In college, I joined a team Bible study. God's Word brought me peace and a desire for a relationship with Him.
— Clint Dempsey
I play to the best of my abilities and am thankful for the many opportunities and amazing success He has given me. Through it all, I want to do right, not make mistakes, and live a life that is pleasing to Him.
The most important thing is the time you spend with the coach and what you all achieve.
I never really thought of myself as a captain. I always thought of myself as a guy trying to win games, a guy who could look back and have no regrets.
I've always pushed myself hard.
You're just grateful for every day, grateful for every game you get to play in because you never know when it's going to be taken from you.
The most important thing is qualifying for the World Cup.
It's just staying focused and working hard; that's all I've ever done. I was fortunate enough that things worked out for me. It doesn't happen all the time, but I don't let bumps in the road throw me off course.
It's easier to destroy than it is to create, but I've always enjoyed the creative aspect of the game.
When you're out there and playing, things are going fast. You've just got to trust your instincts and what got you there.
The players you really feel bad for are the younger players, who haven't had a chance to experience playing in a World Cup.
When people ask me what club I supported growing up, I didn't really watch club soccer. The only channels I got had World Cups and the Copa America, so I gravitated toward the Latin American, South American style of game.
You can be on a good team and not play at all.
I want to do something really special in my life.
Anytime you get good service to the box, it's always great as an attacking player because it gives you more opportunities to score.
I remember, growing up, losing a sister, and - life is short. Make the most of your opportunities.
I've always been a competitive person, wanted to be on the field.
It's always great to be home and play in front of family and friends, especially for a big game.
Now my faith in Christ is what gives me confidence for the future. I know that through both good times and bad, He is faithful and will watch over me.
Pressure brings the best out of people, or it can bring the worst out. It's just how you use it.
The only way you're going to make it is to have a hunger for success and a will to win. That's something that's always pushed me.
It's a compliment that people think that I'm a good player. I remember when people didn't think I was good. And I remember being a rookie coming into the league with a big chip on my shoulder trying to prove myself.
If you're having sequences where you're keeping 20 passes or more, then you're only growing in confidence in the game.
I've been playing 90 minutes in MLS games. But when you're playing internationally in World Cup qualifiers, there's a little bit extra incentive there. It's win or go home.
Whatever position allows me to get touches in the attacking third, that's the position I like the most.
Family comes together when you deal with hard times because it's the only way you know how to cope.
You go out and work hard and leave everything on the field. I think if you do that, you don't have any regrets. You can go home and look at yourself in the mirror.
Any goal is a good goal.
There's always room for quality players in a team. The trick as a manager is to figure out how to bring the best out of your team.
I went through five different coaching changes at Fulham.
I didn't get started until late. I didn't get started until I was 20. I turned 21 in my first MLS season, in March. It's always been a race against time, really, for me. It's kind of my mentality, to make up for lost time.
At the end of the day, everybody has the right to choose their own path in their career.
The Cottage was one of my favourite stadiums to play in. It was such an intimate atmosphere, and I've just got so many great memories of playing there.
For soccer, it was Diego Maradona, and then another idol for me was Michael Jordan. To see them play and how that they could impact the game was pretty special.
I have a lot of great memories of playing in Dallas as a kid, and I'm proud to represent Nacogdoches.
For a number of years, I struggled and put distance between God and me. But He was faithful and patient and provided gradual healing and strength.
I got to experience being captain in the World Cup. For me, that was something special, and I'll always kind of remember, but it's never been a big thing for me to be captain.
I'm a kid from Nacogdoches.
If someone has your arms around you, I'm not going to sit there and be like, 'OK, this is fine.' I'm going to try to bust out of it and get in position to score a goal.
It's always difficult, when you have such a quick turnaround and a long flight, to try to get ready for a game so quickly.
You don't want to hit your peak until late in the season.
You always want to score as many goals as possible, but the most important thing is if the team does well.
It's where you're from - it's your roots - and that's why I like to get back to Nacogdoches in the offseason and hang out with my family. To me, it keeps me grounded and reminds me of how far I've come.
I've played in a lot of important games in my life.
I like scoring against everybody.
I grew up with the South American style of toca-toca.
Just being in Europe was a grind.
You know me: I'm a fighter.
I'm at peace with what I've been able to accomplish, not only domestically but abroad, and what I was able to do on the international level.
It was frustrating when the managers would change; you'd go to the bench and try to work your way back into the team. But it makes you stronger.
