Landon Donovan goes nuclear on Matt Crocker as the U.S. Soccer divorce turns ugly

T he United States national team has received a surprising blow after the announcement of the resignation of the U.S. Soccer sporting director , just under two months before the start of the 2026 World Cup .

This situation prompted one of the biggest icons in United States soccer to react.

Landon Donovan's reaction

Former USMNT star Landon Donovan made his stance crystal clear regarding a tournament that is crucial for the development of soccer in the United States .

"My initial thought is if he doesn't want to be here, we don't want him here. And I always got the sense that he wasn't fully committed here and didn't really care about soccer in this country."

He continued, "We should be happy that he's gone. I'm actually happy to get someone in that position who genuinely cares about the growth of soccer ."

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) reported that Matt Crocker will step down from his role as sporting director to pursue a new opportunity in international soccer , without initially revealing his destination.

However, a person close to the decision, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the new position had not yet been officially announced, confirmed that Crocker will continue his career in Saudi Arabia soccer .

Meanwhile, Fox Sports was the first outlet to report his connection to the Saudi football project .