Clinton Drew "Clint" Dempsey (born March 9, 1983) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who plays for
FulhamFulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and the
United States national teamThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
. Dempsey usually plays as either an attacking midfielder, or a striker.
Growing up in
Nacogdoches, TexasNacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
, Dempsey played for one of the top state youth soccer clubs, the
Dallas Texans-American football:*Dallas Texans , 1952 team in the National Football League*Dallas Texans , 1960–1962 team that is now the Kansas City Chiefs*Dallas Texans , 1990–1993 Arena Football League team-Ice hockey:...
before playing for Furman University's men's soccer team. In 2004, Dempsey was drafted by the
Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
club,
New England RevolutionThe New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
, where he quickly integrated himself into the starting lineup. Hindered initially by a jaw injury, he would score seven goals in 24 appearances with the Revolution. Since 2007, Dempsey has played for Premier league team
FulhamFulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and has become the club's Premier League record goalscorer.
Dempsey first represented the United States at the
2003 FIFA World Youth ChampionshipThe 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in United Arab Emirates between November 27 and December 19, 2003. The 2003 championship was the 14th contested...
in the United Arab Emirates. He made his first appearance with the senior team on November 17, 2004 against Jamaica, and was named in the squad for the 2006 World Cup, scoring the teams only goal of the tournament. Dempsey recorded the fastest goal in U.S. World Cup qualifying history by scoring after 53 seconds into a 8-0 defeat of Barbados. In the
2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, Dempsey scored against England, becoming the second American, after
Brian McBrideBrian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...
, to score goals in multiple World Cup tournaments.
Youth
Dempsey was born in Nacogdoches,
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and, for much of his childhood, his family lived in a
trailer parkA trailer park is a semi-permanent or permanent area for mobile homes or travel trailers. The main reasons for living in such trailer parks are the often lower cost compared to other housing, and the ability to move to a new area more quickly and easily, for example when changing jobs to another...
, where he and his siblings grew up playing soccer with the local children or anyone he could find. His older brother Ryan was offered a tryout for the
Dallas TexansDallas Texans Soccer Club is one of the top youth soccer clubs in the United States. Founded in 1993 by Hassan Nazari, the club has produced many players who have played professionally at various levels in the U.S. and overseas, including US National Team Star Clint Dempsey...
, an elite youth soccer club, but young Clint, who had come along, was noticed and recruited while passing time juggling a ball on the sidelines. Dempsey became a standout on the team at an early age, but had to quit due to his family's time and money constraints as his eldest sister Jennifer was becoming a ranked youth
tennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player. But several parents of his teammates with the Texans offered to assist the Dempseys with expenses and travel, allowing him to rejoin the club.
He went on to be the captain and high scorer of the Texans and was honored with MVP in the Tampa Bay Sun Bowl tournament. He was offered a place in the youth Arsenal team but because cousin Arya Ashtari was severely ill, he had to move on from the Arsenal academy. Dempsey studied the play of
ArgentinaThe Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
, especially
Diego MaradonaDiego Armando Maradona is a retired Argentine football player and widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Over the course of his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys, setting...
. Clint was heartbroken when the news came to Nacogdoches that Maradona would not be playing in the
1994 World CupThe 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
game played in the
Cotton BowlThe Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...
. He attended
Furman UniversityFurman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
as a health and exercise major and a key player for the Paladins. In his three seasons at Furman, Dempsey started 61 out of 62 games in central midfield and scored 17 goals.
New England Revolution
New England RevolutionThe New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
selected Clint Dempsey 8th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. His rookie season he started 23 of 24 matches scoring 7 goals. Dempsey helped the Revolution to the Eastern Conference Finals and earned 2004 MLS Rookie of the Year Honors. In 2005 Dempsey scored 10 goals and added 9 assists in 26 games. He scored the game winning goal in the Eastern Conference Final on the way to the MLS Cup Final. The following year Dempsey added 8 more goals in 2006 but missed significant time in the playoffs due to injury. He came on as a substitute in the MLS Cup Final but the Revolution lost their second straight final this time on penalties.
