The National Soccer Hall of Fame announced Saturday that former United States Men’s National Team stars Landon Donovan and DeMarcus Beasley will be inducted in the Class of 2023.
Both Donovan and Beasley earned inclusion on their first year of eligibility and will be enshrined along with USWNT midfielder Lauren Cheney Holiday, whose induction was revealed Tuesday. The ceremony will take place on May 6, 2023 at the home of the Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas.
A member of last year’s class and former USMNT teammate Clint Dempsey surprised Donovan and Beasley with the news live on Fox Sports 1’s coverage of the World Cup in Qatar.
Donovan, 40, is tied with Dempsey as the all-time USMNT leader with 57 goals and ranks second to Cobi Jones in appearances (157), which included three World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010) and one Olympic Games (2000). The Ontario, Calif., native also won a record six MLS Cups as a member of the LA Galaxy (2005-14, ’16) and retired as the league’s all-time leading goal scorer.
The longtime forward and midfielder scored three goals at the 2010 World Cup, an American record at the event. He also played internationally with Bayern Munich, Everton and Leon.
Beasley, 40, played in 126 games for the USMNT over a 16-year span from 2001-17 and was the first U.S. male player to see action in four World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014). Originally from Fort Wayne, Ind., the former midfielder/defender also starred in MLS for 11 seasons with the Galaxy (1999), Chicago Fire (2000-04) and Houston Dynamo (2014-19).
Beasley also played two seasons in the Dutch first division, one season in the English Premier League, three seasons in the Scottish Premier League, one season in the German first division and three seasons in the Mexican first division. He won a Scottish Premier League championship with Rangers in 2009.
–Field Level Media