MLS New England Revolution

Dempsey Chosen to U.S. World Cup Squad

Published on May 2, 2006 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


Foxborough, Mass. - New England Revolution forward Clint Dempsey was among the players named to U.S. National Team Manager Bruce Arena's 23-man roster for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which will be played in Germany in June and July. Additionally, Revolution forward Taylor Twellman, forward Pat Noonan, midfielder Steve Ralston and goalkeeper Matt Reis were selected as alternates to the American squad. The announcements were made live on ESPN's SportsCenter on Tuesday evening.

Dempsey will be available for the Revolution match against the Los Angeles Galaxy in Foxborough on Saturday, May 6, before departing for pre-World Cup training with the national squad in Cary, N.C. that begins on May 10 Twellman, Noonan, Ralston and Reis will remain with the Revolution and will join the U.S. National Team if needed.

"This is a dream come true," Dempsey said after the announcement. "I just have to make sure I put myself into position to spend time on the field and do everything I can to help the team and help the country do well and win the World Cup.

"You never really know if you're going to make the roster or not. I thought I had a good chance, but you still never really know so I was a little anxious. I just stayed at the house. But I finally got the e-mail (from Arena) about five minutes before it came on TV, so I knew right before," Dempsey said.

Dempsey, an MLS Best XI performer in 2005 and 2004 Rookie of the Year, has 19 caps and four goals for the U.S. National Team. He headed home the game-winning goal early in the second half as the U.S. fought through a snowstorm to defeat Poland, 1-0, in Kaiserslautern, Germany on March 1, 2006.

Dempsey also scored for the U.S. in 3-2 win over Japan on Feb. 10, 2006 in San Francisco. Last month, he was also selected to the 18-man roster that faced Jamaica on April 11 in Cary, N.C.

So far this season, Dempsey has scored one goal in MLS play through the Revs' first four games. He had the game-winning goal at Los Angeles in the season opener on April 1, leading the Revs past the Galaxy, 1-0, at The Home Depot Center.

Twellman has started all four games this season after garnering MLS MVP and Budweiser Golden Boot honors in 2005. Noonan has appeared in and started three matches for New England, while Ralston has started two games. Reis has started all four games in goal and currently leads MLS in goals against average (0.75) and shutouts (two).

The New England Revolution (1-2-1, 4 pts.) returns to action on Saturday, May 6, when the team hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy in a 4 p.m. game that will be aired live on ESPN2. The game is a rematch of not only the teams' season opener - which the Revs won, 1-0, in Los Angeles on April 1 - but also of MLS Cup 2005, which the Galaxy won, 1-0 in double overtime, in Frisco, Texas. Call 1-877-GET-REVS for ticket information.

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