Landon Donovan has been center forward of the US men’s national team for the last fifteen years. Most people have heard the name before, maybe even seen him on ESPN or the cover of a sports illustrated magazine. After 156 caps (games) played with the men’s national team, the famous LD said his final farewell to international soccer. On Saturday October 11th, in the fortieth minute, Captain Donovan slowly walked, waved, and took his last step off of the pitch as an international soccer player.
Most fans sobbed, and watched the game with a heavy heart knowing the beloved #10 would no longer dress out in red, white, and blue. Though, after this past summer, the leaving of the team may have been more bitter than sweet. This past summer, the 2014 World Cup was held in Rio De Janeir
o, Brazil. Surprisingly to everyone, seven weeks before the team departed, Coach Jürgen Klinsmann announced that Landon Donovan, veteran of the Men’s National team, wouldn’t be on the roster for Brazil. The team was shocked, the fans devastated, and the overall public was simply confused. No one knew why Klinsmann made that decision, it was obvious that Donovan was one of the best players on the team. Klinsmann said, “I have to do what I think is the right way. I’m very strongly convinced this is the right way. We’ll find out the next seven weeks if it was.” Donovan had already played in three world cups, (12 years total, 4 years apart) and he was shocked when he wouldn’t be playing his fourth.
Before and during the broadcasts of when the USMNT team was playing, you always saw Donovan on TV discussing soccer and giving his opinion. You could tell that there was tension between him and his coach. Later, a commercial aired for Fifa 14, featuring Donovan in his USA pajamas, waking up in the middle of the day, and making his way to his couch to lounge around and play the soccer video game all day. Can you guess which team he chose in the game? That’s right, his own national team. This was very entertaining, hilarious in my opinion. He couldn’t play in real life, so why wouldn’t he just play virtually?
After team suffered a loss in the quarter finals to Belgium, Landon said, “If you really look at the performances, there were some good performances by guys, some not-so-good performances by guys. As a whole, I think tactically, the team was not set up to succeed. they were set up in a way that was opposite from what they’ve been the past couple years, which is opening up, passing, attacking — trying to do that. And the team’s been successful that way. Why they decided to switch that in the World Cup, none of us will know.” That seemed like it would’ve sparked even more fire between him and his ‘coach’, though he returned right to the field when the US began their friendly matches between other nations.
I, and like much of this nations soccer fans, still wonder today if the world cup shenanigan was a major reason in Donovan’s retirement. He said he was ready to settle down with his family, and enjoy his life ahead. From one fan to another, I can say that I really hope Landon has a great life to come; for this legend deserves nothing less.
http://www.espnfc.com/team/united-states/660/blog/post/2079519/landon-donovan-us-soccer-legacy-is-still-unwritten-graham-parker
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2014/m=5/news=klinsmann-defends-donovan-world-cup-snub-2343509.html
http://www.sportingnews.com/soccer/story/2014-07-03/world-cup-2014-landon-donovan-jurgen-klinsmann-la-galaxy-mls