Clint Dempsey - International Career

International Career

Dempsey first played for the United States national team at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates. He made his first appearance with the senior team on November 17, 2004, against Jamaica. He has frequently lined up as a striker due to his scoring threat and aerial ability, but his preferred and more normal role is off the striker. He won the highest individual honor in American soccer when he was named Honda Player of the Year for 2006, beating Fulham teammates Kasey Keller and Brian McBride 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 World Cup in Germany. 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 Ghana.

In the United States' opening 2010 World Cup qualifier, Dempsey recorded the then fastest goal in U.S. qualifying history with a chest trap and sliding shot 53 seconds into a 8–0 defeat of Barbados. 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 Cup. In the final group stage match against Egypt, Dempsey scored a trademark diving header off a Jonathan Spector cross, making the final result 3–0. This, combined with Brazil's 3–0 victory against Italy in the other group match that was being played simultaneously, put the U.S. through to the semifinals. In the semi-final match against Spain, Dempsey scored to put the USA up 2–0 to send them to the finals. He was named the Man of the Match for his performance. 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. 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 Donovan as the team's second top scorer, behind Jozy Altidore, 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 Cup after the West Ham and England goalkeeper Robert Green made a major error. Dempsey's disallowed goal later in the tournament vs. Algeria in the group stage was very controversial. Dempsey was called offside, but the replay showed that he was most likely not offside. Despite this call, his teammate Landon Donovan scored a late stoppage time goal to win the game 1–0.

During the 2011 Gold Cup, Dempsey played a key role in helping the U.S. advance to the finals. In the group stages he recorded a goal in a 2–0 win over Canada, and in the quarterfinals, Dempsey also scored a goal in a 2–0 win over Jamaica. In the semi-finals against Panama, who had shockingly defeated the U.S. 1–2 in the group stage, Dempsey scored the only goal to advance the Americans to the final. With a sliding touch Dempsey redirected U.S. Midfielder Landon Donovan's pass into the net.

On February 29, 2012, Dempsey scored the lone goal in an international friendly against four time World Cup Champion Italy. Jozy Altidore assisted on the goal, allowing the U.S. to win for the first time against Italy in eleven games played since 1934.

Dempsey broke his own fastest-goal record in World Cup Qualifying on September 7, scoring just 39 seconds into a 2-1 defeat against Jamaica in Kingston. During a qualifying match against Guatemala on October 16, 2012, Dempsey scored his 29th and 30th international goal, tying him with Brian McBride for third most goals scored for the U.S. National Team. The goals helped the U.S. advance into the final qualifying stage for World Cup 2014.