Captain of the U.S. soccer team!
Posted on April 2, 2007
Filed Under Sports News, Football/Soccer
 Wedding helps Landon Donovan understand what is needed to be a real leader on the U.S. soccer team.
“I got married this off season and that’s helped me grow up,” Landon is a 25-year-old forward that affirmed Sunday after scoring three goals, taking the lead with the Ecuador team, on a exhibition game on Sunday ending it 3 -1.
“I’m now embracing a leadership role. I used to say: `I’d love to be a leader. I want to be a leader.’ But it’s not good enough to say it. You have to show it.”
Growing up for him meant taking soccer more seriously and becoming a leader. And that’s exactley what he did, leading the team to a secure win on his first game as U.S. captain since last May 28. For 1 1/2-year scoreless player in international play, this year Landon has five goals in three matches.
Sunday’s hat trick realised by Donovan moved him into a second-place tie with Brian McBride on the scoring list of America with 30 goals, just four goals behind Eric Wynalda.
“Throughout this camp, you could tell that he had really stepped things up in terms of his role in our team. He was our captain today. And more than that, he really came through in terms of great goals,” interim coach Bob Bradley said. “I thought that the group as a whole put in a very good effort. Ecuador, as we know from last summer, is a very, very talented team.”
Bradley, unbeaten since he was hired as interim coach in December, told the press that Donovan has been very attentive and eager to play after his honeymoon witch made him delay for the national team’s preseason camp.
“The first camp of the year is a tough one,” said Bradley!
