Landon Donovan knows all about representing Team USA at the World Cup.
The 44-year-old represented Team USA in international competition from 2000 until 2014, with Donovan ending his career as the highest goal scorer in Team USA history (57). Donovan represented Team USA in three different World Cups in 2002, 2006 and 2010. The 2002 appearance was the deepest Team USA has finished in the modern era, with the team advancing to the quarterfinals.
Fast forward to the 2026 World Cup and there are heightened expectations surrounding Team USA. Not only is the United States hosting the World Cup for the first time since 1994, they have a more competitive squad led by Christian Pulisic.
As Team USA aims to finish with its best finish in program history, Donovan revealed that one of the biggest keys towards a deep run will be shoring up its weaknesses on the defensive end.
Team USA is coming off of a 3-2 win in friendly competition over Senegal where their offensive potential was on display, but their defensive weaknesses were also on film.
“The game against Senegal yesterday feels like a pretty similar quality of team — Senegal and Turkey seem very similar,” said Donovan in a one-on-one interview. “The one weak spot for this team has been defensively, and we could have scored five or six or seven goals yesterday, but we could have conceded three or four. That part needs to get better, because when you play against really top players, you can get exposed pretty badly.”
Team USA’s Biggest Weakness May Be on the Defensive End
Donovan once again hammered home that his concern for Team USA entering World Cup play is not on offense, but on defense. Team USA’s group includes the likes of Turkey, Australia and Paraguay. They’re considered slight favorites over Turkey, who is considered the biggest threat to the United States in their group.
“I assume we are going to create chances in every game we have, we have some very very good attacking players,” said Donovan. “If we’re not great defensively, that could be the downfall. That will be the key against Turkey is don’t concede a goal, and I’m confident we’re going to score.”
Christian Pulisic Finally Breaks Goal-Less Streak, Scores In Win Over Senegeal
One of the bright spots of the team was Christian Pulisic breaking his goal-less streak. The 27-year-old star of Team USA scored for the first time — and notched an assist — had not scored a goal in five months.
Pulisic getting on the board leading into the World Cup is a big burden off of his back as Team USA prepares for their first game against Paraguay on June 12 to open play.
“Any player goes through high and low moments in their career, and I think the outside world may have been worried and questioning what he’s going to look like and is he going to be in form and everything,” said Weston McKennie after the game, one of Pulisic’s Team USA teammates. “But I think Christian has shown countless times on club level and on country level that he shows up in the moments that we need him the most. “We believe in him and he wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t the player that he is and the person that he is. It’s amazing for all of us to witness it and to see him break that spell.”
Team USA will need Pulisic to be on top of his game if they aim to advance deep in the World Cup as a host country.
Landon Donovan Reveals Team USA’s Biggest Weakness Entering World Cup