USMNT: 'The kid from Nacogdoches' feels great
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Jul 24, 2017
“It means a lot, especially after having two heart procedures, being able to fight back and be on the pitch and play at this level and be competitive," he said, "so it feels great. To be able to say that I’m tied with another player that has scored the most goals in national team history when I’m a kid from Nacogdoches, and to do it with less games and less penalties, it feels great."
At 34, Dempsey has enjoyed a year, coming back from a heart condition that sidelined him for the Seattle Sounders' 2016 MLS title run.
He scored four goals in two World Cup 2018 qualifiers in March and has one goal and two assists in two matches since joining the USA for the knockout stage of the Gold Cup.
There was plenty of speculation about Dempsey's future after he was substituted in the second half of the 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago in June. He was used off the bench by Bruce Arena against Costa Rica after starting in the quarterfinals against El Salvador.
"He thought it was going to be a tight game, where he could bring me on late and I had to open up," Dempsey said of Arena's thinking. "He was right with what he said. It was always going to be a little bit difficult trying to go 90 three days after going 90 at 34. I was happy with the decision, and glad to come on and make an impact."
I guess the discussion on who is better, Dempsey or Donovan, will go for ever. It is true that Dempsey reach the record playing less games and taking less PKs. But also, it is true that he was used as a forward in the majority of these games, while, in many occasions, Donovan was used as a playmaker or a winger and those positions don't usually afford the opportunities to score like being a forward. this is why Donovan have the other massive record of most assists (with huge difference of 36 assists from second) that will insure his legacy for generations to come.