Landon Donovan has set aside memories of a tension-filled 2006 flop, taken confidence from a long-sought European success and finds himself ready to spark the United States at the World Cup.

The 28-year-old midfielder is the all-time American leader with 42 goals and an even more dangerous set-up man, able to roam the right or left side and push the attack with crisp passing and quick runs.

But his most dangerous improvement has been his mindset. His help in a 2002 US run to the last eight is a distant memory. So is the pressure of a joyless 2006 first-round ouster. Donovan is a man of the moment and that moment is now.

"The biggest improvement I've made has been mentally," Donovan said. "At 20, it was youthful exuberance and naivete and literally just playing every day because you loved to play every day.

"Now there's more responsibility. There's also greater opportunity and I enjoy the challenge of that. In 2006, that became I think burdensome because I wasn't ready for it and now I'm ready for it. And I'm really excited for it."

Donovan signed a six-year deal with Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in 1999 at age 16 but was back with San Jose of Major League Soccer two years later without playing a match.

A return in 2005 saw him playing but homesick and he left for the Los Angeles Galaxy, his current club, after just two months.

After also going scoreless in six matches on a 2009 loan to Bayern Munich, Donovan found a taste of Toffee and the Merseyside to his liking, scoring twice in 13 matches for Everton in a three-month English Premiership stint this year.

"When I went to Everton there was immediate respect and that was eye-opening for me, because I had never experienced that in Europe," Donovan said.

"I've always been pretty confident, but knowing that you can play against the best players in the world, week in week out, is a big boost and that for me was the biggest thing."

He had an MLS-best nine assists for an unbeaten Galaxy when he left to join the US side.

Donovan credits therapy, actress ex-wife Bianca Kajlich, family and friends for a wake-up call to take a hard look at himself that has put him in a far different place than after the disappointment of the 2006 World Cup.

"I changed the way I look at my career, the way I play," Donovan said.

"I would almost say I'm a 180, that things have changed completely in almost a 180 from where I was four years ago - mentally, physically, from a motivation standpoint, understanding what it all means, the importance of it, putting my career in context and understanding how important this tournament is."

What's past is prologue for Donovan, who hopes the best is yet to come on the fields of South Africa.

"I don't think back any longer," Donovan said. "I thought back for a while, and now I focus on the present. That lesson has been well learned and won't be duplicated."

"I'm more real than I was. I'm more centred. Those things give you confidence, but also ease that whatever comes you're going to be OK with.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP