Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Clint Dempsey
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Clint Dempsey made an impact.
Clint Dempsey is a retired American professional soccer player celebrated as one of the greatest American players ever. He played as a forward and midfielder, notably for Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, New England Revolution, and Seattle Sounders FC. He achieved significant success in Europe and is tied with Landon Donovan for the most international goals scored by an American player, with 57 goals. He currently works as a sports analyst on CBS Sports' Soccer program.
3 hours ago : Clint Dempsey's life and soccer career chronicled in new docuseries, highlighting his East Texas roots.
A new docuseries explores Clint Dempsey's journey from East Texas native to U.S. soccer legend. It showcases his rise, career milestones, and impact on the sport, inspiring many.
2001: Joins Furman University's Soccer Team
In 2001, Clint Dempsey joined Furman University's men's soccer team.
2003: FIFA World Youth Championship
In 2003, Clint Dempsey represented the United States at the FIFA World Youth Championship.
April 17, 2004: Revolution Debut
On April 17, 2004, Clint Dempsey made his New England Revolution debut in the season opener against the San Jose Earthquakes.
November 17, 2004: First Appearance with Senior Team
On November 17, 2004, Clint Dempsey made his first appearance with the United States senior team.
2004: Drafted by New England Revolution
In 2004, Clint Dempsey was drafted by the New England Revolution.
May 28, 2005: First international goal
On May 28, 2005, Dempsey scored his first international goal for the United States in a 2-1 defeat to England at Soldier Field, Chicago.
December 2006: Fulham Offers $4 Million
In December 2006, English club Fulham offered MLS $4 million for the transfer of Clint Dempsey.
2006: Suspension and Playoff Injury
In 2006, Clint Dempsey received a two-week suspension for fighting with a teammate, missed playoff time due to injury, but won MLS Player of the Week and MLS Goal of the Week, and was named an MLS All-Star and to the MLS Best-XI.
2006: Honda Player of the Year
In 2006, Dempsey was named Honda Player of the Year, the highest individual honor in soccer in America.
2006: Featured in Nike soccer advertising campaign
In 2006, under the alias "Deuce", Clint Dempsey was featured rapping the song "Don't Tread" with XO and Big Hawk in a Nike soccer advertising campaign for the 2006 World Cup. The video is dedicated to his sister Jennifer.
January 11, 2007: Granted Work Permit and Signs with Fulham
On January 11, 2007, Clint Dempsey was granted a work permit and Fulham announced his signing on a long-term deal, making him the most expensive American export to the Premier League.
January 20, 2007: Fulham Debut
On January 20, 2007, Clint Dempsey made his Fulham debut in a 1–1 home draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
2007: Scores against Aston Villa and Tottenham
In 2007, Clint Dempsey scored in a 2–1 defeat against Aston Villa and in a 3–3 home draw against Tottenham.
2007: Signs with Fulham
In 2007, Clint Dempsey signed with Premier League club Fulham for £2 million.
2007: 2007 Gold Cup
In 2007, Dempsey played as the United States defended their title at the Gold Cup, scoring their opening goal against Guatemala.
May 2008: Signs Contract Extension with Fulham
In May 2008, Clint Dempsey signed a contract extension with Fulham, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2010.
2008: Goals Against Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Chelsea
In 2008, Clint Dempsey scored against Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, and twice against Chelsea, including a last-minute equalizer.
August 13, 2009: Contract Extension with Fulham
On August 13, 2009, Clint Dempsey signed a contract extension to remain with Fulham through 2013.
2009: Confederations Cup Final
In 2009, Clint Dempsey helped the United States reach the final of the Confederations Cup.
2009: UEFA Europa League Runner-Up
In 2009, Clint Dempsey was part of the Fulham team that were runners-up to Atlético Madrid for the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League.
2009: 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
In 2009, Dempsey played a crucial role in the FIFA Confederations Cup, scoring against Egypt and Spain, and ultimately helping the United States reach the finals.
June 12, 2010: Goal against England in 2010 World Cup
On June 12, 2010, Dempsey scored against England in the 2010 World Cup after a major error by goalkeeper Robert Green.
September 18, 2010: Equalizing Goal Against Blackburn Rovers
On September 18, 2010, Clint Dempsey scored an equalizing goal against Blackburn Rovers, continuing Fulham's unbeaten record in the Premier League.
2010: UEFA Europa League Final Appearance
In 2010, Clint Dempsey became the first American to appear in a major European final when he played in the 2010 UEFA Europa League Final, where Fulham lost to Atlético Madrid.
2010: Wonder goal for Fulham against Juventus
In 2010, Clint Dempsey scored a "wonder goal" for Fulham in the Europa League against Juventus. The goal, an audacious chip from the edge of the penalty box, highlighted his creative and instinctual playing style.
2010: Played as a Midfielder in the FIFA World Cup
In 2010, Clint Dempsey was classified as a midfielder (MF) in the FIFA World Cup squad, showcasing his versatility as a player.
2010: Contract Extension with Fulham
In May 2008, Fulham announced Dempsey had signed a contract extension which would keep him at the club until the summer of 2010.
January 22, 2011: Double Versus Stoke City
On January 22, 2011, Clint Dempsey scored two goals versus Stoke City, helping Fulham move away from relegation contention.
April 27, 2011: Breaks Fulham's Premier League Goalscoring Record
On April 27, 2011, Clint Dempsey broke Fulham's Premier League goalscoring record by netting twice in a 3–0 victory over Bolton, scoring a total of 33 goals for the team in the Premier League.
