Clint Dempsey officially retires

Clint Dempsey officially announced his retirement on Wednesday. The 35-year-old had not played in over a month and had not even suited up in the Seattle Sounders’ last five games due to what the team called a “lower-back injury.”

“After a lot of thought, my family and I have decided that this is the right time for me to step away from the game,” Dempsey said in a team release. “I’d like to thank all of the teammates, coaches and support staff that I’ve worked with throughout my career. It has always been my dream to make it as a pro. I’m grateful to have been on this ride. I would like to thank all of the fans who have supported me throughout my career with the New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham, Seattle Sounders and the U.S. Men’s National Team. Y’all have always made me feel at home, and it is something that I will always remember.”

Although there had been some hints that something like this could be in the offing, the news still comes as a bit sudden and unexpected. There was also hope that, while this was generally accepted to be Dempsey’s final season, he would still be capable of making a final appearance or two.

Instead, the final vision Sounders fans will have of Dempsey on the field is of him hitting the post on a shot from midfield on an open net. He ends his career tied with Fredy Montero for the most regular-season goals in franchise history.

Similarly, this closes the book on a storied United States national team career, where he’s also tied for the most goals with Landon Donovan. As luck would have it, Dempsey also hit the post in his final USMNT appearance in what turned out to be a loss to Trinidad and Tobago.

Those events should not overshadow what was a remarkable career by any standard. Dempsey finishes with more than 150 goals as a professional, plus 57 more with the USMNT. Among those professional goals are 72 while playing for Fulham and Tottenham, the most by any American in an overseas league. He is also the only American to score in three separate World Cups and is the country’s all-time leader in competitive goals (40).

Dempsey’s career was feared to be over in 2016 when he was forced to miss the final third of the season due to heart issues. But he was able to return last year, leading the Sounders with 15 goals and five assists in MLS play. Three of those goals came in the postseason, adding to his franchise-best total of seven.

This was widely believed to be his final season, even before the back injury, but it had not gone as planned. After scoring against Chivas de Guadalajara in CONCACAF Champions League, Dempsey endured a 10-match scoring drought that finally ended on June 23. He’s only made one start and three appearances since then.

(Only regular season goals are numbered. & denotes MLS Cup playoff games, % denotes friendlies, and * denotes US Open Cup matches)