U.S.A.'s all-time top scorer Landon Donovan announces retirement post MLS season end

The U.S.A. football team's all-time top scorer Landon Donovan, who was left out of the national squad for the World Cup in Brazil, has announced that he would retire at the end of the MLS season.

Donovan said on Thursday that after careful deliberation and many conversations with those closest to him, he has decided that this would be his last year as a professional soccer player.

Donovan, who is one of America's most-decorated footballers, is the U.S. national team's all-time leading scorer with 57 goals and has also provided a record 58 assists, Sport24 reported.

The forward has also won 156 caps, putting him second in the country's all-time list.

This is the second time in as many years Donovan has announced that he is stepping away from the game after he took an extended break early last year, saying that he was struggling to find the energy to compete.

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann then surprisingly left Donovan out of his squad for the World Cup.

The American said that it has been more than anything he could have dreamed of to represent the LA Galaxy, the San Jose Earthquakes, Everton, U.S. Soccer and Major League Soccer throughout his career.

Donovan said that there are so many people he wants to thank who have inspired him, guided him and helped him on this incredible journey.