I will begin with saying that this is Jurgen Klinsmann’s team but Klinsmann is wrong with leaving Donovan off the World Cup Team. Landon is the best player the US has ever produced and has helped this team accomplish so much. Donovan brings leadership and experience to this team something that not even Dempsey can offer. Donovan recently proved that his form was not what left him out of the squad with a brace against Philadelphia Union. The reason that Landon was left off has left many fans pointing the finger at Klinsi and screaming personal reasons. Even with Dempsey and Bradley in the midfield the team is not going to be firing on cylinders in Brazil. Donovan brings that spark, those passes that inspire and create chances.

In the game against Azerbaijan the US looked lost and leaderless against opposition who is on par with MLS level. I found myself often thinking “oh Landon could have finished that or Landon could have produced a better pass.” This game showed us that if Clint Dempsey is injured in Brazil that the team is leaderless and not even Bradley can fill in. This is cut is like if Argentina or Portugal left off, Ronaldo or Messi. The US doesn’t have the luxury to leave a player of Donovan’s Caliber off the roster. Bruce Arena recently, said “If the US has players that are better than Donovan in that 23 man squad then the US should win the World Cup.