Donovan Questions USMNT Pride

Landon Donovan, the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. men’s national team, has voiced sharp criticism regarding the squad's mental fortitude. His comments follow a 5-2 home loss to Belgium, a match where the U.S. took an early lead before suffering a significant second-half collapse.

Donovan expressed disbelief at the team's lack of aggression during the defeat. Speaking on his podcast with Tim Howard, the former star noted that the players appeared to lack the necessary pride to compete, pointing to the absence of tactical fouls or yellow cards as evidence of a passive approach.

A Lack of Competitive Edge

While Donovan clarified that he believes the players do care, he emphasized that they seem to lack the pride required to prevent such a lopsided result. He stated that he would have been deeply embarrassed to lose by such a margin on home soil just months before the World Cup.

Donovan highlighted the team's failure to disrupt Belgium’s momentum, specifically noting the lack of physical resistance against players like Jeremy Doku. He expressed frustration that no players were seen yelling at one another or attempting to stop the opposition's dominance through aggressive play.

Concerns Ahead of the World Cup

The USMNT is set to face Portugal on Tuesday, marking their final friendly before head coach Mauricio Pochettino finalizes his World Cup roster. Donovan warned that conceding five goals at home could cause lasting psychological damage to the team.

Defensive Vulnerabilities

Donovan identified the center of the defense as the team's most significant weakness. He argued that the current backline struggles against top-tier international competition, noting that the team has failed to record consecutive shutouts since the fall of 2023.

While the absence of Chris Richards against Belgium was noted, Donovan insisted that defensive issues persist regardless of personnel. He concluded that regardless of tactics or formation, the team must improve its individual competitive spirit to stand a chance against world-class opponents.