Eddie Johnson did not appreciate Landon Donovan using his name as a cautionary tale.
Johnson fired back at his longtime U.S. men's national team teammate, who invoked Johnson's name along with other players as examples of past stars who didn't fully live up to expectations.
Speaking on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast, Donovan urged caution over Cavan Sullivan, saying that he didn't want to get too excited over the 17-year-old American just yet.
"I am measured and calm because I, unlike a lot of new soccer fans, have seen this story happen over and over," Donovan said.
"I saw it with Freddy Adu. I saw it with a guy you won't even remember, Santino Quaranta. I saw it with Eddie Johnson. I saw it with Gio (Reyna) and seen how it's progressed. There will
be the next superstar at some point. It might be Cavan. I'm hoping it's Cavan, or maybe it's Julian Hall."
Johnson, who is ninth on the all-time USMNT scoring list with 19 goals in his 63 career caps, took exception to his former teammate's characterization.
"I can’t speak for @freddy_adu or Santino Quaranta or @gioareyna but I will speak for myself Landon Timothy Donovan," Johnson began in a post on Instagram.
"You talk so much sh-- about every other young upcoming player in the past but yourself lol why don’t we talk about the 5 years you were in Germany and failed and ran back to MLS bc you weren’t good enough? Why don’t we speak about this?"
Donovan signed with German side Bayer Leverkusen in 1999 as a teenager but struggled to adapt, eventually getting loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes in 2001. After returning to Germany in the 2004-05 season, Donovan requested a transfer and joined the LA Galaxy.
He would go on to win four MLS Cups and ended his career tied with Clint Dempsey for the USMNT's all-time leading scorer with 57 goals in 157 caps.
Johnson and Donovan were teammates for several years with the USMNT. In a World Cup qualifier in 2013, each player scored a goal in a 2-0 win over Mexico that clinched a berth at the 2014 World Cup.
Johnson concluded his post by saying that he and Donovan, generally considered one of the greatest USMNT players ever, had similar resumes.
"You played in a World Cup I played in a World Cup you played in a U-17 World Cup U-20 World Cup Olympics I did the same what make you different then a kid from Bunnell Florida. I did everything you did with fewer opportunities and still considered one of the best strikers this country has seen!!"
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eddie Johnson blasts longtime USMNT teammate Landon Donovan
