Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard

Episode: NWSL High Impact Players, Tyler Adams Injury, and the 2025 Unfiltie Awards

Date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively end-of-year special, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard present the second annual Unfiltie Awards—the show’s tongue-in-cheek celebration of soccer’s best, worst, and weirdest moments from 2025. The duo break down high-impact players in the NWSL, dissect USMNT injuries, and reflect on the biggest stories shaping the run-up to the 2026 World Cup. With candid opinions, playful banter, and classic “do me a favor” rants, Landon and Tim keep it unfiltered, insightful, and packed with memorable moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shithousery of the Year (02:16)

• Nominees:
  • Luis Suárez’s infamous antics in 2025 (alleged biting, spitting incidents, and dangerous tackles)
  • Sunderland’s staged photo after defeating Newcastle, matching a previous Newcastle taunt
  • Arsenal rivalry moments: Gabriel taunting Haaland in a 5-1 victory
  • NWSL: England keeper Hannah Hampton throwing away Spain’s penalty cheat water bottle
• Hosts Picks:
  • Tim chooses Luis Suárez: “If you allegedly bite your own teammate and spit on an opponent, yeah, you’re a shithouse for sure.” (06:39)
  • Landon prefers Hannah Hampton: “It’s also giving you a competitive advantage…total disaster. I love it.” (06:55)
  • Winner: Hannah Hampton for gamesmanship in the penalty shootout

2. Best Performance of the Year (07:23)

• Nominees:
  • Messi: 13 goal contributions in 6 playoff games
  • Wrexham’s third straight league promotion
  • Rose Lavelle’s NWSL Championship and winner in the final
  • Chelsea’s Club World Cup triumph over PSG
  • PSG’s Rafinha & Dembele’s individual honors
  • USMNT’s emphatic 5-1 win over Uruguay
• Hosts Picks:
  • Tim: “I’m gonna say Wrexham…For them to keep doing it is lucky and special.” (09:31)
  • Landon: “Rose Lavelle…she deserves it.” (10:22)
  • Winners: Split: Wrexham and Rose Lavelle

3. Red Card/Blooper of the Year (11:05)

• Nominees:
  • Idrissa Gana Gueye sent off for striking his own teammate, Michael Keane
  • Wolves' loss after scoring 2 own goals vs Arsenal
  • Hugo Ekitike’s double yellow for shirt removal
  • Spurs’ summer transfer window losses
  • LA City Councilwoman’s gaffe about LAFC’s Son Heung-min
• Hosts' Picks:
  • Tim: Gueye vs Keane (“like two brothers fighting in the kitchen”) (16:30)
  • Landon: Hugo Ekitike (“you cannot do this”) (16:56)
  • Winners: Gueye/Keane incident and Ekitike’s red

4. Most Refreshing Quote of the Year (17:28)

• Nominees:
  • Brian Schmetzer: “Messi is arguably the best player…But we have Paul Rothrock.”
  • Pochettino: “I am not a mannequin.”
  • Chris Richards: “They’re lucky it was a friendly. I probably would have killed somebody.” (18:35)
  • Mo Salah’s benching meltdown
  • Jaden Shaw’s “Underdog's my…”
  • Thierry Henry on dull recent football: “I’ve been bored watching football for the past one or two years.” (20:16)
• Hosts’ Picks:
  • Tim: Chris Richards for stepping up as USMNT leader (20:40)
  • Landon: Split between Pochettino and Richards for changing the USMNT’s tone (21:11)
  • Winner: Chris Richards (and a nod to Pochettino)

5. Biggest Shock of the Year (22:19)

• Nominees:
  • Christian Pulisic opts out of the 2025 Gold Cup
  • LA Galaxy’s title defense collapse: winless until May 31 (17 games)
  • Curaçao qualifying for their first World Cup
  • Al Hilal's upset win over Man City at Club World Cup
  • Grimsby Town knocking out Man United, EFL Cup
• Hosts’ Picks:
  • Both select Curaçao: “Nobody had that on their bingo card.” (24:16)
  • Winner: Curaçao

6. Best USLNT (US Soccer) Moment of the Year (40:49)

• Nominees:
  • David Moyes sending a birthday message
  • Tim’s USMNT post-Nations League rant
  • Landon’s candid story about stepping away from soccer
  • Landon’s “hair” transformation
• Hosts’ Picks:
  • Both—Landon’s hair: “It’s like Time magazine moment of the year” (41:08, Tim)
  • Winner: Landon’s new hair

7. Do Me a Favor of the Year (42:56)

• Nominees:
  • Club World Cup complaints about American weather (Dortmund bench sits out a half)
  • Lamin Yamal’s father: “Biggest moral damage done to a human being” over Ballon d’Or snub
  • Oliver Glasner criticizing Pochettino over Chris Richards playing time
• Hosts’ Pick:
  • Tim: Lamin Yamal’s father’s hyperbole: “That’s just a wild statement…Do me a favor.” (45:14)
  • Winner: Lamin Yamal’s father

