Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Landon Donovan is back.The single greatest American male soccer player ever is returning to the field, according to multiple reports. Blake Thomsen first reported that Donovan was returning to his old MLS club, the L.A. Galaxy, and it was later confirmed by Grant Wahl and Jeffrey Carlisle. Donovan is rejoining his team with little time to spare; The Galaxy have just six games remaining this season.This is probably the closest thing the MLS can have to a "Jordan comes back to the Bulls" moment. Donovan's name is an American soccer superlative—the MLS MVP trophy is called the Landon Donovan MVP trophy—and he's the league's defining player. More concretely, Donovan is the all-time MLS leader in goals and assists and has won six MLS titles—the last one in 2014, right before he walked away from the sport.This also marks another interesting turn in his career. Donovan took time away from the U.S. national team for a sabbatical in 2013 and was then left off the 2014 World Cup team despite remaining a potent player and a veteran of the past three tournaments.Donovan, now 34, may not stick around for the 2018 World Cup. Maybe he will. Nothing much is known about his intentions yet, except that he's returning. The Galaxy could use his help, though they are tied for the second-most points in the MLS. The national team could take his help too, though his running feud with coach Jurgen Klinsmann may get in the way of that. He's also twice as old as emerging winger Christian Pulisic.But there are friendlies coming up next month and the always-crucial World Cup qualifier against Mexico in November. Will Donovan be ready? Does Klinsmann want anything to do with him?Again, that will all be decided at a later date. For now, at least we know Donovan is back in MLS, and back in the conversation.Update: Well, it is official:
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He's back. pic.twitter.com/tOEduyVv7u
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) September 8, 2016