In a wide-ranging interview with ESPN on Tuesday, Landon Donovan, the USA’s all-time leader in goals (49) and assists (48), raised more questions over his uncertain future. The LA Galaxy playmaker, who turned 30 in March, maintained that he still hasn’t decided whether to retire from soccer altogether, or maybe just international duty, and that he needs a break from the game, making another loan spell at English Premier League club Everton unlikely.

Nevertheless, Donovan spoke lovingly of Everton, where he spent two successful loan spells in 2009 and 2011, calling his time there “a fling that grew into a full-blown affair.” He said the club “really stole my heart”, adding: "Everyone was so unbelievably welcoming, from [manager David] Moyes to the tea lady."

When asked if he would play at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Donovan said he wasn’t sure: "I don't have the answer to that. There are a lot of moving pieces: Will I be playing, period? Will I be part of the team? Will I be good enough to be wanted? If I had to guess I would say it is 50-50. I will have more clarity after I take a break.”

About the only thing that is clear, is that Donovan, who has a year left on his contract with the Galaxy, plans to use the offseason to ponder his future. "I need to determine if I want to play, and if the answer is yes, I need to work out where and for how long," he said.