Clint Dempsey

8. Clint Dempsey Forward | Club: Seattle Sounders After a slow start upon his return to MLS from the Premier League in 2013, the 2014 version of Dempsey

Liviu Bird | Jun 2, 2014

Clint Dempsey /

8. Clint Dempsey

Forward | Club: Seattle Sounders

Age	Hometown	Height	Weight	Goals	Caps
31	Nacogdoches, Texas	6-1	170	37	104

After a slow start upon his return to MLS from the Premier League in 2013, the 2014 version of Dempsey looks every bit like the attacking player he used to be. The U.S. captain announced his return emphatically, with a hat trick for the Seattle Sounders against their biggest rivals, the Portland Timbers, and the next step is replicating that form with the national team. His 37 career goals are most on the USA’s 23-man roster.

OUTLOOK: In Seattle, Dempsey has become comfortable in a playmaking role. He was never asked to play that sort of position in Europe, but his ability to combine with a hold-up striker has really come through this season. If he and Jozy Altidore can cultivate a similar relationship as Dempsey has with Obafemi Martins on the Sounders, the U.S. will score goals.

Meet the 23: Complete roster breakdown

Published Jun 2, 2014

LIVIU BIRD

Liviu Bird is a soccer analyst with more than 20 years of experience in the game. He learned how to play in the streets of Romania before moving to the soccer wilderness of Fairbanks, Alaska, escaping to play collegiately as a goalkeeper at Highline Community College and Seattle Pacific University, where he also earned his B.A. in journalism. Bird played semiprofessionally and had tryouts at professional clubs but hung up his gloves in 2012 to focus on writing and coaching at the youth and collegiate levels. He joined Sports Illustrated in March 2013 as a freelance contributor and has also written for NBC Sports, Soccer Wire, The New York Times, American Soccer Now and the Telegraph (UK).