The sold-out flight is already 90 minutes behind schedule by the time Galaxy forward Alan Gordon begins lugging his carry-on bag up the crowded aisle to seat 18C in coach on American Airlines Flight 2462 from Los Angeles to Dallas.
A dozen rows away, teammate Landon Donovan is wedged into a middle seat, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap in a vain attempt to avoid recognition.
The Galaxy may be Major League Soccer’s premier franchise, one with a record five championships and a Hall of Fame roster of coaches and players.