Former USMNT Legend Landon Donovan Revealed Why the Americans Will Be at a Disadvantage at the World Cup

The USMNT have finally made it to the World Cup after an absence of 8 years from the competition. They missed out on in 2018, and have a score to settle this year in Qatar. The Americans have several young stars on the team, and the USMNT have never looked better.

Players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are the biggest names on the roster, while emerging stars, Sergino Dest, and Giovanni Reyna are also present. It’ll be interesting to see what Gregg Berhalter can do with this squad and whether they can go on a deep run in the tournament.

Landon Donovan reveals his secret for his World Cup performances

Former USMNT legend Landon Donovan is perhaps the greatest player in American history. His form was impeccable at World Cups, and the former Everton star talked about it in an interview with Deadspin.

The American revealed that he was fitter and fresher for the tournament because the MLS season was still going on. On the other hand, European leagues used to get over just before the World Cup, and players were tired after playing an entire season of football.

“What I found in the three World Cups I played in was that I was much fitter, fresher and in better form than most of the players we would play from around the world on other teams. They were coming right at the end of their club season that ended in May and they were just physically exhausted. It’s really challenging,” Donovan said.

Why can the USMNT be at a disadvantage?

However, this time around the tables have turned and the World Cup is going to be held in the months of November and December. That’s when the MLS season ends and Donovan presumed that USMNT’s players from the MLS will be tired before the tournament.

“This will be the opposite. MLS guys would be at the very end of their season, presumably, pretty tired from playing a long season. And the European guys will be two, three months in and they’ll be fully fit. So it should be a really interesting dynamic to watch play out,” he added.

Read More: Wales vs. Ukraine: Who Will Join the USMNT and England in Their World Cup Group?

Do you agree with Donovan?