US soccer legend Landon Donovan believes the USA can win the World Cup, but only if a long list of things goes right along the way. He says the team is good enough to make a deep run, yet the path becomes far tougher once knockout games begin.
The immediate challenge, in Donovan’s view, is surviving the next round against Bosnia and Herzegovina. From there, he says the USA would need to keep beating strong opponents one after another while handling the emotional and physical pressure that comes with each step.
Why Donovan thinks the door is open
Donovan, who helped the Americans reach the quarterfinals in 2002, said the current team has the talent to do it. Speaking to CNN Sports ahead of the tournament, he said, “Can they? Yes,” and added that the squad can absolutely beat the teams standing in its way.
He pointed out that a team cannot avoid quality opposition once it gets out of the group stage. “You’re playing a good team,” he said of the round of 32, before noting that the quarters would bring one of the world’s top eight sides.
| World Cup Stage | Donovan’s View | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 32 | Must beat a good team | The first knockout game is already a major hurdle |
| Quarterfinals | One of the big eight teams | The level rises again immediately after the next win |
| Later knockout rounds | Needs repeated strong performances | The team would have to stay sharp and emotionally ready |
Donovan said the USA has enough quality to keep moving forward, but the hardest part is sustaining that level through multiple rounds. “So, can they beat all of those teams? Yes, they absolutely can,” he said.
A team built around Pulisic and home support
The current US squad is led by AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic, who has recovered from a recent calf injury. Donovan said Pulisic is crucial because he can change a game almost by himself and force defenders to focus on him.
“He’s the one guy who can make a play basically out of nowhere,” Donovan said. He added that when Pulisic is playing well, other players get more space to create chances and score.
Donovan also believes the crowd could become a major factor if the USA goes deep in the tournament. He pointed to South Korea’s surprise run in 2002 as an example of how a home atmosphere can help push a team beyond expectations.
“If our crowd is behind us, I think everything’s possible,” he said. That belief adds another layer to his optimism, even as he stressed that success still depends on a lot of good breaks.
Donovan’s own World Cup story
During his career, Donovan played in three World Cups and became the USA’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament with five goals. His 2002 run remains one of the most impressive American showings on the global stage.
The success did not continue evenly, though, and the USA failed to get out of group play in 2006. Donovan has since discussed the mental health struggles and depression he faced after that tournament in his memoir, Landon: A Memoir.
He told CNN Sports that the criticism after 2006 hit him hard. “I had a really poor 2006 World Cup and got criticized really harshly for the first time, it tore me up,” Donovan said, describing a period when he could not get off the couch, eat, or sleep.
That difficult stretch eventually forced a decision about whether to keep playing. Donovan said there were moments when he was not sure he wanted to continue, but he ultimately stayed in the game and built the career that still gives his words weight for today’s US team.