LANDON DONOVAN, THE United States’ all-time leading scorer, has been left out of their 23-man squad for the 2014 World Cup.
Donovan, with 57 international goals, was among 30 taken into Jurgen Klinsmann’s training camp but didn’t make the final cut for what would have been a fourth World Cup.
The 32-year-old had insisted he wasn’t a lock to make the squad for the finals in Brazil.
He didn’t figure prominently in the qualifying campaign, playing in just three of 10 matches in the final round after taking a nearly four-month sabbatical from the game.
But once the veteran — the face of football in the United States — was included in the 30-man preliminary squad many fans were certain he’d be going to Brazil.
Klinsmann, who helped Germany win the 1990 World Cup as a player and coached Germany to the 2006 semi-finals, said it was one of the toughest coaching decisions of his career.
“To tell a player like him, with everything he’s done and what he represents, to tell him ‘you’re not part of those 23 right now …’” Klinsmann said. “I just see some other players slightly ahead of him.
“His disappointment is huge,” Klinsmann added. “He took it very professional because he is an outstanding professional player,” he added.
“But I had to make decisions as of today … I just think the other guys right now are a little ahead of him.”
Klinsmann takes a relatively inexperienced squad for a World Cup campaign that sees the United States drawn in Group G along with Ghana, who reached the quarter-finals in the 2010 edition, Euro 2012 semi-finalists Portugal and one of the favorites for the trophy Germany.
They will kick off their campaign on 16 June against Ghana.
USA World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nuremberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes).
Had to double-Cech the headline there. Looks like he’s put his football career on ice.
@EK: he won’t fancy the body cechs in ice hockey I would assume.
@Joe Kennedy: you’d have been better off saying nothing Joe
Is that really the wisest move for a man who wore a scrum cap as a goalkeeper and has previously suffered a fractured skull??
@Simon Ryan: that’s what separates you and him Simon. He’s a professional competitor and you’re commenting on the journal.
@Robbie O’ Connor: There will he a coffin separating them if he gets a blow to the head
@Robbie O’ Connor: you should have said “and we’re commenting on the journal”
Ye, didn’t see that one coming….
Why hasn’t the reporter asked if he wears the scrum cap under his ice hockey helmet? These are the questions the public need answered!
@RabidHorizon: like if superman wears a second pair of underwear, but this time actually under his pants.
Least he’ll have a better defence in front of him compared to his last season at Arsenal
Not quite NHL standard but good to see some ice hockey on the 42!