8. US Breakthrough Player of the Year (45:57)

• Nominees:
  • Matt Freese (goalkeeper), Alex Freeman, Max Arnold, Diego Luna
• Hosts’ Picks:
  • Tim: Matt Freese—earning USMNT No. 1 jersey “has to be the breakthrough player of the year. End of story.” (46:18)
  • Landon: Diego Luna—his “play with passion” sets standard for selection (47:19)
  • Winner: Split: Matt Freese and Diego Luna

9. Team of the Year (48:44)

• Nominees:
  • PSG (treble, Club World Cup final, 6 in FIFA 11)
  • Gotham FC (NWSL run)
  • Inter Miami (MLS dominance)
  • Chelsea (Club World Cup champs)
• Hosts’ Picks:
  • Tim: “For me, it’s Inter Miami, big credit to Sir David Beckham.” (49:22)
  • Landon: “Phenomenal to watch…what it means for Miami and [US soccer]—congrats Inter Miami.” (50:19)
  • Winner: Inter Miami

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Luis Suárez’s madness
  • “He needs a high five in the face with a chair.” — Tim Howard (03:30)
• On Sunderland’s Derby photo:
  • “Not an impromptu, everybody knows what’s going on.” — Landon Donovan (04:19)
• On Arsenal rivalry heat:
  • “There was a time for a few years…just felt mundane. Too nice.” — Tim Howard (05:23)
• On Hannah Hampton:
  • “Should have done that at some point in time.” — Tim Howard (06:21)
• On Rose Lavelle:
  • “She’s my favorite women’s player of all time.” — Landon Donovan (10:22)
• On Idrissa Gana Gueye:
  • “It’s such a dumb rule. You can’t send people off for hitting their own teammates!” — Tim Howard (11:58)
• On the LA councilwoman’s gaffe:
  • “Big fact check that was missed. Big fact check.” — Tim Howard (16:05)
• Chris Richards quote:
  • “I probably would have killed somebody.” (18:35)
• On Curaçao’s World Cup qualification:
  • “Nobody had that on their bingo card.” — Landon Donovan (25:06)
• On Landon’s hair transformation:
  • “That is my moment of the year. That made me so happy to see you.” — Tim Howard (41:02)
• On Yamal’s father’s Ballon d’Or claim:
  • “Have you studied any history? Really?” — Landon Donovan (44:24)
• On Inter Miami:
  • “Big credit to Sir David Beckham.” — Tim Howard (50:19)

Important Timestamps

• Shithousery of the Year: 02:16 – 07:22
• Best Performance: 07:23 – 11:04
• Red Card/Blooper: 11:05 – 17:14
• Most Refreshing Quote: 17:15 – 21:18
• Biggest Shock: 22:19 – 25:59
• Trivia Segment: 29:52 – 39:00
• Best USLNT Moment: 40:49 – 42:52
• Do Me a Favor Award: 42:56 – 46:11
• Breakthrough Player: 45:57 – 48:44
• Team of the Year: 48:44 – 51:05
• Tyler Adams Injury, NWSL contracts, and Listener Questions: 56:18 – 91:02

Additional Segment Highlights

Listener Q&A and Rule Change Ruminations (66:51 – end)

• Don Garber praised for candor in past episode
• Thoughtful debate: Promotion/relegation in MLS—its hurdles and possibility in the future
• On comparing era-to-era players:
  • “It’s about athleticism…But would John Stockton be SGA in this era?” — Landon Donovan (74:20)
• Genie wishes to grow American soccer:
  • Both cite ending salary caps, unifying youth structure, sustainable pro/rel system, and thoughtful timeouts or water breaks.
• On three-minute mandatory World Cup breaks:
  • “Who cares if they sell more ads? Let people make money.” — Landon Donovan (82:00)
• Tactical fouls & “sin bin” debate:
  • “I love it in theory…but the reality is, it’ll be ugly because teams will just put 10 behind the ball.” — Landon Donovan (86:31)
  • “You could be out there all day, bunker 18 yard box. You’re not going to score.” — Tim Howard (87:47)

Overall Tone

Unfiltered, humorous, opinionated, and self-effacing. Tim and Landon strike a balance between insightful soccer analysis and good-natured banter—peppered with nostalgia, hard truths, and affection for the sport at all levels.

Conclusion

The Unfilties episode delivers a fun, wide-ranging look back at 2025 through the sharp lens of two US soccer legends. With memorable personal stories, candid takes on USMNT developments, NWSL’s evolution, and the global game’s quirks, Donovan and Howard provide the ideal year-end wrap for soccer fans heading into a monumental 2026.

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