Landon Donovan Considering Retirement

Landon Donovan, one of the most famous faces in US soccer, has revealed he is considering quitting the sport to travel the world.

The forward, who is currently playing for the LA Galaxy but has also spent spells in England with Everton, told Sports Illustrated‘s Grant Wahl:

“Right now, I need time to think and that is impossible to achieve while I am playing. I need to determine if I want to play, and if the answer is yes, I need to work out where and for how long. I plan to spend a lot of time traveling to distant places, alone. I am not sure where. I want to take time to have some freedom and not worry about my next game or being fit. It may take me two weeks, two months or a year.”

The 30-year-old striker, who has a whopping 144 caps for the United States, has been invited to play for Everton again this season, an option he has not ruled out:

“Everton was a fling that grew into a full-blown affair. I do think about them because they really stole my heart when I walked into Goodison Park. Everyone was so unbelievably welcoming, from Mr Moyes to the tea lady. I have such affection for the club.”

In the interview, Landon Donovan admitted motivation has proven a problem for him throughout his soccer career and that he had constantly pondered his will to continue. He also mentioned how much he missed his family:

“I’ve struggled with motivation at many points in my career. I’ve had times where it all came easily but there have been stretches where I have questioned it. I have some selfish things I need to do, and I have some things to work out. While most soccer fans think a player’s life is easy as we just seem to play soccer all the time, they don’t see how many milestones I have missed with my family.

“My family want me to either play and be happy or else to have their son and brother back.”

While the likes of David Beckham may carry more brand power, Landon Donovan is probably the most famous American soccer star across the globe. Here’s one of his most memorable goals for the US team, a winning goal in the dying minutes of a 2010 World Cup group game against a stubborn Algeria: