Landon Donovan has hitched his wagon to team Mexico now that the United States failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, and the U.S. soccer legend is taking a lot of heat for it.
Donovan’s public support of Mexico has actually been part of a sponsored ad campaign for Wells Fargo.
Join Landon Donovan to cheer on the Mexican National Team during the big tournament. #MyOtherTeamisMexico pic.twitter.com/uzgNdUI9HF
— Wells Fargo (@WellsFargo) June 15, 2018
Carlos Bocanegra, a retired soccer player who was teammates with Donovan on the US national team, was one of the most prominent people to call Donovan out. Donovan didn’t back down and even tried to shame Bocanegra into rooting for Mexico by mentioning that his father is of Mexican descent and bringing politics into the discussion.
Really? https://t.co/nlhHJ8CUNG
— Carlos Bocanegra (@BocaBoca3) June 16, 2018
You grew up in SoCal and owe much of your soccer skill to playing with Mexicans. Your father is of Mexican descent (). Look around our country, are you happy with how we are treating Mexicans? Open your mind, stand for something & remember where you came from https://t.co/1oOD3asfDk
— Landon Donovan (@landondonovan) June 16, 2018
There were plenty of harsh reactions on Twitter:
Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas are embarrassments to US Soccer. 100% positive that zero former Mexican players would be cheering for USA if the roles were reversed. The rivalry means too much. You don’t have to hate Mexico, but you also shouldn’t be holding their scarf.
— Aaron Brown (@Aaron_Browntown) June 16, 2018
Look, Landon Donovan has every right to root for who he wants to root for, and every right to secure that bag from Wells Fargo & Mexico, but when you cross the line into sanctimony when you can't comprehend why others don't want to follow that wave? That's taking things TOO far.
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) June 17, 2018
Don’t call @landondonovan a bandwagon fan, he’s been rooting for Mexico since yesterday #VivaLaMexico
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) June 17, 2018
Donovan has had a contentious relationship with US Soccer since he was left off the 2014 World Cup roster. He has ripped US soccer publicly on more than one occasion, and you have to wonder if his decision to support Mexico has anything to do with that.
