NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Every player representing their country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will do whatever it takes to see victory on the world’s biggest football stage.
For the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT), it means a little more since the World Cup will be played at home this summer.
The 26 men who were announced on the official roster know what is at stake as local fans are ready to cheer on the Stars and Stripes in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these players. In turn, Clint Dempsey, a three-time World Cup participant with the USMNT, believes this group will do what he did on this stage during his playing days.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
United States forward Clint Dempsey plays against Belgium during the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 match at Arena Fonte Nova. Belgium defeated the United States 2-1 in overtime. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
“As you can see, I already gave myself my nose. I broke it. I already came back from two heart surgeries to try to qualify for 2018. [World Cup]. There are many sacrifices that people make to represent their country. I think there is no greater honor,” Dempsey told Pak Gazette Digital, while highlighting his work as a mentor for the “Abbott Dream Team,” a program of global health leader Abbott and the Real Madrid soccer club.
During the 2014 World Cup, Dempsey was hit in the face and blood flowed from his nose, which he suspected was broken. He was right, but that wasn’t known until after the game.
Dempsey, the team’s captain, led by example as he played through pain during the United States’ 2-1 victory over Ghana. He scored the first goal just 34 seconds into the game, and it didn’t matter that an accidental shin hit him square in the face. He didn’t leave the field of play.
Dempsey then underwent two separate heart procedures to resolve an irregular heartbeat. The United States did not qualify for the World Cup in 2018, but Dempsey did everything he could to wear that uniform again to represent his country.
USMNT CAPTAIN TYLER ADAMS READY TO BE IN ‘PATRIOTIC MOOD’ PLAYING AT HOME FOR 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP
After all, it had always been his dream to play in the World Cup for his nation, and even if he had already done it three times, he was going to do everything he could to play again.
“When I was a kid, that was what I prayed for when I went to sleep: to play for my country and play in World Cups,” he added.
For some members of the USMNT, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, this will be the second time they will have the privilege of doing so. For others like Ricardo Pepi, Alex Zendejas and Sebastián Berhalter, their dreams will come true on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Clint Dempsey of the United States receives treatment for a nose injury during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Group G match against Ghana at the Estadio das Dunas in Natal, Brazil, on June 16, 2014. (Alex Livesey/FIFA/Getty Images)
But it’s so much more than just stepping foot on that turf and taking on countries around the world. The opportunity to write this USMNT into the history books, at home, is ever-present for the 26 men embarking on this journey to the World Cup.
Dempsey knows this group has what it takes to succeed and he also has full faith that they will take pride in their country and use the home fans to their advantage just as he would.
DIEGO LUNA, WHO WAS IN NIKE’S WORLD CUP PROMOTIONAL ADS, SHOCKINGLY LEFT OFF THE USMNT ROSTER
While it’s about the love of the game, the World Cup is also a show of tremendous pride in someone’s background. For Dempsey, patriotism runs deep and always will be.
“I was on the podcast the other day with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, and I think there’s nothing truer than what they were talking about: ‘If you were with a club team, which club team would you have chosen out of all the teams you were with?’ I thought, ‘How about we put it like this? If you were going to bury me in a coffin, what shirt would I have? It would be the United States jersey,'” he said.
“So that lets them know how I feel about representing my country and how much that meant to me.”
ABBOTT’S DREAM TEAM
For the second year in a row, Dempsey is helping Abbott and Real Madrid with the “Abbott Dream Team,” a program that encourages 18- and 19-year-old soccer players from across the United States to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime development experience with one of the world’s best soccer clubs in Madrid.
Selected participants will train with Real Madrid coaches at the team’s facilities, while enjoying unique experiences such as attending a match at the Bernabéu Stadium and meeting some team legends. Abbott’s health experts and Real Madrid’s medical team will also continue to provide those players with the latest advances in sports health and nutrition, helping them better understand their bodies, develop healthier habits and achieve their peak performance on and off the pitch.
Clint Dempsey watches before the Concacaf Nations League semifinal match between the United States and Panama at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on March 20, 2025. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
“It’s amazing, man. Any time you can give back and give kids the opportunity to chase their dreams, that’s what it’s all about,” Dempsey said of his role in this. “I have my own kids, and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to help them achieve their dreams, take them to all their soccer practices and give them the best possible opportunity to do something great. This is one of those things where you have a tryout, you have the Real Madrid coaches here watching you, and no matter what happens, you take something away from this experience.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
“Just be here, let it [the players] “I know this is important and I’m proud of them for betting on themselves and putting in the effort to try something like this.”
In addition to Dempsey, Real Madrid legend Marcelo will also join this year’s Abbott Dream Team as a mentor.
Testing has already been done in Miami, Washington, DC and Houston, where Dempsey was on Wednesday morning. There are still tests scheduled for Kansas City (June 2), Los Angeles (June 4) and Chicago (June 9).
Watch 3 days of the FIFA World Cup for free after 05/18 or before. Start your free trial or try it for free.
