Truth & Rumors > Soccer

Will USA move on without Landon Donovan?

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09:03 AM ET 10.27 | In the breathless build-up to the next World Cup in Brazil in 17 months time, countless television highlight packages will be largely built around Landon Donovan's exploits in the tournament, from his dramatic injury time winner against Algeria in 2010 to his comeback-launching thunderbolt against Slovenia, or his destruction of Mexico as a carefree 20-year-old in 2002. Yet no longer can U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann afford to plan on Donovan being his centerpiece for 2014, even considering his pedigree, his status as the nation's best player ever and the most recognizable soccer star in the country. Because while Donovan is still just 30 and has as much technical talent as ever, there is self-confessed evidence to suggest his mind is not in a place conducive to outstanding performance. An interview on ESPN FC this week reported Donovan giving himself no better than a 50 percent chance of even playing in Brazil, something that may have startled Klinsmann somewhat.

Goal

Landon Donovan, Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

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October 27, 2012 04:02 PM ET

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They're STILL playing soccer in this country??

WILD FAN

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October 28, 2012 12:18 AM ET

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They're STILL making lame jokes about soccer in this country??

LetsPlay2

Alexandria, VA

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October 28, 2012 09:45 AM ET

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QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 12:18 AM ET 10.28 by LetsPlay2

They're STILL making lame jokes about soccer in this country??

I wasn't joking!!.. Its the most irrelevant sport played in the United States

WILD FAN

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October 28, 2012 10:27 AM ET

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Right next to bowling and the NHL...well at least one of those is still actually playing. It's ok old timer with soccer being the 2nd most popular sport in the US among people not dying in the next 20 years. I get your pain, I know the pain you feel when you call soccer boring. I have recently suffered through another season of MLB. Nothing like that five-hour, 14-minute snoozefest that was the Indians and Jays game last April. The average MLB game is almost 3 hours, so I know you appreciate a borefest when you see it, and with the NFL about to be neutered and turned into the flag football league we will all know boring. Hey! Chin up sport, at least we will have the NBA. Constantly moving, few interruptions, predictable lengths just like.....wait...I see what you did there....