Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan has admitted he didn’t expect to be left out of the United States World Cup squad.
The 32 year-old, who has scored 57 goals in 156 appearances for the US, was surprisingly overlooked by Head Coach Jürgen Klinsmann when naming his final 23.
"I’m sad, that’s the reality, it was a bad surprise, a bad dream," Donovan said, as reported by Football Espana.
"I didn’t expect to be out of the World Cup. I believe I deserve as much as anyone to be going to Brazil.
"I look in the mirror and I don’t think [he’s declining]. Not only do I deserve to be in the World Cup for what I’ve done as a player but in the 10 days of work with my colleagues at Stanford [the site of the training camp], I proved I was in great shape.
"I worked hard and the rest of the players wanted me on the team.
"I disagree with the decision, I don’t think it was correct, but that’s life. Sometimes things don’t go as you expect and you move on, even if you’re sad.
"The decision has surprised me, I’m disappointed, very sad, but I’m not angry."
With Donovan left out, Klinsmann is relying on Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, Chris Wondolowski and Aron Jóhannsson as his forwards.
