For many people, Landon Donovan epitomizes American soccer. The current Los Angeles Galaxy star rose to prominence in his country over 10 years ago and has been often associated with the ups and downs of the U.S.
The star player recently announced that the 2014 World Cup will likely be his final appearance in the tournament.
"It's hard for me to imagine, sitting here, that I'll be able to walk in four years, much less play soccer," Donovan said, according to ESPN. "So I would guess that this is my last chance of making a World Cup."
In commemoration of Donovan's career, here's a look at his previous three World Cup appearances and his impact on American soccer.
2002 in Korea-Japan
Donovan and the Americans entered as underdogs in a group that featured Portugal, Poland and South Korea. The team had the tough task of taking on Portugal in its opener; many felt that a draw would be a good result for the Americans. But the U.S. would prove that it could do better. A cross from Donovan deflected off Jorge Costa in the 29th minute to give the Americans a 2-0. The team would take a 3-0 lead before the end of the first half and would hang on to win the match 3-2. Donovan would score his first ever World Cup goal in the final group match against Poland in a 3-1 defeat. Despite the loss, the Americans would finish second in the group and would move on to the round of 16 to take on Mexico.
Donovan would score a 65th minute clincher for the Americans in a 2-0 win and Donovan would cement himself as the "Best Young Player" of the tournament at just 20 years old.
2006 in Germany
Four years later the Americans entered the tournament with tremendous expectations; they were ranked fifth in the world at the time. Donovan was at the peak of his powers with tremendous performances for the LA Galaxy and was expected to lead the Americans in a group that featured Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic. But Donovan's failures mirrored those of his nation. The U.S. was trounced 3-0 by the Czechs in the opener and settled for a 1-1 draw with Italy in the second game.
The team still had a chance to qualify for the knockout rounds but lost 2-1 against Ghana in the decisive game. Donovan did not score a single goal.
2010 in South Africa
Many expected this tournament to be decisive to Donovan's legacy and he surely cemented his position as the top U.S. talent with a dominant performance in this tournament. After a 1-1 draw against England the Americans took on Slovenia. The Eastern Europeans jumped out to a 2-0 lead but Donovan's goal early in the second half helped the U.S. regain momentum. The team would wind up drawing 2-2 and putting itself in a position to win the group with a win over Algeria.
That task looked to be a tough proposition for the United States as the African contingent seemed intent on salvaging a draw and stifled the U.S. throughout. However, Donovan managed to score the crucial winner with time winding down to give the U.S. the top spot in the group. His post-game press conference was seen as awkward but Donovan's status with the Americans had been salvaged. He scored the lone penalty goal against Ghana in the round of 16 but was unable to lead the team further.
2014 in Brazil
Donovan's career took an unexpected turn when he went into an imposed retirement that stunned the world. The player claimed that he had lost the passion to play the game. A few months later he announced his return, but had to prove himself to manager Jurgen Klinsmann before being given a chance to return to the main squad. He did just that with a dominant performance in the Gold Cup and strong performances in subsequent World Cup qualifiers.
How will Donovan fare in Brazil when faced with such opposition as Germany, Portugal and Ghana? It will be an interesting test for the American in his final test on the big stage.