Clint Dempsey facts for kids
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Dempsey playing for Seattle Sounders FC in 2016
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Clinton Drew Dempsey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | March 9, 1983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Nacogdoches, Texas, United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward, midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | Dallas Texans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Furman Paladins | 62 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | New England Revolution | 71 | (25) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2012 | Fulham | 189 | (50) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Tottenham Hotspur | 29 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2018 | Seattle Sounders FC | 115 | (47) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | → Fulham (loan) | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 409 | (129) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | United States U20 | 13 | (21) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2017 | United States | 141 | (57) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Clinton Drew Dempsey (born March 9, 1983) is a retired American professional soccer player. Many people consider him one of the greatest American soccer players ever. After retiring, he became a sports analyst for TV.
Dempsey played as a forward and midfielder. He played for famous English Premier League clubs like Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur. In the U.S., he played for the New England Revolution and Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer (MLS).
He is one of the most successful American players to compete in Europe. For the U.S. national team, he is tied with Landon Donovan for the most goals scored, with 57 goals. In 2022, he was added to the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Soccer
Dempsey was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. As a child, his family lived in a trailer park. He and his siblings often played soccer with other kids in their neighborhood.
When he was a teenager, his older brother Ryan tried out for an elite youth soccer club called the Dallas Texans. Dempsey came along and was noticed by the coaches for his skills. He was recruited to join the team.
Playing for the Texans was expensive, and his family struggled to pay for it. His sister Jennifer was a talented tennis player, and the family focused on her career. However, parents of his teammates helped pay for his travel and fees so he could keep playing.
Tragically, when Dempsey was 12, his 16-year-old sister Jennifer died from a brain aneurysm. This was a very difficult time for him and his family. He later said that this loss motivated him to work even harder at soccer to honor his sister's memory.
Dempsey became the captain of the Texans and their top scorer. He later played college soccer for Furman University, where he was a star player.
Club Career
New England Revolution
In 2004, the New England Revolution drafted Dempsey into Major League Soccer (MLS). In his first season, he scored seven goals and was named the MLS Rookie of the Year.
Over the next two seasons, he continued to be a key player for the Revolution. He helped the team reach the MLS Cup final in both 2005 and 2006. By the end of his time with the team, he had scored 25 goals in 71 matches.
Fulham
In 2007, Dempsey moved to England to play for Fulham in the Premier League, one of the world's top soccer leagues. The transfer fee of £2 million was a large amount for an American player at the time.
First Seasons
On May 5, 2007, Dempsey scored a crucial goal against Liverpool. This 1–0 win saved Fulham from being relegated (moved down to a lower league).
In the 2007–08 season, he became Fulham's top scorer in the Premier League with six goals. He signed a contract extension to stay with the club until 2010.
European Success
During the 2009–10 season, Dempsey helped Fulham on an amazing run in the UEFA Europa League, a major European tournament. On March 18, 2010, he scored a famous winning goal against the Italian team Juventus. His incredible chip shot is considered one of the greatest goals in Fulham's history.
Fulham made it all the way to the final, where they lost to the Spanish club Atlético Madrid. Dempsey became the first American player to appear in a major European final.
Becoming a Top Scorer
In the 2010–11 season, Dempsey scored 12 goals, setting a new record for an American in a single Premier League season. He broke the record previously held by another American, Brian McBride.
The next season, 2011–12, was even better. On January 21, 2012, he scored a hat-trick (three goals in one game) against Newcastle. This made him the first American player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League. He finished the season with 23 goals in all competitions and was voted Fulham's Player of the Season for the second year in a row.
Tottenham Hotspur
In 2012, Dempsey moved to another London club, Tottenham Hotspur, for a fee of about $9 million. In his only season with the team, he scored 12 goals. One of his most memorable goals was a last-minute equalizer against the league leaders, Manchester United.
His time at Tottenham brought his total goals in top European leagues to 72, the most by any American player.
Seattle Sounders FC
In 2013, Dempsey returned to the U.S. to play for Seattle Sounders FC. In 2014, he had a fantastic season, scoring 15 goals and helping the Sounders win the Supporters' Shield for having the best regular-season record.
In 2016, Dempsey was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat. He had to miss the rest of the season, including the team's victory in the MLS Cup. He was cleared to play again for the 2017 season and was named the MLS Comeback Player of the Year.
On August 29, 2018, Clint Dempsey announced his retirement from professional soccer.
International Career
Dempsey was a star for the U.S. national team for over a decade. He played in 141 matches and scored 57 goals, tying him with Landon Donovan as the country's all-time top scorer.
World Cups and Major Tournaments
Dempsey played in three World Cups. In the 2006 World Cup, he scored the only goal for the U.S. in the tournament. In the 2010 World Cup, he scored a famous goal against England.
At the 2014 World Cup, he was the team captain. He scored just 29 seconds into the first match against Ghana, the fastest World Cup goal in U.S. history. By scoring in this tournament, he became the first American man to score in three different World Cups.
He also helped the U.S. win three CONCACAF Gold Cup titles (in 2005, 2007, and 2017). In 2009, he was a key player when the U.S. team finished as the runner-up in the FIFA Confederations Cup, scoring goals against both Egypt and Spain.
Becoming a Legend
On March 24, 2017, Dempsey scored a hat-trick against Honduras in a World Cup qualifying match. On July 22, 2017, he scored his 57th international goal in a Gold Cup match against Costa Rica. This goal tied him with Landon Donovan for the all-time U.S. scoring record.
Style of Play
Dempsey was a versatile player who could play as a forward or an attacking midfielder. He was known for his creativity and his ability to score important goals with both his feet and his head.
Coaches and fans loved his confidence and his willingness to try difficult and surprising plays, like backheels and long-range shots. This made him one of the most exciting American players to watch.
Personal Life
Dempsey is married to Bethany Keegan Dempsey, and they have six children. He is a practicing Catholic and has said that his faith is an important part of his life.
Outside of soccer, one of Dempsey's passions is hip-hop music. He has recorded music under the name "Deuce." In 2006, he was featured in a Nike ad rapping a song called "Don't Tread."
Honors
Fulham
- UEFA Europa League: runner-up 2009–10
Seattle Sounders
- MLS Cup: 2016
- Supporters' Shield: 2014
- U.S. Open Cup: 2014
United States
- CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2005, 2007, 2017
- FIFA Confederations Cup: runner-up 2009
Individual
- U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year: 2007, 2011, 2012
- Honda Player of the Year: 2006, 2011, 2012
- MLS Rookie of the Year: 2004
- MLS Comeback Player of the Year: 2017
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Top Goalscorer: 2015
- Fulham Player of the Season: 2010–11, 2011–12
- National Soccer Hall of Fame member
See also
In Spanish: Clint Dempsey para niños
