ussoccer.com Q&A with U.S. and Tottenham star Clint Dempsey

U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Clint Dempsey sat down with ussoccer.com to discuss the team’s upcoming home-and-away series against Jamaica in World Cup Qualifying and his feelings playing for the U.S. MNT.

On getting back into training with the U.S. Men’s National Team:
“It was good. It was good to get back into the team, with the guys, and good for me to get back into training. I’ve been training with a trainer, but it’s good for me to get back in playing with teammates. Everybody is excited and looking forward to continuing this run of doing things that are special – the first time winning in Italy, first time winning against Mexico and if we beat Jamaica it will be the first time there doing that. We’re just trying to keep doing things that are special and try to qualify for the World Cup because that’s the main goal.”

On the task ahead facing Jamaica twice in close succession:
“You want to make sure that you take advantage of these games and get the right results because you want to put yourself in the driver’s seat, but also you could look at it as a playoff fixture in the sense that there is a home and an away leg. We just need to make sure we get the points because they’re vital and we need to make sure we put ourselves in the driver’s seat so that we qualify for the next round because everybody wants to be part of a World Cup and for some of these guys it’ll be their last chance to do that. I think everybody here wants to do something special and playing in a World Cup is certainly that.”

On what it means to play for the United States:
“It’s always an honor to play for your country. This is not your main source of income; this is what you do because it’s an honor. It’s a privilege to be able to represent your country and to play in competitions to represent them. So, I think everybody here takes pride in that and you want to make sure that you’re doing well because, like I said, you want to play in World Cups. As a kid, that’s what you dreamed about. That’s the biggest stage in the world to participate on and you want to get on a good run and do something special. I keep saying the world ‘special’ but I think everybody wants to leave behind something that they can tell their grandkids and be proud of and I’m no different.”