{"id":563851,"date":"2026-03-27T07:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T07:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/563851\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T07:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T07:22:09","slug":"landon-donovans-2010-world-cup-goal-the-moment-that-changed-soccer-in-the-united-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/563851\/","title":{"rendered":"Landon Donovan\u2019s 2010 World Cup goal: the moment that changed soccer in the United States"},"content":{"rendered":"

Landon Donovan\u2019s last-minute goal against Algeria<\/a> at the 2010 FIFA World Cup<\/a> remains one of the most iconic moments in the history of soccer in the United States<\/a> \u2014 and one that still shapes the sport\u2019s trajectory ahead of 2026.<\/p>\n

More than just a dramatic winner, it became a cultural turning point.<\/p>\n

What happened on the play<\/p>\n

On June 23, 2010, in Pretoria, the United States<\/a> faced Algeria<\/a> in the final match of Group C. The stakes were simple: win and advance, draw and likely go home.<\/p>\n

As stoppage time began, the match was still tied 0-0.<\/p>\n

Algeria launched a dangerous attack, forcing goalkeeper Tim Howard into a crucial save. Instead of slowing the play down, Howard reacted instantly, distributing the ball forward to ignite a counterattack.<\/p>\n

Landon Donovan carried the play through midfield as the U.S. surged forward. After a sequence involving Jozy Altidore and a rebound saved by Algerian goalkeeper Ra\u00efs M\u2019Bolhi, the ball fell back to Donovan inside the box.<\/p>\n

From close range, he struck it cleanly into the net.<\/p>\n

The United States<\/a> won 1-0, finished first in the group \u2014 their best result since 1930 \u2014 and advanced to the knockout stage.<\/p>\n

Commentator Ian Darke\u2019s call, \u201cGo, go, USA!\u201d, became instantly embedded in American sports culture.<\/p>\n

Why the goal mattered<\/p>\n

In countries where soccer is already dominant, great goals reinforce identity. In the United States<\/a>, this one helped build it.<\/p>\n

At the time, soccer still competed for relevance against the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Major League Soccer was growing, but remained on the margins of mainstream attention.<\/p>\n

This goal changed the tone.<\/p>\n

It created a shared national moment \u2014 one that reached far beyond core soccer fans. Bars filled, living rooms erupted, and millions tuned in<\/p>\n

The broadcast drew over 6 million viewers on television, with more than 1 million streaming online \u2014 record numbers for soccer in the U.S. at the time.<\/p>\n

For many, this was the first time soccer felt like a national event.<\/p>\n

The impact on MLS<\/p>\n

The ripple effects were immediate.<\/p>\n

Interest in soccer translated into stronger attendance and broader engagement with MLS, which had already begun its modern expansion phase following David Beckham\u2019s arrival in 2007.<\/p>\n

Donovan, a star for the LA Galaxy, embodied the connection between the domestic league and international success. His goal reinforced the idea that MLS-developed players could perform on the biggest stage.<\/p>\n

In the years that followed, the league evolved rapidly:<\/p>\n

Increased attendance and expansionGreater international recruitmentThe rise of South American talent pipelinesMajor commercial deals, including global broadcasting agreements<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s MLS \u2014 with global visibility, competitive salaries, and a steady influx of international players \u2014 reflects that long-term growth.<\/p>\n

From 2010 to 2026<\/p>\n

As the United States<\/a> prepares to host the 2026 World Cup<\/a> alongside Canada and Mexico, Donovan\u2019s goal feels less like an isolated moment and more like the beginning of a trajectory.<\/p>\n

The current U.S. men\u2019s national team combines European-based players with MLS-developed talent, under the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino.<\/p>\n

Expectations are higher now.<\/p>\n

A quarterfinal run is widely seen as a realistic target, with the potential for more depending on matchups and home-field advantage.<\/p>\n

A defining moment \u2014 and a foundation<\/p>\n

Donovan\u2019s goal did not instantly transform soccer into the country\u2019s top sport.<\/p>\n

But it did something more important.<\/p>\n

It proved that the United States<\/a> could produce moments that matter on the global stage \u2014 and that the audience was ready to care.<\/p>\n

Sixteen years later, with the World Cup<\/a> returning to American soil, that moment still echoes.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00c0 propos de Publisher<\/a>Partage cet article<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Landon Donovan\u2019s last-minute goal against Algeria at the 2010 FIFA World Cup remains one of the most iconic…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":563852,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":[49,48,561,82],"class_list":["post-563851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-soccer","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-soccer","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=563851"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563851\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/563852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=563851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=563851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=563851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}