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One of the key players on that team is Landon Donovan, a man who is known for pulling off the upset, most recently leading his Los Angeles Galaxy team out of nowhere to capture the MLS championship.
Here's what Donovan had to say as he prepares for his shot at superstardom on the world stage…
IGN Sports: The whole world typically watches the World Cup. Tell me what it's like to play in a World Cup game?
Landon Donovan: I remember growing up, watching it on TV, and now I get to experience it first hand. I watched in '98, from my math class at school. It was fun to watch as a spectator and cheer on the team. It was my goal to be there one day. To play is obviously something different. It's definitely exciting to play in it, but it's only exciting for your group. As a spectator, you get to watch everything, but I'd much rather be playing, than watching. I'll have time to watch later in my career.
IGN Sports: Share with us one of your most memorable moments playing in the World Cup?
Landon Donovan: My most memorable moment is actually losing against Germany in the Quarter Finals last World Cup. We had such a good run, and I think just the finality of it, and knowing then that it was over was pretty disappointing. That's the most memorable thing in my mind. But the best moment was beating Mexico in the round of sixteen in 2002 and scoring against them. That is something I'll never forget.
IGN Sports: You guys advanced further than anyone expected last time in the World Cup and now you're ranked number four in the world. This year is the United States a favorite or an underdog in your mind?
Landon Donovan: We're still not a favorite by other people's estimation or by our own. We still have a ways to go. You see the number four ranking and it's a little bit deceiving sometimes. We should be proud of it because it means we're getting somewhere. At the same time if we, knock on wood, lose all three games in the World Cup, then it doesn't matter that we're the number four ranked team. So we have to continue to perform. We're trying to grow our sport in this country, and the best way to do that is to do well in the World Cup.
IGN Sports: Realistically, what are your chances to win the World Cup?
Landon Donovan: To win the World Cup would be difficult. Honestly, and realistically. That being said, in 2002 we weren't as far along as this team is this time. We destroyed the German team and lost by a goal in 2002. We should have had a goal but it was disallowed. I mean there were a lot of scenarios that could have happened. We would have gone on to play South Korea in the semi-finals, a team we know we can beat, so there you have that. You win those two games, you're in the finals.
IGN Sports: Fans can be very intimidating around World Cup games. Have you ever experienced a game where everyone in the stadium was against you?
Landon Donovan: We were lucky that we had an opportunity to play against South Korea in South Korea at the last World Cup. There were 60,000 people all in red shirts screaming and chanting at us. It is something very few people get to experience and appreciate. There is absolutely nothing like it.
IGN Sports: How does the World Cup help soccer in this country?
Landon Donovan: This tournament is massive for soccer in the U.S. Sports fans become soccer fans and random fans become sports fans. In 2002 we saw people in the U.S. who had never watched a soccer game in their life in bars at 2 or 3 in the morning cheering for teams and that's what's so cool about this tournament. People back home are going to be watching and cheering us on in Germany.
IGN Sports: What was your involvement in the game 2006 FIFA World Cup?
Landon Donovan: I talk periodically with the producers at EA and I try to be as honest as possible because as great as EA does you just don't want to hear good things. These people are really passionate about making games and making them as realistic as possible. I think they get it right most of the time but I think they appreciate hearing my feedback. From their standpoint, having professionals talk to them and consult on the game is really helpful and it is also encouraging for them. I think it makes their job more worthwhile when they can have open dialogue with someone like me who plays the game at the highest level.
IGN Sports: Is it harder to win the World Cup in real life, or in the video game?
Landon Donovan: It's got to be harder in real life to win a World Cup. But depending on if you play World Class level on FIFA, it's going to be difficult to win in the video game too.
IGN Sports: How do soccer video games help grow soccer?
Landon Donovan: I think the FIFA games have given kids another way to identify with players and that's what we need. It is a lot better when kids can identify and recognize more than a few stars and that's what these games have done. We need faces that kids can look at, idolize and aspire to be like.
IGN Sports: What would draw someone to play 2006 FIFA World Cup?
Landon Donovan: Kids playing in this country, kids that play soccer, and play the games, now have idols. In the past they didn't have idols, they didn't have heroes to look up to. Now they have a chance through a video game, to play with their idols, to play with their heroes, and they can go on and win a World Cup. I mean, how cool is that?
IGN Sports: Do you think kids can learn something about soccer through a video game?
Landon Donovan: Well, my brother and I have always had this theory that, as stupid as it sounds, in video games, there is a certain hand eye coordination and a thought process that you can learn. My mom would probably fight me on that, and say we played too much and that was just a lame excuse, but I really think there were things I learned watching and playing video games. There were moves I would watch, there was certain passes I would notice, there was the way someone crossed the ball, and those things you kind of pick up, because the video game is real and it emulates what the professionals do. So I think kids can take that and apply it to real life. I'm not saying they will become a professional soccer player over night but there are things you can watch and learn in the video game, that are real to you, and you can apply to the field.