Since Major League soccer began play in 1996, the United States and Canada has been home to some of the world’s finest attacking talent. The likes of David Villa and Sebastian Giovinco have been scoring at an unprecedented rate over the last few years, but there are those from the league’s humble beginnings that scored at an even more impressive clip.
It took a while, but Chris Wondolowski finally equaled Landon Donovan’s mark for most goals in MLS history. He didn’t take long to become the top MLS goal scorer of all time.
Americans loves celebrities like apple pie and making fun of baseball. It’s why late night TV shows constantly barrage us with uninspired interviews of famous actors trying to get us to watch their new thing.
But occasionally, a late night show does something truly inspired. They bring on a soccer player, someone who can actually keep the viewers who aren’t in states where marijuana is legalized awake.
Landon Donovan is, for the most part, a cherished member of U.S. soccer history. He’s the MLS all-time leading scorer, MLS all-time leading assister, USMNT all-time leading scorer (tied with Clint Dempsey) and USMNT all-time leading assister.
Aside from some fans who wish he had played longer or found more success abroad, U.S. soccer fans generally hold Donovan in high esteem for his accomplishments.
Then there’s Chris Wondolowski.
The current Landon Donovan soccer revival is going a bit better than his return from retirement last year.
The MLS season is quickly approaching. The buildup to the season has been full of interesting new kits and player signings.
Back on Jan. 23, it was revealed that Landon Donovan would again come out retirement to play professional soccer, this time for the San Diego Sockers of the Major Arena Soccer League. The 36-year-old will make $250,000 during his stay, and fans got their first look at the American legend on Friday.
There was a time when indoor soccer was as big as it got in the United States. After the NASL folded in in 1984 and before Major League Soccer launched in 1996, the only professional soccer in the U.S. was indoors.
The Major Arena Soccer League wants to return to those halcyon days of Dallas Sidekicks and San Diego Sockers, evidence by two giant signings for the current season.
He’s one of the most iconic players in the history of the USMNT. And he just can’t quit soccer.
Landon Donovan, having come out of retirement twice before, once again has failed to stay retired. According to Sports Illustrated, Donovan will return to the pitch to play with the San Diego Sockers of the Major Arena Soccer League.
Club León this is not.
In the history of U.S. Soccer, no one has scored more goals and tallied more assists for the USMNT and MLS than Landon Donovan. He’s kind of a big deal.
Ah, the beginning of the millennium — a time of Sum 41, camo pants and Hit Clips. Some of the hot trends of the early 2000s we long for again, others are better left in the past. Make no mistake, the earliest kind of MLS All-Star Weekend absolutely belongs in the first category.
MLS used to be so much cooler pic.twitter.com/J5YYGlsVXT