Landon Donovan named San Diego Wave FC interim coach

San Diego Wave FC has a new interim coach.

Former USMNT standout Landon Donovan was named the interim coach of the NWSL club on Friday. Donovan will get right to work – his first game as interim head coach will be on Tuesday in San Diego's Concacaf W Champions Cup opening match against Santa Fe FC in Panama City, Panama.

“We are thrilled to have Landon (Donovan) join the club and lead the team for the remainder of the season, including the first-ever Concacaf W Champions Cup," Wave FC sporting director and general manager Camille Ashton said in a statement on Friday. "Landon’s level of knowledge, understanding, and experience as both a player and a coach, provides us with a leader that can help guide this club to where we want to be – in a playoff position and competing for a championship. His passion for this city and growing the game, along with having a player-first mentality, make him a natural fit for this club.” 

Donovan is succeeding former interim coach Paul Buckle, who will return to "personal commitments" after leading the team through the summer following Casey Stoney's firing in late June. "We want to thank Paul for his professionalism and honoring his commitment to see us through this summer window,” Ashton said.

Donovan, a California native, is one of the greatest American soccer players of all time. He won six MLS Cups (2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014) while playing for the San Jose Earthquakes and LA Galaxy and earned the league's Golden Boot honor in 2008.

On the international stage, Donovan made 157 appearances for the United States men's national team from 2000-2014. He currently holds the record for most international assists (58) and is tied with Clint Dempsey for the most international goals scored by an American player (57). He's the only American to eclipse 50 assists and 50 goals in his international career.

The Wave FC lineup includes Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan and Naomi Girma, who won an Olympic gold medal with the USWNT at the 2024 Paris Olympics earlier this month. San Diego Wave FC is 10th in the NWSL standings, as of Friday evening.