EXCLUSIVEWhy America's soccer stars should fear NOBODY at Copa America - even Lionel Messi - according to this former team legend

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USMNT legend Landon Donovan swapped the field for the golf course at the LPGA's Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions earlier this year, and, while he may be used to competing on soccer's biggest stage, he admits to feeling nerve-wracked on the first tee.

But while Donovan may have felt the first-tee nerves, he claims the USMNT should have no fear ahead of the Copa America in their own backyard this summer.

Argentina and Canada kicked off the tournament when they collided at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia Thursday night with the United States playing hosts across eight different states ranging all the way from West to East Coast. 

The likes of World Cup champions Argentina and nine-time Copa America winners Brazil stand in the way glory for the Stars and Stripes.

But Donovan, who earned 157 international caps throughout his career, believes Gregg Berhalter's young side can take on anyone in their way of home triumph this summer - even Lionel Messi.

USMNT legend Landon Donovan claimed that the Stars and Stripes should be fearless

The former soccer star spoke to DailyMail.com at the LPGA's Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions

'Messi is a phenomenal player but he is getting older,' Donovan tells DailyMail.com at Lake Nona, Orlando, during the LPGA's season opener. 

'All of our players now play against or with these guys everywhere in the world, so they're not intimidated.

'They just went through a World Cup together, where they got good results against hard teams. They will not fear anybody at the tournament. There's no reason why they can't win.'

The Copa America serves as a dress rehearsal for the USA's greatest soccer spectacular - the World Cup.

But Donovan claims the USA shouldn't be treating the Copa America as a mere trial run.

As a co-host of the 2026 tournament with Canada and Mexico, the USMNT does not have to go through qualifying and Donovan insists that piles even more pressure on this summer.

'It's crucial. You have the Gold Cup next summer, but it's not this level of competition,' he says. 'This is their last chance to play really meaningful games.

'They're going to take it very, very seriously as they should. If I'm going into it as a player, I'm thinking like this is like a World Cup - every game should be that intensity.'

Donovan and the importance he places on 'meaningful games', especially when it came to his beloved LA Galaxy, caused somewhat of a rift with one of soccer's greatest.

The USA clinched a 1-1 tie against Brazil in their final game before the Copa America

Donovan insisted that the USMNT shouldn't fear any team - not even Lionel Messi's Argentina

David Beckham joined MLS's LA Galaxy in 2007 on a widely publicized five-year, $32 million deal that was originally reported to be worth as much as $250 million.

But after a loan spell at AC Milan in 2008, Beckham was dragging his heels about returning to the US for another MLS season, leaving his Galaxy teammate Donovan infuriated.

The American became the first of Beckham's teammates to really publicly criticize him at the time and more recently, revisited his frustrations during Manchester United legend's Netflix series, saying, 'Even though it's a s***ty little MLS team that he doesn't really care about… it meant a lot to me.'

Donovan backtracks slightly when asked about his clash with the former England captain, showing a little more understanding towards his ex-teammate.

'I don't know if that's the word I should have used,' Donovan chuckles, looking bashful, 'but you have to look at it through his eyes. He came from Real Madrid and Manchester United, where he was always on basically the best team on the field 95 percent of the time. Then he comes to an MLS team that's in last place.

'Their facilities? Not the same. Their fan engagement? Not the same. The quality of football? Not the same. The attention was the same, but that's because he was there. That would have been a shock to his system.

'At the time I was frustrated but now I give him a lot of grace because that was a really hard transition. And ultimately, he decided to commit to it and ended up being successful.'

But Donovan clarifies that Beckham never actually gave any public inclination but claims he could read between the lines due to the former England captain's pride.

Messi kisses the trophy after beating Brazil 1-0 in the 2021 Copa America final

Donovan is pictured with former LA Galaxy teammate David Beckham (right) in 2011

'I actually didn't get that vibe speaking to him or the way he was acting,' he says. 'I could just tell that as loss after loss after loss piled up.

'He's proud, right? He had been successful at everything he'd done, and he's one of the most famous people in the world. So when he's losing and losing, that's frustrating. So, I think his inclination, which would probably be most of ours, was to pull back a little bit, and disassociate.'

Donovan doesn't hold Beckham - or his pride and success - responsible for the locker room tension either, admitting that the Galaxy wasn't delivering enough to satisfy its star player.

'We weren't holding up our end of the bargain in the MLS and our team,' Donovan admits. 'We needed to hold up our end of the bargain and we did eventually, but at first I can understand why it was frustrating.'

Donovan and Beckham went on to win the 2011 and 2012 MLS Cups with the former scoring the game's only goal in their first final victory, set up by Robbie Keane and, of course, Beckham himself.

Whatever frustrations Beckham was feeling on and off the field, they clearly didn't seep into the public consciousness.

Now dubbed the 'Beckham Effect', his arrival in MLS in 2007 marked the first revolution for the American league since its creation in 1996.

But whatever impact Beckham had on MLS as a player, it doesn't compare to what he's done as an owner.

And in Donovan's eyes, with the capture of Messi, Beckham has one-upped anything he could ever do as a player as he was the only one who could ever lure the World Cup winner to the US.

The American claimed that Beckham's move to the Galaxy was a shock for the Englishman 

Donovan credits the former England captain for luring Messi to MLS 

'It was hard to quantify his impact when he came,' he claims. 'There were actual data points that you could measure, like attendance, sponsorship, dollars, etc. But you couldn't quantify all the little kids we would see in the stadium watching soccer for the first time when he came to LA. And that's the same with Messi.

'Beckham had this incredible legacy in Major League Soccer, that accelerated MLS and then he goes and doubles down and one-ups himself and brings in Messi.

'Make no mistake, there was only one team Messi would go to. And that was Miami because David was there. David has that kind of impact on people.

'So even when there were a few tough years in the beginning, he has had an overall massive, massive positive impact.'