US coach Jurgen Klinsmann was hoping Landon Donovan could have done better in his career. Its not he has not done well; He has set U.S. national team and Major League Soccer records for goals and assists, scored in a signature stoppage-time moment that lifted America to a first-place finish in a World Cup group for the first time in 80 years and won five MLS titles.

According to Klinsmann "'I think it could have gone even further than that."

"He has been the poster boy of the game, for MLS certainly, through that long stretch of time, 'he raised the awareness of the game to new dimensions far before maybe a David Beckham came into the league."

Donovan not only has a colorful career in the US Soccer scene but also in international competitions. Donovan follows Cobi Jones (164). His 57 goals are well ahead of second-place Clint Dempsey (39) and his 58 assists are more than double the total of Jones, who is second with 22.

But even so, he has his fair share of disappointments. He had an unimpressive stint in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen (1999-01 and 2004-05).

Klinsmann said "As a coach, you always want to see a player that drives for his 100 percent. I wished in a certain way, ah, he could have done a bit more here and a bit more there."

When asked why he did not choose Donovan in the FIFA World Cup he answered "In that moment in May, the picture for us was very clear and we were 100 percent behind the decision that we made."

Donovan starred in the U.S. team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup where he received the Best Young Player Award. His three goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup made Donovan the highest scoring male American player in World Cup history.

Donovan is widely considered to be the best player to ever come out of the United States. On August 7, 2014, Donovan announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2014 MLS season. Many will be missing Donovan's presence inside the field.