# 3 Landon Donovan: Athletes, Dads, And Masculinity
Landon Donovan is widely recognized as the greatest male soccer player the United States has ever produced, appearing in three FIFA World Cups and winning six titles in Major League Soccer.
But despite all of his accomplishments on the field, Donovan was never been the kind of one-dimensional superstar you might find in other sports. In fact, he was one of the most emotionally complex and even conflicted athletes you’ll ever hear from. When Donovan retired briefly in 2014 he mentioned his periodic battles with depression, and he publicly lobbied for team owners and coaches to invest more resources into examining the mental health of their players.
On this episode of Paternal, Donovan discusses how he struggled at times to connect with teammates and coaches during his career because he was unlike some of the prototypical professional athletes in the locker room. He also reveals why being raised primarily by his mother changed his life, and how he intends to teach the lessons he's learned to his two young sons.
