Donovan Reacts to Outrageous World Cup Snub
This week, American soccer fans were outraged to hear that star player, Landon Donovan, was dropped from the US World Cup Team. Check out his reaction to the snub here!
Now, it's no secret, soccer is not an area that I have a vast amount of knowledge. In fact, besides the fact that it's pretty much the most popular sport everywhere else in the world, the only other knowledge I have about soccer is that it's called "football" in most other countries, and the jerseys are called "kits". Oh, and that the World Cup (happening in Brazil this summer) is the only time Americans really get into US Soccer.
If you asked me to name 5 soccer players off hand without googling it, I'd be hard pressed to rise to the occasion. Let's see...
1) Bastian Schweinsteiger -FC Bayern Munich (aka my husband's man crush)
2) Cristiano Ronaldo-Real Madrid (because, duh)
3) David Beckham- Retired from LA Galaxy or Manchester United?? (Does he even play anymore, or does he stick to underwear ads now?)
4) Marco Reus-Dortmund (only because he inspired my husband's haircut)
5) and Landon Donovan-LA Galaxy (because he's the best player in the US)
A general rule of thumb should be if I can actually name a soccer player, then they must be pretty good, right? Right. In fact, 3 days after Donovan was infamously left off the US roster for the 2014 World Cup squad, he broke the MLS all time goal scoring record while playing for his team, The LA Galaxy, earning his 137th goal of the regular MLS season by the end of the game.
So why was Donovan cut from the US National team? Just ask the team's coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, who ultimately made the decision to cut the 32 year old from the team. (Is anyone else shocked the final decision is left up to one guy?)To add insult to injury, after news spread, Klinsmann's teenage son tweeted a mocking message towards Donovan, laughing at the fact the attacker was cut. When asked about the snub in the interview above, Donovan said he was "stunned" and said, quote, "I just feel in my heart that I deserve to be there, and that's the pill that's hardest to swallow."
Time will tell the fate of the US National team, but I for one, would have alot more confidence in my "USA!" chant if Donovan was on the roster.
Do you already have soccer fever? Why wait until the World Cup? Don't miss the Texas All Star Soccer Games right here in Central Texas!