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Landon Donovan Gives His Four U.S. Soccer GOATs, Doesn’t Pick Himself

The National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee chose three former teammates and a female contemporary.

Patrick Andres

Landon Donovan Gives His Four U.S. Soccer GOATs, Doesn’t Pick Himself
Landon Donovan Gives His Four U.S. Soccer GOATs, Doesn’t Pick Himself /

Landon Donovan was the face of American soccer for much of the 2000s, scoring 57 goals as the forward shepherded the United States through its longest period of sustained success in the world's game.

However, the man for whom the MLS's MVP award is named after remains modest about his achievements. When asked by SI to pick his four greatest American soccer players at the EA FC Clubhouse in New York, the Ontario, Calif. native declined to select himself.

"I would say Mia Hamm, (Clint) Dempsey, Tim Howard and DaMarcus Beasley," Donovan said.

Donovan played with Dempsey (2006 and 2010), Howard ('06 and '10) and Beasley ('02 and '06) in two World Cups apiece. He was also a contemporary of Hamm, who played in the first four Women's World Cups in 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003, leading the USWNT as they hoisted the trophy in both ‘91 and ‘99.

Even Dempsey put himself in his top four, along with Donovan, Beasley and Howard.

Along with Beasley, his longtime teammate, Donovan was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in May.

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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .

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