Landon Donovan and David Beckham: a love story

It did not start very well. See The Beckham Experiment for details on the disastrous first few years. But the relationship between David Beckham and Landon Donovan improved dramatically over the seasons, until this moment when the duo sits on the verge of winning a second straight MLS Cup. To get this far, the Los Angeles Galaxy’s two biggest stars needed to get along.

They did. And more than that, they learned from each other. Donovan is openly talking about how much he grew by watching Beckham and how he relates to the press, the fans, the fame.

Your key quote:

“Forget about the soccer part. I’ve grown a lot as a person since he’s been here, and I’ve watched him closely with all the things he does and his leadership ability and how he handles himself. It’s been an inspiration for me. We haven’t always gotten along, especially in the beginning, but he’s a good person. And I think we’re all very happy for him that he’s ready to move on and do whatever comes next.”

It will be interesting to see what happens if/when/should Donovan play next year. He will undeniably be the star of the team, it’s biggest face, the one the media flocks to even more than they do now. That is, baring a massive DP signing, which could certainly happen. But even if it does, the player who comes will not be as Sir Golden Balls.

That’s a heavy load on Donovan’s already tired-of-it-all shoulders. For a guy who doesn’t much care for the limelight, you gotta think Beckham leaving — and the subsequent media glare increasing on Donovan — goes in the negative category, right? We shall see. We shall see.

And here, just for the heck of it, is a highlight reel of Beckham’s 2012 season from the wonderful people at KickTV. Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll.