By FRANCO PANIZO
LOS ANGELES — Final game. At home. MLS Cup Final.
It seems the stars are all aligning for Landon Donovan.
Donovan is set to play in his seventh MLS Cup Final on Sunday when his LA Galaxy host the New England Revolution, but what makes this match unique compared to all the rest is that it will mark the last game of the 32-year-old attacker’s illustrious career. Donovan announced back in August that he would be hanging up his cleats at the conclusion of the 2014 MLS season, which due to good form on his and the club’s behalf has extended to the championship game.
For Donovan, win or lose, there is no tomorrow. He isn’t going back on his decision, which is all the more reason why he wants to end things on a high. The spotlight is fixed largely on him – a bulk of the questions during the days leading up to the final have been directly about or related to Donovan – and it still isn’t fazing him ahead of a match that could give him his sixth MLS Cup trophy.
“This week has been a little bit different because I personally didn’t know what was coming next. Now I know,” said Donovan. “I’ve been very excited every day to wake up and go to training. Candidly, I don’t want it to end right now. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m going to have that attitude Sunday.
“I personally want it to be as enjoyable as possible and that would be winning. I enjoy winning, and these guys deserve it and I want to help do that.”
To get to this point, Donovan has had to go through some headline-grabbing highs and lows in 2014. He was notoriously left off the U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup roster, only to immediately respond with some of his best performances in the MLS season.
Donovan has said on several occasions that the controversial omission – which is still discussed heavily to this day by fans from all corners of the U.S. – did not play a major factor in his decision to retire. Announcing that he would be calling it a career has, however, allowed him to play freely, with the mental stress he’s been carrying for a couple years now and internal conflict he’s been going through gone just like that.
The run of good form that Donovan is currently on has helped guide the Galaxy back to their third MLS Cup Final in four years. He has scored goals, delivered assists and turned in the kind of solid performances that he has long been known for during LA’s postseason run, and is hoping to be able to do it once more on Sunday.
He’s also not overly concerning himself with what’s next, even with his looming retirement fast approaching.
“I just want to play and we want to win a championship,” said Donovan. “After that, I’ll think about the rest but I gave myself a few days early in the week to really understand the finality of it. Now, it’s a game. We’re at home, playing for a championship, and we’re all so programmed now to play the next game. That’s where my mindset is right now.”
Indeed, Donovan has pushed aside any of the emotions that could come from realizing your life’s work is about to be complete. He has, for the most part, approached this week as any other. He’s practiced like normal, done his media appearances like normal, and gone about his routine like normal.
“He’s a true professional and he’s playing every game like it’s his last,” said Galaxy midfielder Stefan Ishizaki. “Always very focused in training and always taking care of his body and making sure he’s prepared for the game. I don’t think anything changes for him this game.
“Obviously, knowing it’s going to be his last game he’s probably going to go in with a bit different mindset, but other than that he’s preparing himself like he usually does.”
Donovan couldn’t have asked for a better game to end his career. There’s a championship at stake, he’s playing at home in front of friends and family, and doing so with the club he’s led to the promise-land several times before.
He could ride into the sunset a hero. He just needs to deliver for 90 more minutes.
“If anyone deserves to go out on a high, it’s certainly Landon, for what he’s done for this league and what he’s done for the men’s national team,” said Robbie Keane. “He’s been absolutely tremendous. Landon deserves it. He deserves to go out on a high.”
It would not have shut down. It would have stoked an international frenzy looking at what we can produce, and economics would have taken care of the rest. I would point to Gatt, Demerit, and Bedoya. They were not assured their livelihood, and they fought tooth and nail to blaze the park for future generations.
Did Dempsey or Cherundolo knock down any doors, or have clubs searching for Americans? No not really and a couple guys in Norway certainly aren’t going to either. A few outliers aren’t going to make a difference, if we don’t a strong league with clubs and academies producing talent.
So, your argument is that Josh Gatt has had more influence on American soccer than Landon Donovan? That’s honestly your argument?
This is a non- argument .
Landon’s contribution to the game in America is not an either or proposition.
It’s not stay in MLS or the league dies. That is an insult to a lot of people. No one is irreplaceable.
He had the talent but it is really hard to excel at something you don’t have a passion for. It is plainly obvious Landon had no desire to play in Europe for anything other than on a short term basis.
It is good that he stayed in MLS because he became an all time great and was a key figure in promoting the game here. He was also happier here and that happiness translated into him producing his best for the USMNT. And the game’s heath is America is due not only to MLS but also to how well the USMNT does.
On the other hand, if had he wanted to move to Europe and if he had succeeded presumably his USMNT career would have been just as exemplary .
I’m not an MLS fan but there is no reason why MLS would not have been where it is today or somewhere close if LD have been a ten year star for Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.
I’m glad that this saga is finally over. LD was the valedictorian who chose to drop out of college and chose to be the best factory worker in town. US Soccer’s very own James Hunt.
It may take you many years, but eventually you will understand what he did and that you are wrong. He will have trophies and stadiums named after him.
I’ve quite enjoyed the saga — you know, the one where our offense was actually scary at times over the last decade. Sports is so much more interesting when the things we can accomplish are worth watching. But go ahead, dominate the world with your hammer-throwing prowess
So it would have been better if the factory just shut down and everyone left town?
-1
+1,000!!!
Win or loose, Landon goes out a champion! It doesn’t matter what the detractors say, he is officially the first ever American Soccer Superstar. Landon thanks for the Algeria world cup moment and countless other memories. Thank you for being true to yourself and helping establish MLS. The europosers lament MLS’ quality, but without players like yourself, the league would never have grown to what it is today. My biggest disappointment is that MLS didn’t make you it’s logo (like West in the NBA). The best to you in all future endeavors.
Thank you! Go GaLAxy!
One of my favorite moments was 2007 game against Ecuador in Tampa. It showed all facets of LD’s game. In my opinion he was at his absolute prime after a horrible 2006 World Cup. Ridiculous hat trick; left foot half volley finish, showed his trademark speed on the second and the third was a wonder strike set up by run DMB! Again I think that 2007 version of LD was World Class and could demand a place on any team in any league. As he retires I still don’t see or haven’t seen anyone who will take the torch from him; that cements his legendary status. Thank you Landon for the great years of service and the respect the world has given to the US NT is because of you; “We don’t want respect, we want to win!” – Landon Donovan
USA v Ecuador 2007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gynwO8ruzwk