It’s been a rough ride lately for fans of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team — and even tougher for former captain Clint Dempsey. The U.S. failed to make it out of the Copa América group stage last summer and recently lost to Panama and Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League. New head coach Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t made a big impact yet, winning just five of his first eight games, mostly against weaker teams.
When asked how worried he is about the team, Dempsey told CNN Sports, “I’m probably like a six or seven.” But he still believes the squad has talent and can bounce back, especially with Pochettino in charge, pointing to the Argentine’s past success in England.
Still, there’s been drama. Pochettino recently said he’d like to manage Tottenham again someday, which may have caused some tension. Dempsey says players need to ignore the noise and focus on representing their country. “It didn’t matter who the manager was when I played,” he said.
Dempsey, now a TV analyst, hasn’t held back on criticizing the team, questioning some players’ commitment. He admits he’s been part of failures, too — like the 2017 loss to Trinidad and Tobago that kept the U.S. out of the 2018 World Cup.
Since then, new players have come in, many of them playing in top European leagues. But Dempsey says recent performances show the team has taken a step back. While stars like Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson are shining overseas, the team still lacks a reliable goalkeeper and striker.
There’s also debate over leadership. Some fans don’t think Pulisic should be captain, but Dempsey says leadership doesn’t come from one person. “It takes more than one captain,” he said.
Despite everything, Dempsey’s message is simple: Don’t panic. The team has talent. They just need to fight for each other and find their rhythm. “It’s not all doom and gloom,” he said.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/18/sport/clint-dempsey-usmnt-concerns-world-cup-2026-spt/index.html
