Landon Donovan believes 2026 World Cup will be the biggest success ever
By Josh Hill
Neither Landon Donovan or the USMNT are playing in the World Cup in Russia, but both could be representing their country in 2026.
Landon Donovan has swallowed his share of bitterness over this career. He’s been cut from the USMNT, had his dreams crushed on a global stage, and watched as the sport he loves fails to be embraced by his fellow countrymen.
Maybe it’s the California Kid in him, but you’ll never hear an overtly negative thing from Donovan about any of that. Sure, he’s aware of Soccer’s slow crawl in America, but even in the face of the country missing the World Cup he’s unwilling to give up.
“None of it matters if you don’t have the players capable of doing it at that level or when it matters,” Donovan, representing Modelo the official beer of the beautiful game, told Mark Carman during On The Mark. He’s referencing the criticisms that have faced U.S. Soccer in recent years over not building up a base of talent despite having some of the best players in the world.
While others offer criticism, Donovan offers solutions.
“It’s all about producing players who have guts in the big moments, who it means something to them in a real way.”
He references the USMNT’s game against Trinidad, which kept them out of the World Cup. Donovan wants the U.S. to produce players who go into that game and know they’re going to win and don’t give up until they have.
It’s something U.S. Soccer doesn’t totally have now, but can absolutely develop over the next eight years. That’s the big date circled on everyone’s calendar: The 2026 World Cup, to be hosted across North America.
Whatever level ‘hype’ is on, Donovan is a few rungs higher than that in regards to how big he thinks the World Cup will be in 2026.
“I firmly believe that will be the most successful, by every measure and metric, sporting event in the history of the world.”
Donovan also believes the USMNT will be at a place where it can produce a team that seriously contends for a title.
“There are kids who are in MLS academies now who, with the right development and right leadership, absolutely could be world-class players.
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The only question is, are we going to be able to make it happen?”
Donovan is also partnering with former baseball player David Ross and Modelo to raise attention and to encourage Americans to get behind the Mexican National team. Some have taken offense to Donovan rooting for Mexico, but no one should question his heart is in the right place.
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