Clint Dempsey
Clinton Drew Dempsey (/ˈdɛmpsi/; born March 9, 1983) is an American former professional soccer player who is a sports analyst on the television program Soccer on CBS Sports. He played as a forward and midfielder for Premier League clubs Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur and in Major League Soccer for clubs New England Revolution and Seattle Sounders FC. Considered one of the greatest American players of all time, he is frequently debated with Landon Donovan for the title. Dempsey is Fulham's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer (50) and is tied with Donovan for the record of most international goals scored by an American player (57).
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Dempsey playing for Seattle Sounders FC in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A native of Nacogdoches, Texas, Dempsey spent his youth career with the Dallas Texans before joining Furman University's men's soccer team in 2001. In 2004, he was drafted by the New England Revolution, where he scored 25 goals in 71 appearances. In 2007, Dempsey signed for Premier League club Fulham for £2 million. With Fulham, he was an integral part of the team that were runners-up of the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League He was awarded Fulham Player of the Season for 2010–11 and 2011–12, where he was the club's top scorer for both. In 2012, Dempsey became the first American player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League. He is the Fulham's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer with 50 goals.
In 2012, Tottenham signed Dempsey for a fee of $9.6 million, then a record signing for an American. He scored 12 goals in one season with Tottenham, giving him 72 goals across all competitions for Premier League clubs—the most by an American in a top-tier European league. He 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. During the 2016 season, Dempsey was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat and missed the team's run to the MLS Cup. He returned the following season. He announced his retirement from professional soccer in 2018.
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. He 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. Dempsey represented the United States at four CONCACAF Gold Cups (winning three), helped them to the final of the 2009 Confederations Cup, and scored in each of the three World Cups he attended. In 2022, Dempsey was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.