United States legend Landon Donovan has welcomed the World Cup draw that pitted the US against England.

Donovan, the USA's all-time leading goalscorer, has a potential head-to-head meeting with Los Angeles Galaxy team-mate David Beckham when the two countries open their Group C campaigns in Rustenberg, with Algeria and Slovenia also in the group.

"It could have been worse," Donovan said after watching the draw from New York.

"It's going to be fun. Depending on where I play, playing against [Frank] Lampard, [Steven] Gerrard in a midfield against those guys is going to be pretty fun.

"I can't think of a better match-up personally."

Donovan clashed verbally with Beckham earlier this year after the American questioned the Englishman's commitment to the Galaxy and Major League Soccer following an extended loan move at AC Milan.

The two mended fences over the course of the 2009 MLS season and combined to help the Galaxy reach last month's MLS Cup league title decider, which LA lost in a penalty shoot-out in Seattle.

Beckham will return to Milan on a second loan deal on December 28, not returning to MLS until the end of the World Cup, but of the possibility of playing against Beckham, Donovan added: "Hopefully we'll both be there, because a lot can happen between now and then but if that's the case, it'll be fun.

"There'll be a lot of talking before the first game. He won't be around with the Galaxy before the tournament starts so it won't be as intense as it might be but it's going to be fun to see him there.

"We've just talked about being there and seeing each other there but I don't think it entered our minds that we might be playing each other."