A Proper Farewell Despite the Potential for Awkwardness

Fans around the gray bleachers at Rentschler Field bellowed when Landon Donovan's name was announced over the public address system Friday. Flags featuring his likeness festooned the stands behind one of the goals, while a large banner with the word Legend, and Donovan's number, 10, fluttered nearby. And before he and the U.S. men's national team played a 1-1 exhibition match here against Ecuador, he was presented a framed jersey to commemorate his 15-year international career.

Donovan, as recently as two months ago, did not want any of this.

On the day in early August that Donovan, 32, announced that he would retire, Sunil Gulati, the president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, went to him with a sensitive question: Would he be open to playing one last game in a national team uniform? Donovan said no; Gulati asked him to think about it.

Gulati knew it was a touchy subject. Earlier in the summer, Jurgen Klinsmann, the coach of the U.S. team, left Donovan off his World Cup roster - a decision that stunned everyone, especially Donovan. In the ensuing weeks, Donovan made his bitterness plain, and his relationship to Klinsmann, which had always felt uneasy, essentially came to an end.

But Gulati felt strongly that Donovan, who has recorded more international goals (57) and assists (58) than any other U.S. man, deserved a proper tribute - even if it would have to take place amid profound awkwardness - and in a series of conversations, he changed Donovan's mind.

"It's very few times you get to say goodbye in the right way," Gulati said Friday afternoon, "and this isn't the perfect way, given the last 12 months. I get that. But it's a pretty good way."

The weirdness of the occasion was openly discussed. Donovan referred to the event as "interesting" and said it would have been unimaginable earlier in the year. Donovan was not with the team during the week, and in the days leading up to the game, reports and speculation on whether he and Klinsmann had spoken to each other were widespread. After the game, Klinsmann placed blame for the lack of communication on the fact that Donovan had changed his phone number.

Donovan said multiple times Friday that he felt he should have gone to the World Cup. But he emphasized, too, that he was at peace with how the situation had unfolded. He said he had learned more about himself through it.

But he did not try to sugarcoat his status with Klinsmann. At one point during the news conference, Donovan was asked to describe their relationship. Donovan paused a moment, shrugged, and then let out a quiet laugh. "I mean, you know," he said.

Despite his initial hesitance, Donovan allowed himself to be swept into the moment during the game. He came close on a few scoring chances and was substituted after 40 minutes.

Before heading toward the sideline, Donovan shook hands with every teammate on the field and then spun around on his heels, acknowledging the fans.

Klinsmann clapped as he watched Donovan skip toward the bench, and when he got there, the two men shook hands. Klinsmann held on to Donovan's shoulder a moment and said something into his ear. "I just congratulated and thanked him," Klinsmann said. (Donovan joked after the game that Klinsmann told him he should have taken him to Brazil.)

After the game, Donovan cried on the field as he watched a retrospective of his career on the video scoreboard. "I've put a lot into this game, however many years, and tonight feels like it was worth it," he said. "I'm very grateful."

Given the awkwardness between the player and the coach, it was the friendship of Donovan and Gulati that made the evening possible. Gulati, a senior lecturer in the economics department at Columbia, said he was eager to see what Donovan did next.

"The analogy I would draw here is that Landon's taken 15 gap years - if I use a university analogy - from high school straight into a job," Gulati said of Donovan, who was a teenager when he began his career. "Now he's going to college and figure out what he's going to do, and he doesn't have to decide on any majors for a couple of years."

Gulati is close with Klinsmann, too, having hired him three years ago. But he artfully steered clear of conflict. One reporter asked Gulati if he would reveal how he reacted upon hearing four months ago that Donovan was not going to Brazil.

"My reaction hasn't changed," Gulati said. "My comment hasn't changed."

The reporter noted that Gulati had never actually commented on the decision.

"Right," Gulati said, pausing as laughter bubbled inside the room. "Good memory."

© 2014 New York Times News Service