WFootball: Landon Donovan vs. David Beckham???
 

Landon Donovan vs. David Beckham: Who Has Achieved More for MLS?

Bleachersreport 12 April 2012

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David Beckham and Landon Donovan. They are, without a doubt, two of the most high profile stars to ever play in MLS.


Both are skilled and can exhilarate fans in a way that very few other players in the league can.

That they're on the same team, the L.A. Galaxy, would seem to be guaranteed powerhouse. And while they have achieved many wins, the Galaxy have managed to win only one trophy (last year's MLS title).

Certainly the relationship between Beckham and Donovan has had its fair share of bumps. The two had a very public spat when Donovan accused Beckham of being a bad teammate in Grant Wahl's book, The Beckham Experiment.

Yet the two stars seem to have found a way to coexist.

Which has done more for the league though?

It's an interesting debate. Let's explore.

Re: WFootball: Landon Donovan vs. David Beckham???
 

The Case for Beckham

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David Beckham, for nearly a decade, was the highest grossing athlete on the planet. Even today, he still generates a remarkable amount of publicity and sales.

And there is plenty of substance in Beckham's play that justifies the attention. His dead-ball specialty is still every bit as good as it once was.

His resume is probably one of the finest in European soccer history, at least at the club level.

He started his career at Manchester United, moved on to Real Madrid, and then joined the Galaxy. He also has dabbled with A.C. Milan. Certainly, Becks has played for three of the most famous teams in the world.

And he's won a number of trophies too. Countless league titles and a Champions League title in 1999 with United made him a world celebrity. There's also this.

There's no question that he's brought fans to MLS.

Re: WFootball: Landon Donovan vs. David Beckham???
 

The Case for Donovan
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Donovan is one of the finest players that the U.S. has ever produced.

He burst onto the scene at a youth tournament, where scouts from Bayer Leverkusen spotted him and got him under contract.
After being loaned back to MLS in 2001, he promptly won a title with the San Jose Earthquakes.
His career rise continued at the 2002 World Cup the next summer, where most Americans officially met Donovan, with his carving runs and timely goals.
Since then, he's tried to go abroad, but always ended up back in MLS, now with the Galaxy.
In the 2010 World Cup, he once again proved the hero, leading the U.S. to a group win because of his last-second goal against Algeria.
His accomplishments, many of which have taken place in MLS, have undoubtedly helped the league grow.

Re: WFootball: Landon Donovan vs. David Beckham???
 

And the Winner Is...

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...Donovan.


It has to be Landon Donovan. And not just because he's American. Hear me out.
While Beckham is vastly more popular and, at his peak, was probably a far better player than Donovan, that doesn't mean he's done more for the league.
And this isn't totally a knock on Beckham.
The simple fact is that Donovan has been in MLS far longer, and has done more.
The other big reason is also out of Beckham's control: he's not American.
It sounds arbitrary, but it does matter, especially with a major MLS target: kids.
Most American kids could care less what Beckham did with Manchester United, but they definitely know Donovan from the World Cup.
And more than anything else, it was extremely important that America's World Cup hero came home to play in the MLS.
That, way more than anything in Beckham's power, helped to attract fans. So while the name recognition is a contest that Beckham wins hands-down, Donovan is actually more important in attracting fans and helping MLS.