PARK CITY — Landon Donovan burst on the international soccer scene at the 2002 World Cup. Then 20 years old, Donovan scored twice and showed a talent and instinct for the game that made him the No. 1 player to watch for United States soccer.

He has lived up to the billing.

Donovan is the United States' all-time leading goal scorer with 41 goals — an honor he took over in 2008 when he passed Brian McBride with his 35th goal on a penalty kick — and the all-time leader in assists, as well, with 36.

"Landon has just a great combination of skills," said National Team coach Bob Bradley. "First of all, he is a very dynamic player. He has speed. He has the ability to change direction, to slow down, speed up, and he combines that with the technical ability and also his soccer brain. He reacts very well to situations around him. He sees things a little faster than the defenders. You put all that together, and it makes him always a threat."

Opponents of the U.S. may feel like they have been competing against Donovan for a long, long time — and they have. The playmaker is a veteran of both the 2002 and 2006 World Cup teams and earned his 100th cap in June of 2008, the youngest American to ever do so, and fourth-youngest ever. But at age 27, Donovan still may not have reached his full potential just yet.

Even with room for growth, Donovan knows that with his vast experience, and with the current group of National Team players, much is expected of him both as a player and leader.

"We are relatively young, this team, compared to other national teams," Donovan said. "It has both pluses and minuses. The experience factor isn't there like it was for other teams, but we're learning and getting better."

The midfielder/striker is off to a great 2009, both with the National Team — he has four goals and several assists — and his current club, the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS — where he has 10 goals and five assists. He had a small setback last month when he was diagnosed with the swine flu just after the U.S. lost to Mexico, 2-1, in Mexico City, but said that his illness has not had any long-term effects.

"I'm back to 100 percent," he said. "Anytime you are sick, it takes a while to get back to full health. It probably took about a week after that game to start feeling back to normal."

It's a good thing Donovan is back to full strength, because the U.S. is going to need him playing in top form against El Salvador on Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.

The last time the two squads met back in March in the qualifying round, the Americans needed to come from two goals down to grab a point and the 2-2 draw. Donovan feels there is a definite need to beat El Salvador this time around.

"There is more pressure because there's four games left, and this is the World Cup literally at our fingertips right now," he said. "If we lose points in this game or the Trinidad game, it's going to hurt us. We have no more room for that."

If the U.S. is going to post the much-needed victory, Donovan will play a vital role.

"He is a real important player for us and has had a great year for us all-around," said Bradley. "You see him just growing and maturing in a lot of ways, taking more responsibility, and it has been great to see."

e-mail: mblack@desnews.com