2007–2009
In December 2006, English club
FulhamFulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
offered the MLS
$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
4 million for the transfer of Dempsey, then the largest amount ever offered for an MLS player. On 11 January 2007, he was granted a work permit from the
Home OfficeThe Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
as Fulham announced his signing on a long-term deal. This made Dempsey the most expensive US export to the Premier League in a deal worth a reported
£The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
2 million. He made his Fulham debut in a 1–1 home draw against
Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
on 20 January. His
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
debut followed seven days later in a 3–0 home win over
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. Dempsey scored his first goal for Fulham on 5 May as he struck the only goal of a 1–0 home win over
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. This goal saved Fulham from relegation and effectively guaranteed their place in the top-flight for the following season.
On 25 August, Dempsey scored his first goal of the 2007–08 season in a 2–1 away loss to
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. He followed this up by scoring in Fulham's next fixture in a 3–3 home draw against Tottenham on 1 September. Two weeks later he opened the scoring in Fulham's 1–1 away draw against
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. These goals gave Dempsey three in as many games after Fulham manager
Lawrie SanchezLawrence Philip "Lawrie" Sanchez is a former Northern Irish football manager, and a former player. He is currently the manager of League Two side Barnet...
's decision to convert Dempsey into a striker following an injury to compatriot
Brian McBrideBrian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...
. On 29 September, Dempsey was involved in an aerial collision with
John TerryJohn George Terry is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League...
during a 0–0 draw at
Stamford BridgeStamford Bridge could be* Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, a village in England** The Battle of Stamford Bridge* Stamford Bridge , in London** by metonymy, Chelsea F.C., football club based in the stadium...
which resulted in Terry being substituted. There was some suggestion that Dempsey used a deliberate elbow on Terry, however, he wasn't punished for the incident as referee
Martin Atkinson-Europe and international:On 13 October 2007, Atkinson refereed a group C qualifier for Euro 2008 between Moldova and Turkey. The game in the Moldovan capital Chişinău ended a 1–1 draw, with the referee showing two yellow cards....
didn't report it to the Football Association. On 3 November, Dempsey scored during Fulham's 3–1 home win over
ReadingReading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
to secure just a second league win of the season. He scored his last goals of the season in a 1–1 home draw with
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
and 5–1 away loss to Tottenham in December. In May 2008, Fulham announced Dempsey had signed a contract extension which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2010. Fulham beat Portsmouth 1–0 on the final day of the season to secure Premier League status for another year. He ended the season as Fulham's top Premier League goalscorer with six goals.
Dempsey scored his first goal of the 2008–09 season in a 1–1 away draw at
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on 26 October. His first home goal of the season came in a 3–0 win over
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 20 December. Eight days later he scored twice in the
West London derbyThe West London Derby is the name given to a football derby played between any two of Brentford, Chelsea, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers.The West London derby is less prominent than other such derbies in English football, owing to the teams often being in separate divisions. Chelsea did not face...
against Chelsea which included a last-minute equaliser in a 2–2 home draw. On 24 February 2009, Dempsey scored the first FA Cup goal of his career in a 2–1 home win over Swansea City in the fifth-round. His final home goal of the season came in a 2–1 defeat to
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
on 11 March. Fulham came from a goal down to beat
Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
3–1 away from home as Dempsey scored two goals on 12 April. For the second successive season, Dempsey ended as Fulham's top Premier League goalscorer joint with Andrew Johnson with seven goals. These goals helped Fulham secure a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, the highest in the clubs history, and confirmed their qualification for the newly formed UEFA Europa League for the following season.
2009–10 season
On August 13, 2009, Dempsey signed a contract extension to remain with Fulham through 2013.
On August 20, he scored his first goal in European competition, in the newly formed Europa League, netting Fulham's second goal in a 3–1 win against
Amkar PermFC Amkar Perm is a professional football club playing in Russian Premier League.They are based in the city of Perm and are the easternmost football club in Europe playing in top national competition...
in the play-off round.
On December 30,
La Gazzetta dello SportLa Gazzetta dello Sport is an Italian newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports. It was first published on April 3, 1896, allowing it to cover the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens...
named Dempsey as one of the top eleven Premier League players of the season. On January 17, 2010, Dempsey suffered a suspected
cruciate knee ligamentCruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
injury in a 2–0 away defeat to Blackburn Rovers. On March 11, Dempsey returned, coming on in the last minute of Fulham's loss away to
JuventusJuventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
and then completed 72 minutes of their away loss to
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the league. On March 18, Dempsey came off the bench against Juventus in their second leg last 16 tie in the Europa League and scored the winner on a long chip shot. Fulham won the game 4-1 and this game awarded Fulham an award, as well as Dempsey receiving an award from his 'Wonderful' (Quote from the commentator on ESPN) goal.
The GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
suggested that the goal "might become the most famous goal in Fulham's history". On May 12, Dempsey replaced
Bobby ZamoraRobert Lester "Bobby" Zamora is an English footballer who plays for Fulham and the England national football team. Zamora began his career at Football League club Bristol Rovers, but was soon signed by Brighton & Hove Albion, where he found first team success...
in the 55th minute of the 2010 UEFA Europa League Final, thus making history in becoming the first ever American to appear in a major European final. In the end, Fulham lost the match, as Atlético Madrid's
Diego ForlánDiego Forlán Corazo is an Uruguayan footballer who plays as a striker for Internazionale and the Uruguayan national team. He is a two-time winner of both the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Shoe, and also received the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2010 World Cup.Forlán was born...
scored in the 116th minute of extra time, giving Atlético a 2–1 win. His performances throughout 2009–10 earned him the designation of Most Valuable Player among Americans in Europe by SoccerOverThere.com, among other sources.
2010–11 season
Dempsey remained a regular starter, one of only five Americans in the Premier League to do so currently. On 18 September 2010, he scored an equalising goal on 56 minutes with a header against Blackburn Rovers at
Ewood ParkEwood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
in the 1-1 draw and continue Fulham's undefeated streak in the Barclays Premier League. On October 2, he scored against
West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
past
Robert GreenRobert Paul Green is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United and the England national football team as a goalkeeper.-Norwich City:...
, the same keeper that he had scored against in the World Cup. He then continued his form by scoring two goals against Wigan Athletic on October 30 as Fulham ran out 2 – 0 winners. On January 22, Dempsey scored another double versus
StokeStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, putting Fulham temporarily out of relegation contention.
On March 19, Dempsey became the first American to score 10 goals in a Premier League season, beating
Brian McBrideBrian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...
's previous record of nine, also set while at Fulham in the 2005-06 season and 2006-07 season.
Clint Dempsey broke Fulham's Premier League goalscoring record by netting twice in a 3-0 victory over Bolton on April 27, 2011. He has scored a total of 33 goals for the team in the Premier League, topping both Brian McBride and
Steed MalbranqueSteed Malbranque is a Belgian-born French footballer who last played for Saint-Étienne. Malbranque had previously played professionally for Lyon in his native France before moving to England where he had spells with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland.-Lyon:He was a trainee at Lyon youth...
, each with 32. With these goals, he has now scored 12 goals for Fulham in the 2010-11 season.
At the end of the season, Dempsey was voted Fulham player of the season by Fulham fans.
2011-12 season
Dempsey marked his return to the first team by scoring a brace in the first leg of their Europa League play-off clash against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk at Craven Cottage. Dempsey ended with two goals as Fulham ran out 3-0 winners, setting up a comfortable second leg in Ukraine.
International career
Dempsey first played for the
American national teamThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
at the
2003 FIFA World Youth ChampionshipThe 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in United Arab Emirates between November 27 and December 19, 2003. The 2003 championship was the 14th contested...
in the
United Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. He made his first appearance with the senior team on November 17, 2004 against
JamaicaThe Jamaica national football team is the national team of Jamaica and is controlled by the Jamaica Football Federation. After decades in CONCACAF obscurity, they gained many fans throughout the world after they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup...
. He has frequently lined up as a
strikerForwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
due to his scoring threat and aerial ability, but his preferred and more normal role is on the wing. He won the highest individual honor in American soccer when he was named
Honda Player of the YearThe Honda Player of the Year recognizes the best player on the United States Men's National Soccer Team, as chosen by the national sports media.The winner of the Honda Player of the Year award receives a new Honda motor vehicle....
for 2006, beating Fulham teammates
Kasey KellerKasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
and
Brian McBrideBrian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...
in a poll of sportswriters. Dempsey received 237 points in voting by 207 sports journalists to claim the award.
On May 2, 2006, Dempsey was named to the U.S. roster for the
2006 tournamentThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was the only American player to score a goal in the tournament with his equalizing goal in the Americans' eventual 2–1 loss to
GhanaThe Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
.