December 5, 2011: Most Prolific U.S. Goalscorer in the Premier League
On December 5, 2011, Clint Dempsey became the most prolific U.S. goalscorer in the Premier League, passing Brian McBride, after scoring against Liverpool.
2011: 2011 Gold Cup
In 2011, Dempsey played a crucial role in the Gold Cup, helping the United States advance to the final, scoring goals against Canada, Jamaica, and Panama.
2011: Brace against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
In 2011, Dempsey scored a brace in the first leg of Fulham's 2011–12 Europa League play-off clash against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk at Craven Cottage.
January 21, 2012: First Premier League Hat-Trick
On January 21, 2012, Clint Dempsey scored his first Premier League hat-trick against Newcastle in a 5–2 win for Fulham.
February 1, 2012: 10th Premier League Goal of the Season
On February 1, 2012, Clint Dempsey scored his 10th Premier League goal of the season in a 1–1 draw against West Brom.
February 11, 2012: Assisted goal against Stoke City
On February 11, 2012, Dempsey's shot against Stoke City hit the crossbar and was deflected by the goalkeeper, resulting in an own goal in a 2-1 win for Fulham.
February 29, 2012: Goal against Italy
On February 29, 2012, Dempsey scored the lone goal in an international friendly win against Italy, the first win for the United States against Italy since 1934.
March 8, 2012: Contract talks with Fulham
On March 8, 2012, Fulham manager Martin Jol announced that the club had begun negotiations with Dempsey for a new three-year contract.
August 31, 2012: Transfer to Tottenham Hotspur
On August 31, 2012, Fulham confirmed Clint Dempsey's transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.
October 16, 2012: Tied for third-most goals scored for United States
On October 16, 2012, Dempsey scored his 29th and 30th international goals against Guatemala, tying him with Brian McBride for third-most goals scored for the United States national team.
2012: First American Hat-Trick in Premier League
In 2012, Clint Dempsey became the first American player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League.
2012: Signs with Tottenham
In 2012, Clint Dempsey signed with Tottenham for a fee of $9.6 million.
January 20, 2013: Goal against Manchester United
On January 20, 2013, Dempsey scored a 93rd-minute goal against Manchester United, salvaging a 1-1 draw for Tottenham.
March 2013: Named captain
In March 2013, Dempsey was given the captain's armband by Jürgen Klinsmann for the World Cup qualifying matches versus Costa Rica and Mexico.
April 11, 2013: Two goals against Basel
On April 11, 2013, Dempsey scored two goals against Basel in the Europa League quarter-finals, but Tottenham was eliminated on penalties.
June 2, 2013: Surpassed Eric Wynalda as second all-time top-goalscorer
On June 2, 2013, Dempsey scored two goals against Germany in a 4-3 win, surpassing Eric Wynalda as second all-time top-goalscorer for the United States with his 34th and 35th goals.
August 3, 2013: Signed with Seattle Sounders FC
On August 3, 2013, Dempsey signed a four-year contract with MLS club Seattle Sounders FC as a Designated Player for a $9 million transfer fee, and donned the number 2 shirt.
September 6, 2013: Reached 100 caps
On September 6, 2013, Dempsey became the 14th American to reach 100 caps, scoring a penalty in a 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica in a qualifier.
December 24, 2013: Re-signed with Fulham on loan
On December 24, 2013, Dempsey re-signed with Fulham on a two-month loan.
2014: Wins Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
In 2014, Clint Dempsey led the Seattle Sounders to win the Supporters' Shield.
2014: Played as a Forward in the FIFA World Cup
In 2014, Clint Dempsey was classified as a forward (FW) in the FIFA World Cup squad, highlighting his adaptability on the field.
2014: Fastest goal in American World Cup history
In 2014, Dempsey was named captain of the United States squad for the FIFA World Cup. On June 16, he scored against Ghana 29 seconds into the match, the fastest goal in American World Cup history.
2014: 2014 World Cup Qualifying
In October 16, 2012, the goals helped the United States advance into the final qualifying stage for the 2014 World Cup.
June 16, 2015: Sent off in U.S. Open Cup
On June 16, 2015, Dempsey was sent off in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the Portland Timbers for ripping up the referee's notebook, resulting in a suspension and fine.
2015: Lost Captaincy
In 2015, Before the Gold Cup, Jurgen Klinsmann gave Michael Bradley the captain's armband, in wake of the U.S. Open Cup incident involving Dempsey.
June 2016: Copa América Centenario
In June 2016, during the Copa América Centenario, Dempsey started all three group stage games, recording his 50th and 51st international goals, helping the U.S. advance to the quarter-finals.
July 13, 2016: First MLS red card
On July 13, 2016, Dempsey received his first MLS red card for putting his hands in the face of FC Dallas midfielder Juan Esteban Ortiz, despite scoring and assisting earlier in the game.
March 24, 2017: Hat trick against Honduras
On March 24, 2017, Clint Dempsey scored a hat trick in the U.S.'s 6–0 victory over Honduras at Avaya Stadium, with two goals assisted by Christian Pulisic. One of the goals was from a free kick.
June 3, 2017: Named to CONCACAF Gold Cup preliminary roster
On June 3, 2017, Clint Dempsey was named to the 40-man preliminary roster for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup by head coach Bruce Arena.
2017: MLS Comeback Player of the Year
In 2017, despite concerns about an irregular heartbeat, Dempsey tallied 12 goals in 29 regular season appearances and was named MLS Comeback Player of the Year.
August 29, 2018: Retirement from soccer
Clint Dempsey announced his retirement from soccer on August 29, 2018.
2018: 2018 FIFA World Cup
Dempsey's goal during qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup was scored in the 4–0 victory by the U.S. over Guatemala on March 29, 2016.
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