Kyle Rivas/Getty ImagesLandon Donovan has announced his retirement from soccer.
In a long letter posted to his Facebook page, the 32-year-old athlete says he feels "blessed and lucky" to have had such a successful career.
"After careful deliberation and after many conversations with those closest to me, I have decided that this will be my last season as a professional soccer player," Donovan wrote. "I don't write these words lightly and this day carries mixed emotions for me. I am sad to leave a profession that has brought me so much joy. I will miss all of the teammates who helped me create so many incredible memories on-the-field, and who I have shared many wonderful experiences with off-the-field. I will miss my coaches, at both the club and national team levels, who have helped me develop throughout my career and helped make me the player I am today. However, after spending half my life as a professional soccer player, I also am excited to begin a new chapter and pursue other opportunities that will challenge me and allow me to grow as a person."
While we watch Donovan play out his final soccer season, let's take a look at some other sports stars we miss.
1. Terrell Owens: Owens holds or shares several National Football League records, including being the only player to score against all 32 NFL teams...twice, and is second to only the great Jerry Rice in career receiving yards. He's also famous for his flamboyant celebrations after scoring touchdowns (sorry, showboating haters!).
2. Sean Avery: The controversial hockey player was known for his wild behavior on the ice, but we love the fact that he has extra-athletic interests, like interning at Vogue!
3. Michael Jordan: The Chicago Bulls star is often cited as being the best basketball player of all time. Although we don't really need to say more, we have two other words: Space Jam!
4. Mike Eruzione: Beyond being a fantastic hockey player and the captain of the 1980 Winter Olympics United States national team that defeated the Soviet Union in the famous "Miracle on Ice" game, Eruzione was known for being an all-around nice guy.
5. Shaun Alexander: Besides being awfully good-looking, Alexander set numerous records with the Seattle Seahawks and was named the NFL MVP in 2005. He was also named to the NFL's 2000 All-Decade team.