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Landon Donovan is possibly one of the most recognizable American men’s soccer players of all time.
Donovan was part of the 2002 World Cup squad that reached the quarter-finals and helped them get out of the group stage in 2010 after a disappointing outing in 2006. He scored one of the most memorable goals of 2010 when he scored in extra time to put the USA over Algeria and advance to the knockout stages.
With the highs that carried Donovan to newfound fame, there were also huge lows.
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Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan (26) in action against Orlando City FC during the second half at StubHub Center on September 11, 2016. (Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)
Donovan details his battle with depression and reconfigures what success meant to him and his incredible football career in his new book, “Landon: A Memoir,” out Tuesday.
He opened up to Pakinomist Digital about his mental health issues and what depression looked like for him.
“I had two different types of experiences with depression,” he said. “I realized through therapy and in retrospect that I’ve had an underlying depression, low-level depression my whole life that I deal with today. So there are days when I wake up and I just feel down and sad and it’s very manageable for me now. I’ve learned how to deal with that.”
“But then I’ve also had three episodes in my life of very severe depressive episodes that have lasted for weeks, which have been really, really hard to get out of. So, what a hat it was for me – not being able to get off the couch, not wanting to eat and just feeling like there’s a massive blanket on top of you that you can’t get off of, and it’s a horrible feeling.”
The former American football star said he has found ways to pull out of these moods along with the help of therapy.
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USA forward Landon Donovan (10) reacts after nearly scoring a goal against Antigua & Barbuda in the second half at Raymond James Stadium on June 8, 2012. (Matt Stamey/USA TODAY Sports)
“I say the three ladies for me,” he explained. “Medicine has helped a lot in my life. Meditation helps a lot. And then, in some cases, my mom. Just my mom being there by my side has helped me. And then I’m at a point now where it’s been a long, long time since I’ve had a major depressive episode. But medication and meditation really keep me calm, and now those are the three things that really keep me calm.”
Donovan mentioned that he really started to struggle after the 2006 World Cup, failing to score or provide assists for the team. He then took the brunt of the criticism from the media. He was also left off the 2008 Olympic roster, even though the team had an U23 roster.
The upside is that no one went to Donovan’s MySpace page to read angry comments or even death threats similar to what professional athletes hear now.
In that way, Donovan told Pakinomist Digital that he feels “very lucky.”
“We see so many people who are in the public eye who have to deal with hate on social media, criticism, criticism all the time. And it would have all been exacerbated for me if it had all existed,” he said. “I feel very, very lucky for a number of reasons that social media didn’t exist at the time, but it’s a very real thing.
“People assume that because we’re in the public eye and we’re making money and we have fame and our lives should be easy. And by the way, compared to the person who’s struggling to put food on the table, it’s easy, so I’m not minimizing it. But it’s hard to deal with at times. We, as humans, are social creatures. And we all want to be normal. open your screen every day, your phone or your computer, and read people who put you down, is really hard on people and unfortunately we’ve seen it take many, many lives.”
Donovan retired from professional soccer as one of the greatest Major League Soccer players the league had ever seen. He helped the USA to four Gold Cup titles and the LA Galaxy to four MLS Cups.
Success in 2026 compared to 2006 looks a little different to Donovan right now.
LA Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida (4) and former player Landon Donovan embrace after defeating the New York Red Bulls in the 2024 MLS Cup at Dignity Health Sports Park on December 7, 2024. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)
“Success to me now is peace,” he told Pakinomist Digital. “I’m at peace when I’m with my kids. I’m at peace with my wife when we get to travel, when I get to play golf. It’s crazy to me sometimes to think about a kid who grew up in a 900-square-foot home, flying to New York, staying in a Ritz Carlton overlooking Central Park and thinking back like that, but how was it always like that, it happened so easily? to me today, peace is about doing those things that I love.
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“Unfortunately, my father is a big part of the book. He’s a big character throughout the book and he wasn’t around when he was growing up. I was able to come to terms with him when I was 25, so almost 20 years ago. He died in December and it was very eye-opening for me to be next to someone when they’re dying. You start to realize one day that when I’m really there, I really think when I’m there, what does it mean?about it that way and try to think about it everyday, what today is really going to matter and so the things that bring me peace are the things I will put my energy and effort into.
