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| Forward, USA |
I remember clearly the moment that Dempsey burst, quite literally, onto the scene.
This video captures a lot of what you ought to know about Dempsey. When DaMarcus Beasley plays the (inch-perfect) cross into his path, Dempsey needs only to side foot the ball past the Ghana keeper. A finesse touch is the prudent option to finish the cross, but Dempsey opts for power. It's as if he wanted not just to score but to send a message. He succeeded; when I was watching that U.S. - Ghana game, the aftermath of Dempsey's goal was the only time I felt like we could win the match. Dempsey is capable of elevating those around him, and that's one of the reasons Jurgen Klinsmann has made Dempsey the U.S. captain. With the U.S. playing some big boys this summer (Germany, Portugal), the team will need Dempsey's swagger.
There are plenty of players who have an edge about them, but Dempsey brings the skill and track record to match. When he scored the above goal, Dempsey was a brash 23-year-old making a name for himself in MLS. Since that time, he has gone on to become arguably the most successful export in U.S. soccer history. European ditches are filled with the remains of once-promising American careers, but perhaps in part due to his attitude, Dempsey succeeded where others failed. On May 5, 2007, four months after securing a record transfer from the New England Revolution to Fulham FC of the English Premier League, Dempsey scored the lone goal in the Cottagers' 1-0 win over Liverpool. This goal essentially saved Fulham from relegation and launched Dempsey's career with the team.
Dempsey became a regular starter for Fulham in the 2007-08 campaign, and the list of accolades that followed is remarkable: top-scorer for Fulham in 2007-08, joint top-scorer in 2008-09, the first American to ever appear in a major European final (2010 UEFA Europa League Final vs. Atletico Madrid), first U.S. player to score 10 goals in a Premier League season (2010-11), most goals ever scored by a Fulham player in a Premier League season (15 in 2011-12), Fulham Player of the Year as voted by the fans in both 2011 and 2012. In his 5+ seasons at Fulham, Dempsey scored exactly 50 goals becoming the first and only American to hit the half-century goal milestone in the Premier League.
Dempsey has scored his share of important goals for the national team as well. In addition to the 2006 goal vs. Ghana, Dempsey scored against both Spain and Brazil during the U.S.'s historic run to the 2009 Confederations Cup Final. He also scored the lone goal in America's 1-1 tie vs. England in the 2010 World Cup, and Dempsey drew the penalty converted by Landon Donovan in the 2010 Round of 16 match vs. Ghana.
Now, Dempsey is back home in MLS, and he's still scoring goals. Dempsey is currently tied for second in MLS for goals, and he has Seattle Sounders FC at the top of the league table. Dempsey is one of the most talented players in U.S. Soccer history; he's still in the prime of his career, and he's in form. If the U.S. succeeds in Brazil, Dempsey will almost certainly be at the heart of it. If you fail to notice Dempsey while watching the Stars and Stripes this summer, then I don't like our chances.
This article is part of the Players to Know series.