Club Leon parts ways with Landon Donovan

The former U.S. national team star's career may be over after the Liga MX club announced his departure

Club Leon has announced it has parted ways with American soccer legend Landon Donovan, potentially spelling an end to his career.

Donovan, 36, came out of retirement for a second time in January to join the Liga MX outfit but featured sparingly for the club in the Clausura, making five appearances for a total of just 98 minutes.

With his contract set to run through 2018, Leon confirmed on Sunday that it would be parting ways with Donovan ahead of the Apertura.

"Landon Donovan and Club Leon have agreed to part ways and to not validate the signed contract for next season," read a club statement.

"During the time that Landon spent with our team, he has been exemplary in all aspects. The club loses a legendary professional in the world of sports that leaves an indelible mark in our club."

Donovan first retired after winning the 2014 Cup with the , only to briefly return down the stretch of the 2016 season, helping the Galaxy reach the Western Conference finals.

The California native is the U.S. men's national team's all-time leading scorer along with Clint Dempsey, with both players scoring 57 goals for the Stars and Stripes.

Donovan won six MLS Cups during his career, two with the and four with the Galaxy.

Recently, Donovan has been embroiled in a controversy over a promotional tweet suggesting U.S. national team fans support Mexico at the World Cup in the absence of their preferred team.

On Sunday, Donovan attempted to clarify his tweet, saying: "I believe in supporting each other and building bridges, not barriers."