Clint Dempsey admits USMNT roster has 'some surprises,' but explains optimistic mindset about World Cup squad

Clint Dempsey had the grant of representing the United States successful 3 World Cups, and determination were apt times during each 3 wherever questions astir the roster came astir erstwhile it was revealed earlier the tournament.

The aforesaid goes for this year’s 2026 USMNT squad, which had their authoritative roster uncover Tuesday successful Manhattan. The spectacle not lone confirmed erstwhile reports astir what the squad would look like, but manager Mauricio Pochettino’s archetypal World Cup squad led to immoderate defence from the manager already.

Dempsey, speaking to Fox News Digital portion highlighting his enactment arsenic a mentor for planetary wellness person Abbott’s Dream Team alongside Real Madrid, admitted this USMNT roster comes with immoderate surprise.

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Clint Dempsey looks connected earlier the Concacaf Nations League semifinal lucifer betwixt the United States and Panama astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood, Calif., connected March 20, 2025. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)

"There’s decidedly immoderate surprises," helium said. "It looks similar we bash person a defensive-heavy roster, particularly successful that close backmost position. But look, I’m not the 1 selecting this team. I inactive deliberation this squad tin execute truly well, but you’re going to request immoderate large performances from radical similar Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic and [Falorin] Balogun. Not to accidental there’s nary different forwards that tin lend and different players, but to me, those players leap disconnected the roster to me."

Dempsey pointed astatine 2 players others were shocked to spot near retired -- Diego Luna and Tanner Tessman – who helium said you people "feel bad" for. However, Dempsey isn’t going to discredit what others who made their archetypal World Cup roster bring to the table.

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"You look astatine different players that got in. Shoutout to [Alex] Zendejas, however good he’s played astatine Club América. That near ft helium has, his finishing abilities, but besides his quality to assistance and whip successful balls with that near foot. He scored a truly bully extremity against Japan successful 1 of their friendlies.

"I deliberation a astonishment for immoderate radical whitethorn beryllium Gio [Reyna], but if you look astatine his signifier with the nationalist team, it’s up determination astatine the apical successful presumption of his accumulation complaint and what helium gives to this team."

It’s uncommon that the roster volition alteration up of FIFA’s June 1 deadline, meaning this is the 26-man squad that Pochettino believes in, and this volition beryllium the radical that has the privilege of representing their state connected location ungraded during the World Cup.

The U.S. Men's National Team poses during the announcement of the 2026 World Cup roster successful New York connected May 26, 2026. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP)

Dempsey said helium utilized to commune earlier furniture arsenic a kid that helium got to deterioration the Stars and Stripes connected his jersey successful a World Cup, and helium was capable to bash truthful much than once. But to play successful beforehand of your location country, Dempsey is present praying that the squad gets disconnected to a blistery commencement against Paraguay to footwear disconnected their Group D play connected June 12 successful Los Angeles.

"I conscionable deliberation get disconnected to a bully start, get the instrumentality basal down them similar what you saw successful the Winter Olympics with the men’s and women’s hockey teams. I’m definite determination are different examples I could gully from, but to me, that’s thing that I decidedly noticed from the extracurricular looking in. Hopefully that’s thing they tin link with these fans and make that 12th man. That’s what’s request to propulsion you on successful large moments," helium said.

THE ABBOTT DREAM TEAM

For the 2nd consecutive year, Dempsey is helping Abbott and Real Madrid with the "Abbott Dream Team," a programme encouraging young shot players aged 18-19 passim the U.S. to enactment successful a once-in-a-lifetime improvement acquisition with 1 of the champion shot clubs successful the satellite successful Madrid.

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Selected participants volition beryllium grooming with Real Madrid’s coaches astatine the team’s facilities, portion bask unsocial experiences similar attending a lucifer astatine Bernabéu Stadium and gathering immoderate squad legends. Real Madrid’s aesculapian squad volition besides proceed providing those players with the latest advancements successful sports wellness and nutrition, helping them amended recognize their bodies, physique healthier habits and scope their highest show connected and disconnected the pitch.

"It’s awesome, man. Any clip you tin springiness backmost and springiness kids the accidental to pursuit their dreams, that’s what it’s each about," Dempsey said astir his relation successful this. "I person kids of my own, and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to assistance them execute their dreams, instrumentality them to each their shot practices, and springiness them the champion accidental imaginable to bash thing great. This is 1 of those things wherever you person a tryout, you person Real Madrid coaches present watching you, and nary substance what, you instrumentality thing distant from this experience.

Former shot subordinate and TV pundit Clint Dempsey attends the CONCACAF Nations League Championship Final betwixt Panama and Mexico astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood, Calif., connected March 23, 2025. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)

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"Just being here, letting [the players] cognize this is important, and I’m arrogant of them for betting connected themselves and putting themselves retired determination to adjacent effort retired for thing similar this."

Other than Dempsey, Real Madrid fable Marcelo volition besides articulation this year’s Abbott Dream Team arsenic a mentor.

Tryouts person already taken spot successful Miami, Washington, D.C. and Houston, wherever Dempsey was connected Wednesday morning. There are inactive tryouts acceptable for Kansas City (June 2), Los Angeles (June 4) and Chicago (June 9).

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