Landon Donovan – 'I could lose my best U.S.Player title at this World Cup'

Renowned former player Landon Donovan, veteran of three world cups, offers a frank assessment of the U.S. Team and some words of advice

- By Landon Donovan

I had an immense sense of pride playing for LA Galaxy because I grew up in Los Angeles and felt I was representing the city. But when you play for your country, as I did in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups, there is a different kind of responsibility.

My first World Cup game in 2002 was unlike anything else. Walking out of that tunnel for a pregame warmup was a moment that I'll never forget. It sticks with me more than some of the games.

Getting out of the group stage is an incredible feeling. It's hard to describe the atmosphere. When we got out of the group stage in 2010, for example, we got back to the locker room and Bill Clinton was there, along with some other high-profile people. It hits home that it's a big deal when you see a former president in the locker room, drinking a beer, celebrating with us.

My attitude to the World Cup evolved from 2002 to 2010. In the beginning, I was a 20-year-old who just felt the excitement of the opportunity to play at that level. But in 2010, I realized there are people paying money to come see you, that they look at you as a representation of their country, and there are many who would like to be in your shoes. I didn't want to lose the joy-although you're naturally going to lose some of it, when you carry that kind of responsibility-but I took it very seriously.

Coping with the Pressure

The hardest thing to do in our sport is to score goals, and as a forward you're relied on to either score goals or set them up, and that is a lot of pressure. There might have been one or two times in my career where I felt some anxiety on the field about my performance, but I was always really good at being present in the moment and just focusing on the next play. I developed an ability to move on.