Donovan last played as a forward for Liga MX team Club León in MexicoGETTY IMAGES
Former USMNT player Landon Donovan defended supporting Mexico's World Cup team in multiple ad campaigns, saying he stands "by what I believe." Donovan appeared on San Diego-based XEPRS-AM and said, "I grew up in Redlands and grew up playing with Mexican players, so I literally owe my soccer career to Mexicans." He noted he has "always supported" Mexico when they were not playing the U.S., adding he has "always wished for them to do well because I have many Mexican friends." Donovan did acknowledge he "could’ve done and should’ve done a much better job of explaining" his feelings on the subject before ads for Wells Fargo and Modelo were released. Donovan: "To the average person, they don’t know all that. ... I understand why people were shocked by it and shouldn’t have assumed the history that I have with the Mexican people and their culture” (“Ben & Woods,” XEPRS-AM, 6/18). The N.Y. Daily News’ Frank Isola noted Donovan "grew up in an area with a lot of Mexicans, played in Mexico, has a relationship with that country." He asked, "What is the big deal?" Isola said Donovan's promotion of Mexico "doesn’t make him un-American." But ESPN’s Israel Gutierrez said fans "don’t really know the motivation" from Donovan. Gutierrez asked, "Was it because he got paid by Wells Fargo? ... Was it because he’s got that little chip on his shoulder from being left off the last U.S. World Cup soccer team?" ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said the ads "didn’t feel organic" and they "just felt inauthentic." Shelburne: "You question the motivation: Is this because somebody wrote him a big check or does he really feel that way?” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 6/18).
SIGNS OF A SELL OUT? SI’s Miguel Echegaray said the situation is "clearly something" where Donovan got "caught in the middle." Echegaray: "This all came from a Wells Fargo commercial, so it’s about money” (“Sports Illustrated Now,” SI.com, 6/18). ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said, "There are things that we do for money, and at the time we do them for money they seem fine. Then people point out maybe this wasn't the right thing to do. Then you have to rethink what you've done.” But ESPN's Michael Wilbon said, “I don’t think he did anything wrong. He played there professionally. He must have been welcomed with open arms to some extent” (“PTI,” ESPN, 6/18). ESPN’s Pablo Torre: "Sponsored content scandals when they happen are usually not as interesting or are geopolitically rich as this one” (“High Noon,” ESPN, 6/18).
