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FIFA Men’s World Cup: Clint Dempsey Urges U.S. Team for Success to Attract Pro-USMNT Crowds
Clint Dempsey believes that achieving success on the field during the upcoming friendly matches would significantly help attract pro-American fans to the World Cup next year. This is a stark contrast to the pro-opponent crowds seen during this year’s Concacaf Gold Cup.
The head coach of the U.S. men’s national team, Mauricio Pochettino, and the current players noted that during the matches, spectators were largely supporting Guatemala in St. jilino.1 vip Louis and Mexico in Houston. Dempsey remarked, “We were outnumbered in the games that mattered, in terms of the semifinal and then final. There were more fans for the opposing team. So it’s up to the national team players to put a product on the field that makes people want to go spend their hard-earned money,” during his interview with The Associated Press.
He added, “I think with everybody being back and having that fight, and mixing that together with quality, will motivate people to support this team.”
Preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The U.S. team has a schedule filled with 10 friendlies on FIFA international fixture dates, with two matches each planned for September, October, November, March, and June, leading up to the World Cup opener in Inglewood, California, on June 12. They will play in Seattle a week later and wrap up the group stage in Inglewood on June 25.
Dempsey expressed his desire to see a team that plays exciting football, saying, “I want to see a team that is playing in an exciting style, whether it’s defending well, building out of the back, getting forward, creating chances, and scoring goals. I just want to see the fight and the grit that we saw in the Gold Cup but with more quality. That’s what I’m looking forward to, a team that can make you believe they can win against top competition.”
Having scored 57 international goals — tying with Landon Donovan for the American record — Dempsey has experienced mixed outcomes with the U. 99bet Arcade GamesS. team. The squad was eliminated in the group stage of the 2006 World Cup, made it to the round of 16 in 2010 and 2014, and failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament. He noted that the positive rebuild for 2022, which saw the Americans return to the round of 16, came at the expense of veteran presence, with only defender DeAndre Yedlin remaining from the 2014 roster.
After winning the Concacaf Nations League in 2021, 2023, and 2024, the U jili20 casino login.S. was eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 Copa America. This prompted the U. 777 pub comS jili no. Soccer Federation to replace Gregg Berhalter with Pochettino, following a semi-final loss in this year’s Nations League and a final loss in the Gold Cup.
Dempsey pointed out, “There wasn’t that big mix of older players passing on lessons they learned over the years. Sometimes, you need someone to shake things up. You don’t know if it’s egos or what else may be the reason for why things don’t work out. After Copa America and Nations League, there definitely needed to be some changes.”
He emphasized that competition within the squad is essential, stating, “If everyone feels like their spots are not guaranteed and you have a culture where you can earn a place in the starting lineup through training, then I think people will get behind that and truly believe in it.”
Dempsey, along with his wife Bethany, is busy managing their six children: daughters Elyse (16), Fifi (12), and Maevy (2), and sons Jackson (14), Clay (10), and Linc (4). Jackson is part of Charlotte’s academy. While Dempsey never intended to remain in soccer as a broadcaster, he is content with his new roles.
At the World Cup, the U.S. will be seeded as one of the co-hosts, meaning they will not face a top 10 opponent in their group. Should they finish first, they could avoid facing a strong nation in the new round of 32.
Dempsey concluded, “If you’re looking at numbers and what’s on paper, you have a chance to do something special, and I hope they take advantage of it. We need all the best players fit and playing consistently. I’m excited to see how they can blend more quality into this gritty and fighting culture we saw in the Gold Cup.”
What are your thoughts on the U.S. team’s chances in the upcoming World Cup?
