Do they? Maybe I'm completely wrong in my thinking, but do you really think guys that grew up most of their lives in other countries and probably watched those other countries play, not the USMNT, know who a guy is who barely played in Europe?
I've been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to travel to a number of countries. Being a soccer nerd, I'd always jump at the chance to strike up soccer conversations with locals since that just doesn't happen all that often here. Most people, generally, knew who Donovan was and knew that he was our best player. Doesn't mean that they would recognize him in the supermarket, but they knew his name and reputation. Sonora and CCV have been entrenched in the US system long enough to where they'd have to know who Donovan was, I hope so at least.
I lived in Argentina for most of the last 8 years. Kids start collecting packs of player stickers to put in their FIFA World Cup Team Roster books in ~February or March. I didn't buy the book in 2014, but 2010 definitely had Landon in it and I think that 2014 probably did too. (The books come out LONG before final roster cuts are made.) Also, the US played in Copa America 2007 and actually led Argentine for a few minutes in our match. Landon first scored in 2002 and was the best player on the field against Germany in 2002's quarterfinal. There are FOUR 24/7 sports channels that run soccer matches, previews, post game, strategy, youth highlights... about 95% of the time. Every soccer fan in Argentina would know who Landon is. They may not worship him, but they know who he is. I'm not sure who CCV is, so I can't speak for his country. But I can speak for Argentina with authority.
@kba4life @Napoleon_BA, interesting perspectives. Thanks for the insight. BTW, CCV is Cameron Carter-Vickers and he grew up in England.
I thought about the addition of Donovan to the squad, as well as our defensive depth. I think there's a possibility we will see EPB in defensive mid, you heard it here first. XD
Yeah, just wondering if any American kids actually buy these. Sounds like it's a common thing in Argentina.
By our standards, seems very quaint, and I mean "quaint" with a positive connotation. It's all about the electronic gadgets here.
I saw the Panini sticker albums and stickers in our local Dick's Sporting Goods during the World Cup. I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy one for my son. I'll do it in 2018.
Hah, 2018 may be too late. The "sticker age" lasts only so long. That said, I wouldn't mind having one myself :--).
You really think they don't know who he is? Seriously dude? Yeah maybe they don't grow up watching him but I'm sure they're well familiar with him.
I'm about to turn 18, and I had a few. So did my friends. But it's huge everywhere else in the world, some of my best friends have been foreign exchange students from; Germany, Spain, Scottland, and Brazil. They have all told me about how huge it is in each of there countries respectively.
I was raised with Panini World Cup sticker albums in Europe and was glad to find them here in the U.S. last summer. My eight-year old son and his cousins learned a ton about the countries and players from the album. It's what got them hooked on the World Cup.
I learned about them because my English flatmate would buy a pack of stickers almost every day at a local kiosko (bodega/smoke shop...) and then bring them back and open them up. He was mid-20s (I was definitely older), but was obsessed with filling up the book before The Cup started. Once or twice I took his duplicates to my Argentine girlfriend's apartment to swap for needed players from the duplicates she had picked up from her 5 year-old nephew. You've got a 25 year-old Brit & a 5 year-old Argie swapping stickers through 30-something Argie/US intermediaries who are sleeping together. THAT is what international soccer is like around the world.
And? Is Messi more recongizable playing for Argentina or Barcelona? What about Ronaldo playing for Portugal or Real Madrid? Even a lesser example, do you recognize Leighton Baines more for his play at Everton or with England? Maybe people know of Donovan, but I really think there are tons of football fans around the world that haven't seen him play that often and don't really know the caliber of player that he is.
Yup. I travel around Europe and South America and see them all the time. The American equivalent is baseball cards, which of course used to be ubiquitous. Folks in the rest of the world don't know the Landon Donovan of MLS, Everton, etc. However, when you produce on the World Cup stage....................people everywhere know you. I've been to remote villages in Romania, and they all know Landon Donovan. He's the only player in the history of international football with 50 goals, 50 assists, and 150 caps. Stump your friends with that one........................... The idea folks think the rest of the world doesn't know Landon Donovan is part of some sort of bizarre inferiority complex.