I saw this video a month or so ago, but early today a former co-worker sent me the link and demanded that I write about it … and I had considered it, earlier. So here goes.

In this bit of video, Landon Donovan is shown attempting to sneak across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Hilarity ensues.

This actually is good for Landon, of U.S. national team, L.A. Galaxy and (now) Everton Toffees fame. For a couple of reasons.

Well, first … what are you looking at there?

It is a television ad, a Spanish-language, Mexico-oriented ad, trying to drive traffic to the Mexican lottery.

In it, Landon is attempting to sneak in to Mexico (99 percent of the furtive border-crossings go the other direction; hence, that’s comedy).

He has attempted, with culturally insensitive overkill, to attempt to look like an ordinary campesino. Huarachi sandals, baggy white trousers, rainbow-colored serape, an enormous sombrero … and a clearly fake black mustache of heroic density. This, too, is comedy because Landon is known in Mexico as the archetypal gringo player, one who also has made clear how much he enjoys defeating Mexico — such as in the 2002 World Cup.

Donovan is intercepted by the sleepy border guard, who hears the border-crosser scurrying through the tumbleweeds and confronts him while holding a nightstick. The guard looks more like an American cop than a Mexican one, with his sunglassess and cop-‘stache, and the uniform has echoes of “CHP” to it. Again, amusing, in a role-exchange.

A conversation in Spanish ensues. At first, Landon declares himself a Mexican. The guard, however, isn’t falling for this. He snatches the sombrero and yanks off the monster mustache and announces “Landon Donovan!” (Lan-DOAN DAHN-o-VAN.)

There is a bit more Spanish I don’t quite understand, and eventually Landon says he is in Mexico as a player (ganador) … but in this case “player” is used in the same sense it could carry in English — as a lottery player.

Landon holds up his lottery ticket as proof of his intentions … but the guard isn’t going to break the rules and tells him he has to leave. The guard shouts, “Vamonos!” at him … which means “let’s go” or “get going.”

Then comes an interesting bit where Landon mutters something I can’t quite pick up. Some people who have watched the video are convinced he uses a fairly salty slur as he shuffles off. And as the 50-some second commercial ends, he is seen diving back into one of those primitive little U-shaped tunnels someone might dig to crawl under a fence. That’s my favorite part, actually, Landon disappearing down the hole, head-first.

So, why is this good for Landon?

1. It shows him in a comedic light. That isn’t an aspect of his personality widely seen by the public. He generally is the dead-serious team spokesguy … generally careful in what he says. Blunt, sometimes. Critical, sometimes. Angry now and then. But rarely joking. It’s nice to see him goofing around.

2. The commercial had to help his image in Mexico. Fans there already had a love/mostly-hate relationship with him. He engenders respect because Mexicans have seen him play well against los tricolores too many times; some of his best matches have been against Mexico. Also, earlier this year he was linked in the rumor mill to Mexican pro team Club America, and the notion that Landon would consider playing south of the border probably softened Mexican hearts a bit, too.

Anyway, yeah … some have complained that the bit evokes too many stereotypes and is, thus, insulting … but I don’t agree. It’s Landon using what he calls his “soccer Spanish” and buying into a silly role, and pulling it off fairly well, and making some dinero in the process.

Muy bien, lan-DOAN.