US World Cup squad: Sunderland's Jozy Altidore preferred to former captain Landon Donovan as Jurgen Klinsmann names his squad for Brazil 2014
The US's leading goalscorer has been left out of the squad for Brazil despite Altidore experiencing a poor season for the Black Cats
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Your support makes all the difference.Former captain Landon Donovan has been left out of the United States squad for the World Cup.
The 32-year-old, the States' all-time leading scorer, had been hoping to play in his fourth World Cup but did not make the cut as Jurgen Klinsmann named his final 23-man squad for Brazil.
Although Klinsmann had indicated that the former Everton loanee faced a fight for his place, the final decision comes as something as a surprise with Jozy Altidore, who had a poor season with Sunderland, preferred to the Los Angeles Galaxy stalwart.
Donovan, who has 57 goals for the United States in 156 appearances, has now been placed on a standby list alongside the six other players cut from the initial 30-strong group.
"It's an exciting moment when you have narrowed the roster down as a coaching staff, and these 23 players that you've chosen can focus now purely on Brazil," Klinsmann said.
"We can go into more specific things about technical approaches, and about the opponents. For the players, it's very important to know that they are now part of it and they can relax and know they are on the list going to Brazil and taking it from there.
"After almost 10 days of work right now, we thought the point has come to make the decision."
Defenders Brad Evans, Clarence Goodson and Michael Parkhurst, midfielders Joe Corona and Maurice Edu, and forward Terrence Boyd were the other players cut.
United States 23-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nurnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
PA
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