US bid farewell to all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan

After 57 international goals for USA, including five in 12 World Cup appearances, Landon Donovan will represent the Yanks for the final time on Friday in a friendly against Ecuador.

Landon Donovan was left out of the US squad for the 2014 World Cup by coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Frederic J Brown / AFP

Landon Donovan, the all-time leading scorer for the United States, will make his 157th and final appearance for his country on Friday in a friendly against Ecuador.

The 32-year-old – who made his international debut in 2000 – has set several marks at national level.

He has scored 57 goals – including a US record five in World Cup finals – and 12 World Cup appearances, although he was controversially omitted from this year’s squad by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, whose team lost in the round of 16 as they did in 2010 before the German took over at the helm.

“We look at these two games as an opportunity to take a picture of the player pool,” Klinsmann said.

“Already the hierarchy starts to shift in some ways, which is normal at the beginning of a cycle. We are excited to look at this group against a very competitive team like Ecuador, and then we will have a chance to bring some different faces for the game against Honduras.”

Among other players in the squad are Julian Green, the teenager who scored his first goal for his country in the World Cup in Brazil and Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore.

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