Why Tim Howard’s Recent Comparison Of Christian Pulisic To Landon Donovan Makes Sense

Tim Howard has been playing professional soccer for more than two decades. During that time he’s teamed up with some of the world’s best — players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs with Manchester United, Mikel Arteta and Joseph Yobo at Everton and Christian Pulisic and Chris Wondolowski Clint Dempsey on the USMNT. 

So, needless to say, Howard’s words carry weight, especially in the U.S., where he still plies his trade with the Colorado Rapids in MLS. 

The18 caught up with the USMNT’s most-capped goalkeeper after the USMNT victory over Trinidad and Tobago last June and asked him about the one player everyone in the U.S. wants to know more about: Christian Pulisic.

We asked Howard if there’s a player he’s teamed up with who reminds him of Pulisic. His answer will probably excite most USMNT fans, for better or worse.

The quote in full:

“I think you probably want me to say Landon (Donovan). He’s a special talent. We talk about Landon — he had incredible potential, but he fulfilled it over the course of a decade and then some. Christian’s well on his way.”

Landon Donovan is the USMNT’s all time leader in goals (for now) and assists, but he often divides opinion in the U.S., particularly after he was left off the 2014 World Cup squad. Depending upon where you fall on the Donovan spectrum (whether you’re more of a Jurgen or more of a Bruce), Howard’s comparison of Landycakes to Pulisic is either a great compliment or an unfortunate assessment. 

In the past, we’ve compared Donovan’s accomplishments to those of Christian Pulisic before the age of 19 — Pulisic was the clear winner. Pulisic has done greater things at a higher level than Donovan early in his career. 

But Pulisic has a long way to go before he’s at Donovan’s level over the course of his entire career, particularly with the U.S., which strikes at the heart of Howard’s answer. 

Donovan starred at the 2002 World Cup at the age of 20, scoring twice to be named the Best Young Player of the tournament. His huge potential bore fruit and he became perhaps the best American soccer player of all time. 

Pulisic, unfortunately, will not get the chance to star at the 2018 World Cup at the age of 19 because, you know, shit happened. But Pulisic will (probably) have plenty of chances to make his mark on the world’s biggest stage.

Pulisic already has nine USMNT goals, 15 percent of the way to Donovan’s all-time mark of 57 (tied with Dempsey). Whether or not Pulisic proves to be as good as Donovan (or better) has everything to do with, as Howard said, fulfilling his potential over his entire career. Arguably right now, Pulisic has a higher potential than Donovan ever did, though to be fair much of that is down to higher stakes thanks to how Donovan has pushed U.S. soccer forward.  

And if anyone knows about fulfilling potential, it’s Tim Howard, the two-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year who played with a teenage Ronaldo. Now to wait for 15 more years to see where we’re at on this debate when Christian Pulisic is in his mid-30s.