Landon Donovan admits his omission from the USA World Cup squad is a major disappointment.
The LA Galaxy star, who has scored 57 goals in 156 internationals, was cut from Juergen Klinsmann's final 23-man squad for Brazil 2014 despite performing well during the training camp in California.
Donovan is the country's leading goalscorer and has played in three World Cups but his recent form, according to Klinsmann, was not good enough to make it to Brazil - a valuation he does not agree with.
"Based on my performances leading up to camp, based on my preparation for the camp, based on my fitness, based on my workload, based on the way I trained and played in camp," he said.
"I not only thought I was part of the 23, I thought I was in contention to start. So that's why this has all been pretty disappointing.
"I don't agree with that assessment," he added.
"I think I was at least as good as everyone else in camp, so from that standpoint, I don't agree with it. I think you guys who know me well know I'm pretty honest when it comes to my assessment. When I say I don't play well, I didn't play well; when I say I played well, I think I played well, and I think I trained and played very well in camp.
"I think I was one of the better players. and so that's why it stings a little. I think at the end of the day, like I said before camp, if I had gone in and didn't feel like I deserved it, then I can live with that. But that's not the case here."
