Position: Forward
Born: 04.03.82
Club: Los Angeles Galaxy

A three-time US Footballer of the Year award winner, Landon Donovan has long been cast as the golden boy - and brightest hope - of US 'Soccer'.

If the perceived wisdom that footballers don't reach their peak until their late 20s is true, then Donovan still has three or four years to go until we see the best of him.

Yet already he has been compared to Michael Owen, has played over 70 times for the States and is on course to smash Eric Wynalda's mark as the US' all-time topscorer.

It all really began for Donovan in his late teens when he was invited to train with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in England before signing a four-year deal with Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen.

Although life in Germany was tough for the youngster, he quickly adapted on the field and was drafted into the US senior squad in October 2000, making an immediate impression with a goalscoring debut aganst Mexico.

Having kicked the door open at international level, Donovan had to swallow plenty of disappointment with Leverkusen as he was relegated to their fourth XI.

He eventually returned to his homeland with San Jose Earthquakes in 2001 and from there was a shoo-in for the 2002 World Cup in Japorea, a tournament he starred in with a brace of goals as the US reached the quarter-finals.

A hugely talented forward, Donovan has pace, anticipation, two good feet and an eye for goal. In short, he has all the attributes he needs to go right to the very top of the game.

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