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LANDON DONOVAN DONE WITH NATIONAL TEAM FOOTBALL

 

Recalling how well he performed at the 2002 FIFA world cup in Korea/Japan, it’s a memorable day for an American football icon that played his last match in a United States jersey last week.

A player who rose from his world cup performance in 2002 to become the all-time highest goal scorer of United States of America has certainly done well to be commended.

A decision to leave him out of the 2014 world cup squad in Brazil came as a shock to many but never really affected the American team’s performance.

Landon Donovan is truly a U.S great and deserves the accolades he got on his final appearance for the country.

Jürgen Klinsmann initially hinted that the striker will play for 30 minutes but he was on the pitch for 41 minutes and applauded off by players and fans on his exit.

Landon Donovan won the golden ball at the 1999, FIFA U-17 world cup where he scored 35 goals in 41 matches.

The American forward never looked back ever since as he won the best young player at the 2002 FIFA world cup in Japan/Korea.

His dedication to the national team saw him climb up to a record breaking assist and goal scoring.

He is currently the all-time assist leader in American soccer history and also his 57 national team goals has placed him above any other American player in the all-time goal scoring chart of the country.

The American forward helped the team to a second placed finish at the 2009 FIFA Confederations cup in South Africa after they lost to Brazil in the finals.

He also became the first and only American player to score five world cup goals and the only player to have done it playing from the CONCACAF region.

Donovan was also the third American soccer player to score in three world cup tournaments after Brian McBride and Clint Dempsey.

Landon Donavan is a good example for growing American footballers to follow and his zeal, commitment and leadership qualities will remain with the team even after his retirement.

It might be difficult to replace him, but manager Jürgen Klinsmann will definitely find a way around it.

The forward may have loved to end his international career with a goal or even a win but the woodwork denied him a chance and a late Enner Valencia’s late equaliser denied United States of America the win.

Despite the result, Americans will be pleased with the commitment shown by their former captain who has ended his international career at a commendable high level.

The good professionalism and leadership of Landon Donovan will surely be missed by American soccer.

 

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