Landon Donovan to Retire from Football Soon
Opeyemi Oladunjoye
United States international, Landon Donovan is set to retire from football at the end of the current campaign in Major League Soccer.
Donovan has a distinguished 15-season career, making 156 appearances for his country and scoring a record 57 goals.
At club level, Donovan has spent most of his career in the US with San Jose Earthquakes and Los Angeles Galaxy, despite signing an initial six-year contract with Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 17.
The 32-year-old also enjoyed two loan spells with Everton, initially for the second half of the 2009/10 season, and again for two months early in 2012, scoring two goals in a total of 22 appearances.
The American announced his decision via his Facebook page, saying: “This day carries mixed emotions for me. I am sad to leave a profession that has brought me so much joy.
“However, after spending half my life as a professional soccer player I am also excited to begin a new chapter and pursue other opportunities that will challenge me and allow me to grow as a person.
“While my career as a player will soon be over, rest assured I will stay connected on many levels to the beautiful game. As we enter a transformative time for the sport, I will do everything I can to help the continued growth of soccer in the United States.
“I look forward to making a difference.”