In the United States' opening
2010 World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifier, Dempsey recorded the fastest goal in U.S. qualifying history with a chest trap and sliding shot 53 seconds into a 8–0 defeat of
BarbadosThe Barbados national football team, nicknamed Bajan Pride, is the national association football team of Barbados and is controlled by the Barbados Football Association. It has never qualified for a major international tournament...
. But thereafter, Dempsey experienced a dip in form leading some to doubt his first-choice status with the national team. However, Dempsey turned his fortunes around in the
2009 FIFA Confederations CupThe 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
. In the final group stage match against
Egypt, Dempsey scored a trademark diving header off a
Jonathan SpectorJonathan Michael Paul Spector is an American soccer player who plays as a defender for Birmingham City. He started his professional career in England when he was signed by Manchester United as a teenager, but rarely appeared for the club...
cross, making the final result 3–0. This, combined with Brazil's 3–0 victory against
ItalyThe Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in the other group match that was being played simultaneously, put the U.S. through to the semifinals.
In the semi-final match against
SpainThe Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, Dempsey scored to put the USA up 2–0 to send them to the finals. He was named the
Man of the MatchIn sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
for his performance. Dempsey scored in his third straight game in the
Confederations Cup FinalThe 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Final was a football match to determine the winners of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. The match was held at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, South Africa, on 28 June 2009 and was contested by the United States and Brazil. Despite being two goals down at half-time,...
against
BrazilThe Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
, redirecting a similar cross from Spector in the 10th minute to open the scoring. Following the loss, he was awarded the Bronze Ball as the tournament's 3rd best performer. He ended the World Cup qualifying campaign tied with
Landon DonovanLandon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
as the team's 2nd top scorer, behind
Jozy AltidoreJosmer Volmy "Jozy" Altidore is an American soccer player currently playing for Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, and for the United States national team....
, with five goals in thirteen matches.
On June 12, 2010, Dempsey became the second American (after Brian McBride) to score in more than one World Cup when he scored the equalizer goal against England in the Americans' first game of the
2010 World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
after the West Ham and English goalkeeper
Robert GreenRobert Paul Green is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United and the England national football team as a goalkeeper.-Norwich City:...
made a major error.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 |
May 28, 2005 |
Chicago, Illinois |
|
1–2 |
1–2 |
Friendly match |
| 2 |
July 7, 2005 |
Seattle, Washington |
|
1–1 |
4–1 |
2005 CONCACAF Gold CupThe 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the eighth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested in the United States in July 2005. The United States emerged victorious in the final against an upstart Panama team led by tournament...
|
| 3 |
February 2, 2006 |
San Francisco, CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
|
|
2–0 |
3–2 |
Friendly |
| 4 |
March 1, 2006 |
Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
|
|
1–0 |
1–0 |
Friendly |
| 5 |
May 26, 2006 |
Cleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
|
|
2–0 |
2–0 |
Friendly |
| 6 |
June 22, 2006 |
NurembergNuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
|
|
1–1 |
1–2 |
2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
|
| 7 |
June 2, 2007 |
San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
|
|
3–1 |
4–1 |
Friendly |
| 8 |
June 7, 2007 |
Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....
|
|
1–0 |
1–0 |
2007 CONCACAF Gold CupThe 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the ninth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean , and was won by the United States over Mexico. It was contested in the United States from June 6 to June 24, 2007.This competition was the third...
|
| 9 |
September 8, 2007 |
Chicago, Illinois |
|
2–2 |
2–4 |
Friendly |
| 10 |
June 15, 2008 |
Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....
|
|
1–0 |
8–0 |
2010 FIFA World Cup Qual. |
| 11 |
5–0 |
| 12 |
September 6, 2008 |
Havana Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
|
|
1–0 |
1–0 |
2010 FIFA World Cup Qual. |
| 13 |
September 10, 2008 |
Bridgeview, Illinois Bridgeview is a village in Cook County, Illinois in the United States. It is located approximately from the Chicago Loop. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 16,446...
|
|
2–0 |
3–0 |
2010 FIFA World Cup Qual. |
| 14 |
June 21, 2009 |
Rustenburg, South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
|
|
3–0 |
3–0 |
2009 FIFA Confederations CupThe 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
|
| 15 |
June 24, 2009 |
Bloemfontein Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
, South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
|
|
2–0 |
2–0 |
2009 FIFA Confederations CupThe 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
|
| 16 |
June 28, 2009 |
Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
|
|
1–0 |
2–3 The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Final was a football match to determine the winners of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. The match was held at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, South Africa, on 28 June 2009 and was contested by the United States and Brazil. Despite being two goals down at half-time,...
|
2009 FIFA Confederations CupThe 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
|
| 17 |
September 5, 2009 |
SandySandy is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is a suburb of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,461 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth-largest city in Utah....
, UtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
|
|
1–1 |
2–1 |
2010 FIFA World Cup Qual. |
| 18 |
May 30, 2010 |
PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
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|
2–1 |
2–1 |
Friendly |
| 19 |
June 12, 2010 |
Rustenburg Rustenburg |Dutch]]: Town of Rest) is a city and a local municipality of 395,539 inhabitants situated at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range in North West Province of South Africa...
, South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
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|
1–1 |
1-1 |
2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
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| 20 |
June 7, 2011 |
Detroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
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2–0 |
2–0 |
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
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| 21 |
June 19, 2011 |
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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2–0 |
2–0 |
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
|
| 22 |
June 22, 2011 |
Houston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
|
|
1–0 |
1–0 |
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the 11th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 21th CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence...
|
| 23 |
October 8, 2011 |
Miami, Florida Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
|
|
1–0 |
1-0 |
Friendly |
| 24 |
November 15, 2011 |
LjubljanaLjubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
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|
2–1 |
3–2 |
Friendly |
Playing style
Known for his toughness, Dempsey played two games with a broken
jawThe jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
in 2004 before the team trainer diagnosed it, and upon his return, he played through the pain of a sprained
ankleThe ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
. Despite usually playing in wide positions, he frequently scores close-range goals and has scored repeatedly with diving headers in crowded situations. His tenacity in midfield combined with his audacious
dribblingIn sports, dribbling refers to the maneuvering of a ball around a defender through short skillful taps or kicks with either the legs , hands , stick or swimming strokes...
skills frequently results in opponents fouling him, and Dempsey has gained a reputation for fierce play. He was suspended by the
New England RevolutionThe New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
for two weeks in March 2006 for a fist fight with teammate
Joe FranchinoJoe Franchino is a retired American soccer player.-College:Franchino played youth club ball in Alta Loma, CA for such competitive teams as the Aztecs and Arsenal. His first club team, the Aztecs, won the State Cup Championships the first year the Under-10 age bracket started...
during a practice game and was twice suspended by MLS during the 2006 season for violent conduct against opponents, including an elbow that broke the jaw of national teammate
Jimmy ConradJames "Jimmy" Conrad is a retired American soccer defender who last played for Chivas USA in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...
. In a similar incident with Fulham in 2007, Dempsey broke the cheekbone of
ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
defender
John TerryJohn George Terry is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League...
in an aerial challenge but was not penalized.
Dempsey is a versatile attacking midfielder normally played on the left or right for Fulham and the United States. However, he has proven to be more of a threat the closer to goal he gets. His goals against Egypt and Spain in the Confederations Cup came almost immediately after being moved to forward by a substitution from
Bob BradleyRobert "Bob" Bradley is an American soccer coach and the current manager of the Egypt national football team, taking over in September 2011. He previously managed the United States men's national soccer team...
.
Club
| Club |
Season |
League |
Cup |
League Cup |
Continental |
Other[Includes other competitive competitions, including the MLS Cup]The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
and the FA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
|
Total |
| Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
New EnglandThe New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
|
2004 |
24 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
– |
– |
3 |
0 |
28 |
7 |
| 2005 |
26 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
– |
– |
4 |
1 |
30 |
11 |
| 2006 |
21 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
– |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
26 |
8 |
| Total |
71 | 25 | 2 | 0 | FulhamFulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
| 2006–07 |
10 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
– |
– |
12 |
1 |
| 2007–08 |
36 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
– |
– |
40 |
6 |
| 2008–09 |
35 |
7 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
– |
– |
41 |
8 |
| 2009–10 |
29 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|13 |
2 |
– |
44 |
9 |
| 2010–11 The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
|
37 |
12 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
– |
– |
42 |
13 |
| 2011–12 The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012...
