Galaxy F Donovan named player of year

Nov 11, 2008 - 11:18 PM CARSON, California (Ticker) -- Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan on Tuesday was named the top United States soccer player of 2008, becoming the only five-time winner of the Honda Player of the Year award.

In the 18 years since the award was distributed, Donovan is the only player to win it more than twice.

Donovan led the league with a career-high 20 goals and added nine assists in 25 matches this season. The 26-year-old is the career scoring leader for the United States and is now training with Bayern Munich of the German Bundesliga for the next 10 days, the team announced Tuesday.

The defending Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich is coached by former Galaxy technical adviser Jurgen Klinsmann. They currently sit in third place, one point behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen and TSG Hoffenheim.

As voted upon by the national media, Donovan finished with 297 points. Fellow finalists Tim Howard (249 points) and Clint Dempsey (176 points) finished second and third, respectively.