Pines
Photography by Gabriel Bayona Sapag and Ashley Orellana.
“I was playing Dots on my phone, and I got a notification banner saying ‘You’ve been selected for the Gold Cup.’”
It’s been over nine months since we first caught up with NCAA National Champion, DC United center back, and now Gold Cup Champion Donovan Pines.
At the turn of the year, Donovan opened up about the personal struggles he’s faced to reach the professional level, the strong relationship with his family, and the lofty goals he’d set for himself in 2021. With hard work and determination, he’s checked them off one by one. From becoming a starter for D.C. United to getting his first USMNT senior cap, 2021 has been a big year for Donovan. But nothing’s probably as big as helping the U.S. win its 7th Gold Cup in history.
“I was shocked when I got the notification,” remembers Donovan. “I was surprised, but I knew I deserved to be there. I had done well in the January camp, so I knew the staff saw how committed I was. But I was just like, ‘Dang, this is actually happening!”
As soon as receiving the call-up, Donovan phoned his family immediately, and in no time, he was flying out to Kansas City to train with the USMNT squad.
“I traveled with Moses [Nyeman], and as soon as we landed, we got picked up in this black suburban. We had a private driver, and he took us to the hotel. There were all these cameras and reporters there. It was insane, we almost felt like celebrities.”
“I was just taking it all in as we walked in to get our key cards and pick up our gear. Then I saw Jon Lewis and Gianluca Busio, who were also coming in. All I could think of was ‘I’m here with the boys and the USMNT, finally.’”
From the first moments at the USMNT Gold Cup camp, Donovan knew there was something special brewing.
“No one was above anyone else. Everyone was centered and grounded, and we all respected each other. You had all these European guys, then some experienced guys from here in MLS, and a lot of young players overall, but we were all the same -- just regular people with the same goal. Everyone was super chill, and we’d always just have enlightening conversations or deep conversations within the group. With that kind of environment, you can go far.”
Beyond the tight friendships that developed over the Gold Cup, Donovan’s table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was particularly special.
“At my table, I had Eryk Williamson, Walker Zimmerman, Gyasi Zardes, Shaq Moore, and Matt Turner. It was every day for every meal, so I got to know all those guys really well. And everyone there can play soccer, but everyone is just as nervous as the next guy. But we are still there for each other, hyping each other up, and we had some great times together at that table.”
Donovan’s most memorable moment at his dinner table came on his first night with the team, as he had to take part in a USMNT tradition that’s been going on for years.
“I had to sing in front of everybody. It’s like an initiation for guys who have been called up to the senior team for the first time. That was the highlight for me. There were some guys that couldn’t sing, others that could, and others that were so good at rapping.”
As for the song Donovan chose to sing: Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It.’
“It was tough because I had to go an octave down since I couldn’t hit the high notes. I don’t think anyone expected it since I can be a bit quiet sometimes. But I had done it for my DCU initiation, so when they put me on the spot for this one, I just got up on the chair and started singing ‘Beat It.’ I wanted to dance and do the ‘hee, hee,’ but since I was on a chair, I couldn’t.”
Following training and matches, Donovan and the group had a lot of downtime, which was usually taken up by gaming, playing cards, doing homework, or going out for dinner.
After a week of training ahead of their opening against Haiti, the group was focused and ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead. With a squad full of new faces, not many might have expected the USMNT to excel as much as they did. Still, to keep the team focused and grounded, Gregg Berhalter came up with an ingenious solution.
“Before the game against Haiti, Gregg put up a PowerPoint presentation of goals for the team, so ‘least goals conceded, perfect points in the group, most clearances,’ things like that. It was a way to break everything down for us and just take things step by step.”
And it worked. The USMNT went undefeated in the group stage, only allowing one goal. On top of solid results in the group stage, Donovan had the chance to make his debut in their second game, against Martinique.
“Gregg called my name, and it was just a million emotions at once. My heart was racing, and I couldn’t believe this was actually happening. I didn’t know if I was gonna get in any game, and then I did. I just soaked it all in, Gregg told me to have fun, and I just told myself, ‘play simple, stay confident, and do what got you here.’”
Donovan was able to see out the 6-1 win against Martinique, and the following matchday, he played 75 minutes against bitter rivals Canada.
“That was a good Canadian side, and it was a really amazing experience. It was wild because I was warming up, and I just saw Patrick Mahomes in the stands with his brother Jackson. It was nuts. I tried not to be a fanboy, so I just went into the locker room and stayed focused, but it was great to be playing on that stage.”
The USMNT would end up clinching a 1-0 win over Canada to seal a perfect 9/9 group stage outing.
“We went over Gregg’s PowerPoint at the end of the group stage, and we saw we had hit quite a few of the checkmarks. Obviously, there’s going to be a lot of hope for how far you can make it as soon as things start going well. Gregg also implemented a rule of staying off social media and what people were saying about us. That’s why we stayed so center-focused, especially going into the knockout rounds. We tuned out the outside noise and just thought about what we had to do to get to advance.”
