61 Facts About Clint Dempsey

Clinton Drew Dempsey is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward and midfielder.

In 2004, Clint Dempsey was drafted by the New England Revolution, where he scored 25 goals in 71 appearances.

Between 2007 and 2012, Clint Dempsey played for Fulham in the Premier League, eventually becoming the club's leading Premier League goalscorer.

Clint Dempsey was signed by the Seattle Sounders the following year and played 115 matches for the club, scoring 47 goals, and leading the club to win the 2014 Supporters' Shield.

Clint Dempsey returned the following season and announced his retirement from professional soccer on August 29,2018.

Clint Dempsey represented the United States at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship and made his first appearance with the senior team on November 17,2004, against Jamaica.

Clint Dempsey earned more than 140 caps and scored 57 international goals, making him the nation's fourth-most capped player and tying him with Landon Donovan as the top all-time scorer with 57 goals.

Clint Dempsey has represented the United States at four CONCACAF Gold Cups, helped them to the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, and scored in each of the three FIFA World Cups he attended.

In 2022, Clint Dempsey was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Clint Dempsey was born in Nacogdoches, Texas, and is of Irish ancestry on his father's side.

For much of his childhood, Clint Dempsey's family lived in a trailer park where he and his siblings grew up playing soccer with the complex's large population of Hispanic immigrants.

Clint Dempsey became a standout on the team at an early age but had to quit due to financial constraints as his eldest sister Jennifer was becoming a ranked youth tennis player.

Clint Dempsey was devastated with the family's loss and later explained that this event helped him develop a deeper motivation to pursue soccer in honor of his sister.

Clint Dempsey went on to be the captain and high scorer of the Texans and was honored with the MVP of the Tampa Bay Sun Bowl tournament.

Clint Dempsey studied the play of Argentina's national team, especially Diego Maradona, and was heartbroken when the news came to Nacogdoches that Maradona would not be playing in the 1994 World Cup game played in the Cotton Bowl.

Clint Dempsey attended Furman University as a health and exercise science major and a key player for Paladins soccer.

Clint Dempsey helped the Revolution to the Eastern Conference Finals and earned 2004 MLS Rookie of the Year Honors.

Clint Dempsey was named the 2004 Man of the Year by the Midnight Riders.

In 2005, Clint Dempsey contributed ten goals and nine assists in 26 games.

Clint Dempsey scored the game-winning goal in the Eastern Conference Final on his way to an appearance in the MLS Cup Final.

In 2006, Clint Dempsey added eight more goals, but missed significant time in the playoffs due to injury.

Clint Dempsey came on as a substitute in the MLS Cup Final, but the Revolution lost their second straight final, this time in a penalty shoot-out.

In May 2008, Fulham announced Clint Dempsey had signed a contract extension which would keep him at the club until the summer of 2010.

Clint Dempsey ended the season as Fulham's top Premier League goalscorer with six goals.

On May 12, Clint Dempsey replaced Bobby Zamora 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.

On January 22,2011, Clint Dempsey scored another double versus Stoke City, putting Fulham temporarily out of relegation contention.

Clint Dempsey has scored a total of 33 goals for the team in the Premier League, topping both Brian McBride and Steed Malbranque, each with 32.

The goal propelled Clint Dempsey to become the most prolific US goalscorer in the Premier League, passing Fulham legend and fellow American Brian McBride.

Clint Dempsey finished fourth on the FWA Footballer of the Year list behind the winner, Arsenal's Robin van Persie, and Manchester United pair Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, who came in second and third, respectively.

Clint Dempsey became the first American player to reach the milestone of fifty goals in the Premier League, with a free kick against Sunderland in the last home game of the season.

Clint Dempsey again donned the number 2 shirt, forgoing the number 8 he usually wears for the United States and the number 23 he wore at Fulham.

Clint Dempsey entered the match as a 34th-minute substitute after Obafemi Martins came off with an ankle injury.

On December 24,2013, Clint Dempsey re-signed with Fulham on a two-month loan.

Clint Dempsey made his return debut on January 4,2014, in the Third Round of the FA Cup against Norwich City.

Clint Dempsey had made a return to form, scoring a hat-trick against Portland Timbers, and recording braces against FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids, leaving his goal tally at 8 in 5 games for 2014.

On June 16,2015, in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup against rivals the Portland Timbers, Clint Dempsey was sent off for ripping up referee Daniel Radford's notebook in protest at the dismissal of Michael Azira.

On July 13,2016, Clint Dempsey picked up his first MLS red card after putting his hands in the face of FC Dallas midfielder Juan Esteban Ortiz, who came in with a late challenge on Clint Dempsey.

Clint Dempsey announced his retirement from soccer on August 29,2018.

Clint Dempsey first played for the United States national team at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates.

Clint Dempsey was named to the US roster for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Clint Dempsey won the highest individual honor in soccer in America when he was named Honda Player of the Year for 2006, beating Fulham teammates Kasey Keller and Brian McBride in a poll of sportswriters.

Clint Dempsey received 237 points in voting by 207 sports journalists to claim the award.

Clint Dempsey was present as the United States defended their title at the 2007 Gold Cup, again scoring their opening goal, the sole goal in a victory against Guatemala at The Home Depot Center; his side-footed shot from Taylor Twellman's assist gave the nation victory in Bob Bradley's first match as coach.

However, Clint Dempsey turned his fortunes around in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Clint Dempsey was named the Man of the Match for his performance.

Clint Dempsey scored in his third straight game in the Confederations Cup Final against Brazil, redirecting a similar cross from Spector in the 10th minute to open the scoring.

Clint Dempsey ended the World Cup qualifying campaign tied with Landon Donovan as the team's second top scorer, behind Jozy Altidore, with five goals in thirteen matches.

On June 12,2010, Clint Dempsey became the second American 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 Cup after the England goalkeeper Robert Green made a major error.

Clint Dempsey's disallowed goal later in the tournament against Algeria in the group stage was very controversial.

Clint Dempsey was called offside, but the replay showed that he was most likely not offside.

On February 29,2012, Clint Dempsey scored the lone goal in an international friendly win against four-time World champion Italy.

In March 2013, Clint Dempsey was given the captain's armband by Jurgen Klinsmann for the important World Cup qualifying matches versus Costa Rica and Mexico.

In 2014, Clint Dempsey was named as captain of the 23-man United States squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

In June 2016, Clint Dempsey started all three group stage games of the Copa America Centenario.

Clint Dempsey earned an assist on the fourth goal of the evening, scored by Jozy Altidore.

Clint Dempsey was named to the 40-man preliminary roster for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup by head coach Bruce Arena on June 3,2017.

Clint Dempsey is known for his versatility and ability to play either as a forward, winger or attacking midfielder, depending on the formation.

Clint Dempsey's wonder goal for Fulham in the 2010 Europa League [round of 16] against Juventus, an audacious chip from the very edge of the penalty box, was a counterpoint to the narrative of American soccer players as brutish, hustling grunt workers.

Clint Dempsey has occasionally been prone to aggressive play including physical altercations with opponents over the course of his career, which have sometimes resulted in suspensions.

Clint Dempsey grew up in a Catholic family going to church every Sunday with his grandmother.

The video ends with a shot of Clint Dempsey placing a flower at his sister's grave.