Over the last 14 years there have been many put on
the US Mens National Team jersey and play for their country, but one stands out
as the most influential. Landon Donovan has had 57 goals and 58 assists for the
national team during his run, and many would say that he has shaped American
soccer forever. Between his MLS and international careers, Donovan has been
fairly successful on American soil to say the least. Announcing his retirement
from professional soccer this summer after being left off the World Cup roster,
Donovan had one last international debut this Friday.
In
this farewell game against Ecuador, Donovan was given the captain’s band and a
starting position. Within the first five minutes, Donovan’s cross into the box
eventually led to goal by Diskerud, and the game looked likely to become a
happy ending for his international career. With a few missed chances later in the
half, Donovan left the field for the last time with a few minutes left in the
half, receiving hugs and applause from the fans and teammates. What happened
after his exit marks the state that US soccer is left in after his retirement.
When Landon left the field, the best his team could do at that point was to
settle for a 1-1 draw. The team was left in a sort of awkwardness, riding along
the emotion that the farewell brought, but failing to hold on to a win. Like
how American soccer feels as a whole, it has to be decided what direction the
sport wants to be taken now that Donovan is out.
Landon Donovan has been the face of
American soccer and MLS over the past years, and the growth that he brought to
the sport is tremendous. By not taking his talent to European leagues and
staying in America, Donovan was able to bring a competition to the league that
it desperately needed, and still needs. For a long time, the MLS has been seen
as an easy league, where top players go when they are over the hill but still
want to play. With Donovan and players like him, MLS has grown in to a competitive
league that grows players that are not only skilled, but when put together
create a formidable opponent to some of the greatest countries of soccer. The
progress that the league has made during Donovan’s years is astounding, and the
young players of this last World Cup give promise for more. If players like DeAndre
Yedlin can step up like Landon did and stick with the MLS, the continued growth
that it could see is beyond needed, and these players could be a part of the
growth of the sport of soccer in the US.
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