Landon Donovan hopes his Galaxy goodbye is a long one

After an emotional stop in Connecticut with the U.S. national team last week, the Landon Donovan Farewell Tour comes to StubHub Center on Sunday, where Donovan will play his final regular-season home game with the Galaxy.

But it won’t be the final game of his career and it almost certainly won’t be his final game at the StubHub Center. The Galaxy, which has already clinched a spot in the Major League Soccer playoffs, will finish its regular season on the road in Seattle before beginning the playoffs next month.

And with home-field advantage guaranteed for the first round, the Galaxy already has a Nov. 9 game scheduled in Carson.

That has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of either the Galaxy or the league, which will mark Donovan’s record-setting career before, during and after Sunday’s 5:30 p.m. game with the Seattle Sounders. MLS Commissioner Don Garber is among the dignitaries expected to be on hand.

“Last week was pretty emotional,” Donovan, 32, said of his final appearance with the national team. “I expect this week will probably be the same. The fortunate thing about this week is there will be another home game. So this isn’t necessarily the end.

“But I’ll hopefully get a little bit of time after the game to appreciate it all.”

Donovan, the national team’s all-time leader in goals (57) and assists (58) and the MLS record-holder in the same two categories with 144 and 136, respectively, announced during the summer that this would be his final season in a 16-year professional career in which he was widely hailed as the best American soccer player ever.

“I do think this is the right time for him to leave the game,” said Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena, who also coached Donovan for six years with the national team. “He’s ready for a change in his life. And naturally he’ll miss it a little bit. But I think the time is pretty good for him.

“In his mind he’s given about all that he can give.”

Well, not quite. Donovan, who leads MLS with 19 assists in 29 games, believes he has a little bit left for a final push toward a sixth MLS title, which would give him one more record.

The Galaxy and Sounders are tied atop the league standings with two games -- against each other -- left on the regular-season schedule. The team with the best record will get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, including the right to play host to the championship game in December if it qualifies.

Which means when Donovan really does walk off a soccer field for the last time he could be carrying the MLS Cup at the StubHub Center.

“I’m human and it’s going to feel good and it’s going to be exciting,” Donovan said of Sunday’s planned tribute. “But I just want to use that energy and do my job better. And so I’ll take the energy in a positive way and put it out on the field.

“I want to win. I don’t know any other way to say it. I want the last game to be here, first week of December, playing for a championship. And so that’s my sole focus. You don’t get any more chances. So I want to make sure that I make every game feel like the last.”

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