Galaxy’s Landon Donovan is on both sides of USC-UCLA rivalry

The USC-UCLA football rivalry isn’t anything new for soccer star Landon Donovan, who was born and raised in Southern California. But he’s had to change his loyalties slightly for Saturday’s game.

“I grew up rooting for the Bruins,” he said. “[But] my girlfriend is a USC alum, so I’ve shifted my allegiances a little bit because I’m a smart man.

“It will be fun to watch. I’m excited for it.”

Pushed on whether that shift in allegiances meant he’d be cheering for the Trojans, Donovan demurred.

“No comment,” he said with a smile.

Donovan, who is retiring at the end of the season, has his own rivalry to worry about this weekend, as his Galaxy meets the Seattle Sounders on Sunday at the StubHub Center in the first game of Major League Soccer’s Western Conference finals.