|
13 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|5 |
2 |
– |
15 |
5 |
| Total |
160 | 36 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 4 | Career total |
231 | 60 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 281 | 67 |
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| United States The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
|
2004 -National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Standings:-Playoffs:-MLS Cup:-Eastern Conference:-Western Conference:-Playoffs:-Final:...
|
1 |
0 |
| 2005 The 2005 season was the 93rd year of competitive soccer in the United States.-National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Standings:...
|
13 |
2 |
| 2006 The 2006 season was the 94th year of competitive soccer in the United States.-National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Tables:...
|
9 |
4 |
| 2007 The 2007 season was the 95th year of competitive soccer in the United States.-National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Table:...
|
13 |
3 |
| 2008 The 2008 season was the 96th year of competitive soccer in the United States.-National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Playoffs:...
|
10 |
4 |
| 2009 -National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the rightcolumn.-MLS Cup:-Table:Purple indicates league title clinched....
|
14 |
4 |
| 2010 The 2010 Season was the 98th season of competitive soccer in the United States.- National teams :The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Friendly matches:...
|
8 |
2 |
| 2011 The 2011 Season is the 99th season of competitive soccer in the United States.- National teams :The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Senior:...
|
13 |
4 |
| |Total |
81 |
23 |
Club
New England Revolution
- Runner-up
- MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
(2): 2005The 2005 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2005 Major League Soccer season. It was played on November 13, 2005 at the new soccer-specific stadium, Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. In a rematch of the 2002 final, the Los Angeles Galaxy again beat the New England Revolution 1-0 in overtime,...
, 2006The 2006 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2006 Major League Soccer season, played on November 12, 2006 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo. Houston won 4-3 on penalty kicks, after a 1-1 draw following extra time...
- MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
(1): 2005
Fulham
- Runner-up
- UEFA Europa League (1): 2009–10
International
United States
- CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
(2): 2005The 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the eighth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested in the United States in July 2005. The United States emerged victorious in the final against an upstart Panama team led by tournament...
, 2007The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the ninth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean , and was won by the United States over Mexico. It was contested in the United States from June 6 to June 24, 2007.This competition was the third...
Individual
- MLS Rookie of the Year Award
In the United States, Major League Soccer has handed out a Rookie of the Year Award since its inception in 1996. MLS, as opposed to other American sports leagues like Major League Baseball, only designates a player as a rookie if the player has had no prior professional experience...
(1): 2004
- Honda Player of the Year
The Honda Player of the Year recognizes the best player on the United States Men's National Soccer Team, as chosen by the national sports media.The winner of the Honda Player of the Year award receives a new Honda motor vehicle....
(2): 2006, 2011
- MLS Best XI
The MLS Best XI is an acknowledgement of the best eleven players in the league in a given season for Major League Soccer in Canada and the United States.-Winners:*Players in bold text also won the Major League Soccer MVP Award award for that season....
(2): 2005, 2006
- U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year
The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is the longest running major American soccer award...
(1): 2007
- FIFA Confederations Cup
The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...
Bronze Ball (1): 2009
Personal life
Dempsey is married to Bethany Keegan Dempsey. They have a daughter named Elyse and a son named Jackson.They live in Wimbledon and Clint loves to play golf.
Music
One of Dempsey's passions outside of football is
hip hop musicHip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
. Using the alias "Deuce," he, along with fellow Texas rappers
XOXO may refer to:* Executive officer in the military* Executive order, an edict by a member of the executive branch of a government* Xanthine oxidase, an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine...
and the late Houston rapper
Big HawkJohn Edward Hawkins , better known as H.A.W.K. or Big Hawk was an American rapper from Houston, Texas and a founding member of the late DJ Screw's rap group the Screwed Up Click.-Biography:...
from the Screwed Up Click, are featured rapping the song "Don't Tread" in a Nike football advertising campaign for the
2006 World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
with the intention to showcase both the sport's working-class roots and the United States team ahead of the World Cup. The song's video is dedicated to his sister Jennifer, who, at age sixteen, was suddenly struck with a fatal brain aneurysm. At Dempsey's request, the video ends with a shot of him placing a flower at her grave.
External links
*
Dempsey Footballdatabase.com