Landon Donovan’s Sudden MLS Comeback Is a Shocker, but It’s Not a Stunt

Landon Donovan never let anyone else write his story.

He remained in Major League Soccer when many in the American soccer community wanted him to challenge himself in Europe. He took a sabbatical from the U.S. men’s national team because he needed a break, a decision that hurt his chance to make the 2014 World Cup roster. He’s been outspoken about issues within the sport he played so well, in addition to talking openly and honestly about his personal battles with mental health.

At the end of 2014, he walked away from MLS—a league he played a large role in helping grow—on his own terms, well before he was physically unable to compete. In doing so, he left millions of dollars on the table but found peace.

He appeared to have moved into the next phase of his life, settling down and having a baby boy with his wife, buying a stake in English Premier League club Swansea City and turning up to coach the Chipotle MLS Homegrown team during the last two All-Star weekends.

Thursday’s news that Donovan is coming out of retirement to join the Los Angeles Galaxy for the remainder of the season is shocking, even considering the Californian’s penchant for surprising decisions. He’ll rejoin Bruce Arena’s squad, one that sits tied for second in the Western Conference, comfortably in the playoffs but certainly not the favorite to take home the MLS Cup.

They have plenty of attacking talent in Giovani dos Santos, Robbie Keane, Mike Magee and others, but injuries—including a season-ending one to Gyasi Zardes—mean there’s a spot for a player like Donovan.

It’s an open question how much impact the league’s all-time leading goal-scorer and assist-getter will have when he returns to the field. He hasn’t played a competitive game since December 7, 2014, the day he hoisted his sixth MLS Cup. Twenty-one months is a long layoff for any player, much less one who’s in his mid-30s.

In his later years, Donovan didn’t rely on his once-blazing speed as much and was an underrated passer, both facts in favor of him succeeding, but he’ll still need time to catch up to the pace of the pro game—if he can catch up at all. Will he destroy opponents as effortlessly as he once did? No. But he wouldn’t come back if he didn’t know, …

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