Emotional Tribute Hands Landon Donovan a Perfect USMNT Farewell

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Landon Donovan is no stranger to showing emotion.

But after his final match for the United States men's national team, Donovan exuded a lighter side.

He did show his typical fire and passion during his 40 minutes of play in the 1-1 draw with Ecuador, but it was the emotions he showed after the match that made his send-off from international play a perfect one. 

When the final whistle blew, Donovan stayed on the pitch at Rentschler Field to view a tribute video prepared for him by U.S. Soccer. 

"I have no problem showing emotion. It just didn't come until that moment," Donovan told reporters after the match. 

The video showed almost every big moment in Donovan's career, and it was then when the moment sunk in. 

"When (the game) was done, I was able to relax and watch the video and appreciate it all," Donovan said. "It sort of felt like I was watching it from an outsider's view. And watching my life on the screen and how I've grown up on screen. I think that's what got me." 

The post-match tribute to Donovan was the first thing that cued up a different range of emotions from the American No. 10. 

Following his viewing of the video, he went over to lead the American Outlaws supporters group in the "I believe that we will win" chant. 

"(It was) a little out of character for me, but sometimes you gotta let go. Those supporters clubs and American Outlaws, they're the blood of this team and the sport," Donovan said. "When I started, there probably would've been a few hundred people, and now there are thousands of people that probably made the trip from around the country to support us. It's pretty special so that was a fun moment. I enjoyed it." 

The lighter mood Donovan had on the field carried into the press conference, as he even cracked a joke about his rocky relationship with manager Jurgen Klinsmann. 

"He told me he should've taken me to Brazil," Donovan said of his moment with Klinsmann after being taken off in the 41st minute for Joe Corona. 

As for the actual conversation between the pair, Klinsmann chimed in after the match. 

"I just congratulated him and thanked him for his time out there," Klinsmann said. 

On Friday night, even the most tumultuous relationship in American soccer took a back seat to honoring a true legend of the game. 

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

"Jurgen and I spoke today," Donovan said. "We had a good conversation and we both agreed we wanted tonight to be about tonight. It was nice and I'm appreciative of everything that everyone did to make tonight special." 

Klinsmann let Donovan, who was scheduled to play around 30 minutes, continue on until about five minutes to go in the first half.

Donovan didn't have his Derek Jeter moment, but he did have a few chances to write the best possible script in his final international appearance. 

Three minutes before he left the pitch. Donovan had a chance to score, but he missed off to the left after he received a pass from Jozy Altidore. 

In the 25th minute, Donovan clanked his shot off the right post in a moment that could've sent the late-arriving crowd into an uproar they would have never forgotten.

Mike Lawrie/Getty Images

"It was exciting to see Landon playing in this game full of energy. He really enjoyed it. He did very well," Klinsmann said. "That's why I left him on longer than was planned. I had the feeling if he gets another chance, he would bang one in. He got another chance, but he missed it by a little bit." 

Despite the gasps accompanied with the misses, Donovan played a strong match, which is something we had to have expected given his incredible competitive drive. 

Donovan's farewell was about much more than two misses in front of the American Outlaws, who stood next to a tarp honoring Donovan that decorated the space over the entrance to the locker room.

The final 40 minutes in the white jersey he donned so many times represented the end of one era in American soccer and the start of another. 

So many of the players that stood next to Donovan watching the tribute video were inspired by him, which added yet another extra emotional element to the perfect farewell. 

"It was beyond my wildest dreams for sure. As a human being, to feel that kind of love and support is incredible," Donovan said. 

Donovan closed the chapter on his storied international career Friday night, but that part of the American soccer novel will be open for quite some time as we begin to grasp just how big of an impact he left on soccer in the United States. 

"We wish him only the best. I told him before the game that the door is always open for him. This is his team. He built this team," Klinsmann said. "He built so many things for U.S. Soccer. He deserves the biggest crowd, the biggest cheers. We all told him before the game to enjoy it." 

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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