Clint Dempsey backs US fans dreaming of World Cup glory
US fans at the 2026 World Cup increasingly believe the co-hosts can go all the way after the group stage, and Clint Dempsey agrees that optimism reflects genuine momentum. The Texas legend told La Gazzetta dello Sport that Mauricio Pochettino has restored character and confidence to a squad capable of a historic run. Speaking from Houston's fan zone on 29 June, Clint Dempsey pointed to Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic as the leaders fueling that belief.
Key Takeaways
- BBC Sport captured US supporters reflecting on the group stage with bold confidence that the team can win the tournament.
- Clint Dempsey called McKennie a giant having a colossal tournament and said the US cannot do without Pulisic.
- The World Cup's return to the United States has revived memories of Dempsey's journey from Nacogdoches to national-team stardom.
- Dempsey praised Pochettino's exceptional job and said the US can certainly embark on a historic journey.
Why are US fans saying "we're going all the way"?
As the co-hosted tournament moved through the group stage, American supporters were openly weighing how far the USMNT could go. In a BBC Sport video report titled "We're going all the way," fans reflected on early results and voiced confidence that the team could ride momentum deep into the knockout rounds.
That mood matches what Clint Dempsey is seeing in Houston. In his Gazzetta interview, he said Pochettino "has done an exceptional job, restoring character and confidence to the team." Dempsey added: "We can certainly embark on a historic journey."
What does Clint Dempsey think of Weston McKennie?
Dempsey has long tracked fellow Texan Weston McKennie, and his verdict at this World Cup is emphatic. McKennie, Pulisic and Folarin Balogun are the players who have impressed him most, he told Gazzetta, and he also singled out Ricardo Pepi of El Paso, who was not called up in 2022 but has returned stronger.
"As for Weston, he's having an absolutely colossal tournament," Dempsey said. He admires how McKennie reacts whenever he appears to be in a difficult spot, citing a period at Juventus when the midfielder seemed out of the manager's plans yet fought his way back. "He's a true fighter, a warrior who never gives up – that's just how proper Texans are, after all."
How does the 2026 World Cup echo Dempsey's Texas roots?
For Dempsey, the tournament's return to American soil is deeply personal. The Dallas Morning News reported that the Nacogdoches native still connects today's stage with June 27, 1994, when at age 11 he watched Germany beat South Korea 3-2 at Dallas's Cotton Bowl.
His path from East Texas to 141 USMNT caps and a share of the national team's all-time scoring record with 57 goals began with his parents driving six-hour round trips to Dallas two or three times per week so he could train with the Dallas Texans. Inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2026 and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco in 2022, Dempsey has been back in Houston for FIFA Fan Festival events as the city celebrates the sport's biggest stage.
Can the USMNT succeed without Christian Pulisic?
Dempsey's answer is blunt: "There is no USA without a player like him — a driving force and a leader." He said he hopes Pulisic returns as soon as possible and noted he followed the star's season at AC Milan closely, calling him the best player by a distance in a complicated situation.
That leadership question sits at the heart of the fan mood BBC Sport documented — belief tempered by stars who can deliver when it matters. For more on how sports icons shape tournament narratives, see our Celebrity Breaking News coverage. Full fan reactions are on BBC Sport.