With a crucial match against Jamaica coming up, Donovan unfortunately suffered a minor foot injury that would end up sidelining him for the rest of the tournament. Nevertheless, the next few matches and days with the USMNT were unforgettable, and he had a unique position to observe what made the campaign so successful and analyze what the future of the team could hold.
“It was a perfect tournament, and I think Gregg had a great plan for rotating the squad to keep everyone fresh. It was also perfect for the young guys to get to the next level, like Matthew Hoppe, Gianluca Busio, and Sammy Vines. I’m glad that Gregg does that in the U.S. system to help us get to the European level. It’s like a feedback loop. We do well with the national team, have the chance to go to Europe, and then that just raises the level of the national team pool.”
Due to his foot injury, Donovan wasn’t able to dress for the quarterfinal and semifinal against Jamaica and Qatar, respectively. Still, he lived the victories from the stands like any other fan. After sitting out for those matches, Donovan was back in the squad for the grand final against Mexico. And it’s a day he -- and most American soccer fans -- will never forget.
“The stakes were high, and we could all feel the pressure, but it’s Mexico, so we knew it was just going to be an intense game. As soon as we got to the stadium, we saw there were all these Mexican fans outside. It was almost like an away game. They were all booing us, and I would just smile because I felt like that fueled us. Having that underdog mentality.”
In the locker room, words by Paul Arriola helped set the mentality for what would be one of the USMNT’s greatest victories in recent years, made more sweet coming against a classic rival like Mexico.
“Paul said some very captivating words. He just said, ‘Alright guys, it’s Mexico. This is a rivalry game. This is our home, and this is our cup. It’s our cup to win.’ Coach and Walker [Zimmerman] said a few words as well, but it was just all of us focused on getting this cup home.”
As soon as the whistle blew, it was a contested match, just as expected. A couple of chances here and there for either side, but no one was able to break the deadlock. When the whistle blew for the end of regulation, it soon became apparent that one mistake or one moment of magic would decide the game.
“We all know our roles, even people that aren’t playing. All of us on the sidelines just knew we had to stay positive and encourage everyone as much as we could -- just being in the moment with them and making sure their heads are in the right space, I mean, they’re exhausted. I remember going up to James [Sands] and just saying, ‘Dude, you’re almost there, it’s going to be your first championship, so just stay focused and play simple.’
“I think for a lot of us who weren’t on the field, we knew we had to be there for the guys, especially the ones that looked tired or struggling. We all trained together every day, so we knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s all about providing a good atmosphere so that everyone can succeed, especially at the national team. In the end, you’re representing your country, and there’s nothing more special than that.”
That moment of magic would come for the USMNT deep into extra time, in the 117th minute.
“When the ball hit the net, it was the coolest experience I’ve ever had in a game. All of us were warming up behind the goal, just looking at the free-kick. We were all ecstatic, just going absolutely crazy and trying to hug each other. It was such a brotherhood, and it meant so much to be a part of that. We all loved each other, and just having that moment as a whole team was amazing.”
The USMNT would hold on to the win in the remaining minutes, and once the whistle blew, it was pandemonium. Gold Cup Champions, check.
“Once the whistle blew, we all ran onto the field. I hugged everybody. It was so good to be a part of. And I was glad I was able to contribute in two games. I was happy I played my role on the field and then off of it as well. I was just blessed to be a part of the group, and we were so tight-knit that winning just meant that much more to all of us. We were just going crazy as soon as the whistle blew.”
Apart from celebrating with his teammates, Donovan also had a surprise in store. With his family being a pillar throughout his development, it only made sense that they’d travel to Vegas to see Donovan.
“I didn’t know they were going to be there. They surprised me. It was my mom, my sister, my aunts, and my cousin. I somehow saw them in the crowd, and it was just emotional. I couldn’t believe they were there. I didn’t want to cry too much, but my mom cried. It’s hard not to cry when a parent is crying with pride. She just said, ‘I’m super proud of you, Donovan, I’m always so proud.’ That just hits different. It was so good to be able to have them for something that was very important in my life. It’s something I’ll never take for granted.”
Back in the locker room, the celebrations were also quite appropriate for such an accomplishment.
“We were drinking champagne out of the cup and just throwing it around. At one point, the bottom of the trophy got unscrewed, and we all got scared, but in the end, we fixed it. Still, that trophy was busted by the end of the night. And I actually never saw the trophy again. We were back at the hotel, then we celebrated around the city, and then I never saw it again.”
Fortunately, Donovan’s still got his medal to hold onto -- a perfect reminder of how far he’s come.
“After playing at Maryland and winning the National Championship, I’m so proud of how independent I’ve become and how much I’ve grown. I took that chance to finally live out my dream as a professional soccer player, and it’s really happened for me.”
“Now it’s all about trusting the process and keep taking those steps one at a time. The last few months have been crazy. My time at the Gold Cup just taught me to live in the moment because you never know if you’re gonna get it again. I was blessed to be a part of it. Now I just have to keep working to live out the rest of my dreams.”
Photography by Gabriel Bayona Sapag and Ashley Orellana.
