game at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The Galaxy won 2-0.

Landon Donovan

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

English Premier League side Everton acquired Donovan on a two-and-a-half-month loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2010.

Landon Donovan

Adam Rose/ABC via Getty Images

Donovan made an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, where the host had fun with a magazine spread in which Donovan was wearing patriotic underwear.

Landon Donovan

Diane Bondareff/AP

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (far left), New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and Donovan helped launch a new razor with a ceremonial first shave in New York.

Landon Donovan

Heinz Kluetmeier/SI

Donovan during an SI For Kids photo shoot.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

Donovan poses during an SI photo shoot.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

Donovan poses with Clint Dempsey (left) and Tim Howard on the cover of Sports Illustrated prior to the start of the 2010 World Cup.

Landon Donovan

Pedro Ugarte/AFP via Getty Images

Donovan shoots and scores past Slovenia's goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and defender Marko Suler during their Group C first-round match at the 2010 World Cup.

Landon Donovan

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Donovan celebrates with U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey after scoring during their 2010 FIFA World Cup group stage match vs. Slovenia at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Landon Donovan

Simon Bruty/SI

Donovan jumps over the goalkeeper in the U.S. final group stage game against Algeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Landon Donovan

Adam Jacobs/Icon SMI

Donovan scores the winning goal in the 91st minute as the U.S. defeats Algeria, 1-0. Needing a win to advance, the goal secured the U.S. as winners of Group C and advanced it to the Round of 16.

Landon Donovan

Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon SMI

Donovan dives toward the corner flag, where teammates Stuart Holden (left) and Clarence Goodson celebrate after Donovan's stoppage-time goal propelled the United States to the knockout stage of the 2010 World Cup.

Landon Donovan

Jamie Squire/FIFA/FIFA/Getty Images

Donovan arrives for the Round of 16 World Cup match against Ghana at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa. The U.S. would go on to lose 2-1 in overtime.

Landon Donovan

James Devaney/WireImage

Donovan and David Letterman take turns trying to kick a ball into the open window of a taxi outside the Ed Sullivan Theater for "The Late Show With David Letterman".

Landon Donovan

Noel Vasquez/Getty Images

Donovan throws out the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Landon Donovan

Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images

Actor Mark Wahlberg shakes hands with Donovan at the 2010 ESPY Awards.

Landon Donovan

Christopher Polk/WireImage

Danica Patrick and Donovan at the 2010 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

Landon Donovan

Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Donovan and Serena Williams attend a Super Bowl Weekend kickoff party in Dallas.

Landon Donovan

Jordan Strauss/Wireimage.com

Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant (far left), Donovan, actor David Henrie, and former NBA player Chris Webber attend the Cartoon Network Hall of Game Awards held at The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, Calif.

Landon Donovan

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Lionel Messi of Argentina dribbles between Donovan and Michael Bradley during the first half of a friendly at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Landon Donovan

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Donovan greets a line of kids as he leads the L.A. Galaxy onto the field for ceremonies before their game with Chivas USA.

Landon Donovan

Zuma Press/Icon SMI

Donovan jumps into the arms of a teammate after scoring against Mexico in the first half of the CONCACAF Gold Cup final in Pasadena, Calif.

Landon Donovan

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Donovan loosens up during a training session ahead of the MLS Cup.

Landon Donovan

Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images

Indonesian students listen to Donovan during a soccer clinic in Jakarta. The L.A. Galaxy visited Indonesia as part of their Asia tour.

Landon Donovan

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Everton Manager David Moyes gives instructions to Donovan during a FA Cup fourth-round match between Everton and Fulham at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England.

Landon Donovan

Noah Graham/NHLI via Getty Images

Donovan watches the Los Angeles Kings and the St. Louis Blues in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Landon Donovan

Victor Decolongon/Getty Images

Donovan and James Riley of Chivas USA vie for the ball in the Chivas 18-yard box during an MLS match won by Chivas, 1-0.

Landon Donovan

Justin Cooper/Icon SMI

Scottish midfielder Scott Brown steals the ball away from Donovan during the U.S.' 5-1 victory over Scotland in a friendly at Everbank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.

Landon Donovan

Victor Decolongon/Getty Images

Referee Silvia Reyes gets between Donovan and Toronto FC's Darren O'Dea after O'Dea tripped Donovan during an MLS match. The LA Galaxy defeated Toronto 4-2.

Landon Donovan

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Donovan reacts after scoring on a penalty kick in the second half against the Houston Dynamo in the 2012 MLS Cup. The Los Angeles Galaxy won 3-1.

Landon Donovan

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Donovan kisses the MLS Cup after winning the 2012 title against the Houston Dynamo at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Landon Donovan

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Donovan poses for a photo during "Soccer Night In Newtown" at the Newtown Youth Academy Sports & Fitness Center in Connecticut.

Landon Donovan

Susan Walsh/AP

President Barack Obama holds a soccer ball as he poses with Donovan during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. The ceremony was held to honor Los Angeles' 2012 MLS Cup victory.

Landon Donovan

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Donovan attempts a back-heeled shot against Woodrow West of Belize during the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup in Portland, Ore. Donovan finished with a goal and two assists -- becoming the first U.S. player to record both 50 goals and 50 assists for his career -- as the U.S. won easily, 6-1.

Landon Donovan

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Donovan celebrates after scoring a goal against El Salvador during 5-1 victory over El Salvador in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal in Baltimore.