‘Take Off His Hat’—Landon Donovan Receives Brutal Jibe From MLS Legend

U.S. men’s national team and MLS icon Landon Donovan once again found himself on the receiving end of an unexpected dig, this time about his hair.

Former Red Bull New York star Bradley Wright-Phillips, who now works as an analyst for MLS, had one request for Donovan during an action-packed Decision Day on Saturday: “He’s got to take off his hat.”

Wright-Phillips made the joke as Apple TV showed a clip of Donovan at Nu Stadium, waiting for Inter Miami to take on Charlotte FC. The USMNT’s all-time leading goalscorer was wearing the same custom hairpiece he donned throughout the 2026 World Cup.

Donovan has previously been very open about his struggles with hair loss, revealing in a video on social media that he started balding when he was 18 years old. He underwent two hair transplants to try and correct the problem, but both were ultimately unsuccessful.

Unwilling to fully shave his head bald, Donovan then decided to wear a wig—and he couldn’t be happier with the results. “My confidence ... when I’m just walking around is skyrocketing,” he told The Athletic.

“I didn’t realize how much I was aware of my hair, or lack of, because now I walk around and think: ‘I’m kind of handsome. I’m not this ugly balding guy.’ I feel like I’m an all right-looking guy.”

‘Don’t Give a S---’—Donovan Responds to Criticism

Landon Donovan isn’t bothered by outside noise. | Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Donovan is no stranger to criticism, both from his days on the pitch and now as a pundit. The former striker had to listen to doubters deny his skill just because he spent most of his career playing in MLS and failed to lead the USMNT to glory on the world stage. He then had to watch his botched hair transplant go viral during the 2024 European Championship.

Even recently, Donovan was targeted by former USMNT teammate Eddie Johnson, who called out the six-time MLS Cup winner for his “failed” time at Bayer Leverkusen. Johnson accused Donovan of “running back back to MLS [because he] wasn’t good enough” to leave his mark in Europe.

But Donovan likely had the same mindset to those digs that he did to Wright-Phillips’s jibe: indifference.

“You just hit a point where you don’t give a s--- anymore,” Donovan told The Athletic when speaking about the dividing opinions on his hairpiece. “We all want to be liked. But there is a point where it’s really peaceful where you don’t give a s--- if someone doesn’t like you or doesn’t like something about you.

“For athletes we are so used to seeing and reading and hearing the negative, negative, negative. You become immune to it.”

Donovan Bore Witness to Horrible Inter Miami Collapse

Landon Donovan in the house to watch Messi and @InterMiamiCF 👀

Decision Day kicks off at 4pm ET on Apple TV 📺 pic.twitter.com/yLDtt2jeUN
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 7, 2026

While Wright-Phillips was taking shots at Donovan’s hair, the LA Galaxy legend had front row seats to watch Inter Miami’s brilliance—and glaring flaws—in south Florida.

The defending MLS Cup champions got off to a flying start in their final regular season match. Ian Fray, Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul all found the back of the net in the first half, giving the hosts a commanding 3–0 lead.

But everything soon collapsed after the restart. Charlotte winger Liel Abada bagged a brace by the 55th minute and then Rodolfo Aloko played hero off the bench, scoring an equalizer in the 90th minute to steal a point from Lionel Messi & Co.

The result ultimately had no baring on the final Eastern Conference standings; the Herons finished in second place, two points ahead of the New England Revolution after they fell 1–0 to Orlando City on Saturday.

Messi will hope to do his best Donovan impression once the postseason kicks off and lead his team to a successful MLS Cup title defense. When the playoffs begin, the Argentine will likely have a third Landon Donovan MLS MVP award in his trophy cabinet.

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