Donovan's Own Teammate Refuses to Crown Him an All-Time Soccer Legend

What does it truly mean to be a legend of American soccer? According to former U.S. men's national team standout Jermaine Jones, it should require far more than the footballing career his ex-teammate Landon Donovan put together. And there's a clear reason why Jones himself doesn't sit at the top of that conversation.

Donovan is undeniably the second-most capped player in USMNT history with 157 appearances, and shares the all-time goals record of 57 with Clint Dempsey. He claimed six MLS Cup titles (2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014) and two Supporters' Shield honors (2010, 2011). He was also awarded the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player in 2002, after guiding the Americans to a remarkable quarterfinal run at just 20 years of age.

But for Jones, "greatness" extends well beyond measurable statistics—caps, silverware, and accolades. It comes down to "the level you compete at, the challenges you face, and the path you choose," he posted on X this week.

In his view, Donovan deliberately chose "the easier path," while he himself "competed at the level where [Donovan] clearly felt he couldn't establish himself."

"I know firsthand what it takes to compete at the highest level in European football, and I also know the difference between choosing the harder road and taking the easier one," the midfielder stated.

Both now 44 years old, Jones and Donovan briefly crossed paths at Bayer Leverkusen in 2005 and spent four years as USMNT teammates. This isn't even the first time this month that Donovan has drawn criticism from a former national team colleague, nor is it the first time he and Jones have clashed.

Donovan Opts for 'Easier' Path

Jones spent the majority of his playing days competing abroad at the elite levels of the game in the Bundesliga, the Champions League, and the Europa League. By contrast, a disappointing spell at Bayer Leverkusen prompted Donovan to return to the United States, where he spent most of his career in MLS with the San Jose Earthquakes (2001–2004) and the LA Galaxy (2005–2014, 2016).

Donovan captured two MLS titles with the Earthquakes (2001, 2003) and an impressive four more with the Galaxy (2005, 2011, 2012, 2014). While those achievements are notable, Jones believes there is an important context to keep in mind regarding that trophy-filled run.

"Let's not forget which team he played for," Jones pointed out. "He wasn't playing for the Colorado Rapids or Real Salt Lake with all respect. He played for the LA Galaxy, a club that was the face of MLS for years, with some of the league's biggest stars.

"We're talking about a team with three top Designated Players [including David Beckham], league rules that were adjusted, and several other players earning top money." Just another example of Donovan taking the "easier" road, according to Jones.

Jones's own trophy haul may be considerably more modest—limited to the German Cup and German Super Cup with Schalke 04 in 2011—but that's not what he considers the measure of "greatness."

"There's a difference between dominating a league and proving yourself against the best players in the world, week after week, at the highest level," said Jones, who made 129 appearances for Schalke 04 between 2007 and 2014. "... My definition of greatness might be very different from all of yours."

Although Jones wrapped up his career in MLS—best remembered for his time with the New England Revolution—he has little doubt that he "would have dominated MLS" had he made the move to American football earlier in his career.

Why Jones Isn't Considered Among the Greats

Jones is widely regarded as one of the most gifted players ever to wear the Stars and Stripes, serving as a cornerstone of the midfield on many occasions, including throughout the 2014 World Cup. Yet he does not command the same legendary status in the U.S. as Donovan.

That reality goes beyond the simple fact that Donovan was a high-profile forward who found the net regularly. For Jones, it stems from his identity as a German-American.

"Would I be considered one of the greats if I had been born in the United States and played my entire career in Europe?" Jones wrote. "For sure, period!!!"

Jones was born in Frankfurt, West Germany, to an American father and a German mother. He represented Germany at youth level and even appeared for the senior side three times in 2008 before switching allegiances to the USMNT in 2010 at the age of 28, going on to earn 69 caps over seven years with the national team.

The midfielder believes his contributions as an American have been undermined precisely because of his dual-national background, possibly fueled by Donovan's own pointed remarks in the past.

After Donovan was controversially left out of the squad by then-USMNT head coach Jürgen Klinsmann for the 2014 World Cup, the two exchanged frank words to clear the air—a conversation Donovan revisited in 2023 on CBS Sports.

"I said to Jürgen there are guys who you're going to take to the World Cup, who'll never play for the U.S. again, will rarely step in the United States again and don't give a f*ck what happens to U.S. Soccer after this tournament." pic.twitter.com/GNmoa6pWNL

"I said this, and it came to be true: 'There are guys in that locker room who you're going to take to the World Cup, who will play three or four or five games, who will never play for the U.S. again, will rarely step in the United States again, and don't give a f--- what happens to U.S. Soccer after this tournament,'" Donovan recalled.

Donovan took aim at the several dual nationals Klinsmann chose to bring to Brazil that summer, Jones among them. Those words stung Jones, who fired back a year later: "When I decided to come to this country, I did everything I was asked to. I tried to learn the language, I was not good at the time. I tried to be like everybody else who is born and raised here.

"But then, I don't feel the same [appreciation for] what I did, because I was not born here. But I never did anything wrong."