Sylvae
19Mar/130

Has Landon Donovan Reached His Ceiling as a Player?

It has been a month since Landon Donovan emerged from his self-imposed "break" from soccer, and by all accounts, he is scheduled to rejoin the LA Galaxy next week. The 30-year-old midfielder is the all-time leader in goals and assists for the U.S. National Team and has racked up five MLS Cups throughout his career. But as Donovan begins to transition out of the prime of his career, there is a perception that he has not lived up to his full potential. The perception stems from his balking at playing in Europe (multiple times). The fact that Donovan has not spent more of his career in Europe leaves many American fans wondering if he has underachieved. In his recent de-facto press conference at the USC School of Journalism, Donovan admitted that he is burned out from the game, but also implied that he is burned out by the pressure of being an American star. By all accounts, Donovan is a thoughtful, articulate guy, so nobody can discount his comments, but at the same time the pressure he faces is minimal compared to that of his former teammate David Beckham, or New York Red Bull star Thierry Henry. Maybe it is naive ...
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