U.S. Soccer fans have known Landon Donovan since he broke onto the international scene by winning the Golden Ball award in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship.
We groaned when he was loaned back to the nascent MLS league to play for the San Jose Earthquakes. Jeers turned to cheers when he led the Earthquakes to two MLS Cups. Confused and bemused we wondered how our best player could spurn the prestige of the European stage to slum for the LA Galaxy.
He made up for it with his international play, becoming the U.S. all-time leading scorer and single-handedly taking the U.S. into the second round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
After two successful trysts with the Everton fans at Goodison Park, we felt surely he would now seize the moment and show the world that American soccer wears big-boy pants.
How does our Main Guy walk off the field in the middle of World Cup qualifying? Can't he see that we're struggling to qualify?
And what's this nonsense about "desire"? Elite athletes ooze the stuff from every pore and orifice. They aren't supposed to "lose" it, they're supposed to have enough to go around and feed all of us a little taste.
We get so wrapped up in what our elite sport stars do for us that we forget that the heart of a champion is still a human heart—and human hearts can be broken.
Donovan's heart wasn't in it anymore. After playing the beautiful game literally nonstop for the past three years, Landon was struggling to find the inner desire to do it all over again.
His second appearance for the LA Galaxy after returning from his break was a second-half appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal against Monterey.
Overall, Donovan looked pretty good handling the ball in tight spaces. He broke into space several times, so the speed is still there, and he passed his vision test as he delivered a few dangerous passes.
The rust was just visible in the 65th minute, when Donovan fluffed a shot that we expect him to bury. The shot was a left-footed volley off a short chip from Robbie Keane—a very difficult shot to execute.
The reaction of the TV commentator observed that if Donovan was 90 percent of his normal self the ball was as good as in the back of the net. Comments like this are emblematic of the expectations and pressure heaped on Donovan's shoulders. He is expected to be perfect at 90 percent of his ability.
Maybe that play is indicative of why Landon took his mental break in the first place. How can anyone live up to expectations like that?
When Donovan bites into a competition there is no one more dedicated and more competitive than America's soccer wunderkind. He came back to soccer, and that should tell us everything we need to know.
When Donovan puts on a team's colors, regardless of the strip, you know he will leave it all on the field and carry his team on his back if necessary.
His back is well rested and his heart's desire has returned. Who would be surprised if Landon Donovan saved the best for last?
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