Analyzing Landon Donovan’s Future with USMNT Following Gold Cup Win

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: July 28, 2013

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Landon Donovan is going to the World Cup. 

Don't worry—I didn't somehow get the Gold Cup mixed up with World Cup qualifying. I know he's not actually going to the World Cup yet. 

But Donovan's performance in the CONCACAF tournament, which culminated in a terrific all-around performance in the Americans' 1-0 final win over Panama on Sunday in Chicago, was undoubtedly enough to catapult him to the U.S. first team.



In fact, his play in the first match of the tournament against Belize was probably enough to earn a first-team spot. Heck, his performance against Guatemala in the friendly right before the tournament was enough. 



Before that July 5 friendly, Donovan hadn't played in a Stars and Stripes shirt since June of 2012—a World Cup qualifier draw also against Guatemala. The man who had become the face of American soccer needed a mental break, but as that break wore on, many began to be convinced that his international career was all but over. 

After 13 years, three World Cup appearances and more production than anyone else in United States history, there simply wasn't much left for him to accomplish. It was just an accepted inevitability that he was going to have to hang up his red, white and blue cleats at some point. 

But when it was announced Donovan would be included in Jurgen Klinsmann's B squad at the Gold Cup, interest was suddenly piqued. 

Donovan could have flopped, and it would have been an "oh well" moment. The boys on the first team just beat Germany and were on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup. They were doing just fine without the 31-year-old:



But all we needed was a glimpse. We've seen what Donovan is capable of, and if he were to show even the tiniest glimpse of being back in form, there would be no question of his ability to help the first team.

...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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