America’s first gangsta-rapping footballer is looking for a move to English football. And the man they call “Deuce” is bringing his hip-hop celebrations

AGE 23
CLUB New England Revolution
POSITION Midfielder
LOWDOWN Bad boy Texan set for a move to the English Premiership

Like many things American, Clint Drew Dempsey – aka “Deuce” – can be loud, proud and in your face. But unlike some of his US contemporaries, this son of a trailer park from Nacogdoches, Texas, looks set to be a big hit in the Premiership.

Certain wannbes might ape gangsta, but from his ghetto roots to the tragedy that has tinged his battle to emerge successful, Deuce is the real deal. A skilled rapper, he featured in Nike’s “Don’t Tread” campaign, but suffered heartache when, just before the World Cup last summer, his rap partner Big Hawk was gunned down on his way to play dominoes at a friend’s house. (It’s not the only sorrow he’s suffered: as a teenager his sister Jennifer, a talented tennis player, suddenly died from a brain aneurysm.)

Yes, Deuce is a far cry from the soccer moms and leafy suburbs that is the breeding ground for the MLS. He represents a rare breed of US player that will, over time, become its mainstay: hungry, working-class heroes with a point to prove.

Growing up in Nacogdoches’ predominantly Spanish community he learnt his trade in their men’s leagues playing with retired pros. “They taught me a lot,” he says. “It was sink or swim. As a youngster, it forced me to grow up and be tough because they weren’t there to do me favours.”



South American football inspired Dempsey to take up the sport and his hip-hop celebrations. “Growing up seeing teams like Argentina attracted me to soccer. I watched them score and they’d go crazy. That made me realise that football is about being yourself; I wanted to do the same.”

At the World Cup Dempsey got a chance to bust a move in front of a global TV audience when he equalised against Ghana. “For that celebration I used the Heel-Toe from a Sean Paul video,” he says, “and recently I popped my collar against DC United.” He has also marked goals by imitating a baseball player, a fisherman and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, as well as jumping into the crowd to kiss his mum.

No wonder: Dempsey’s family made huge sacrifices just to get young Clint (named after Mr Eastwood – his dad’s a huge fan) to training. Dempsey’s youth coach Hassan Nazari recalls his mother revealing that her son would love to play for the Dallas Texans. “She had a six-hour round trip to training. It must have been hell. But they’re very close-knit and he always appreciated what his mother did.

“He’s clever, has great athleticism and tremendous technique. It was also the way he thought on the field that impressed me. He reminded me of Luigi Riva from the World Cup in 1970 for Italy.”

Yet for all the positives, Dempsey has also gained a reputation for the darker side of his character. Three times this season he’s been suspended for violent conduct, though he claims to be “competitive” rather than aggressive. “I’m no martial artist or anything like that,” he says, “but I do like Bruce Lee movies. Growing up a country boy, I’ve been in a few scraps in my day.” He can take knocks, too: he played on for a fortnight with an undiagnosed broken jaw.His New England coach, Liverpool legend Steve Nicol, is quick to defend him: “His quality causes the opposition to look out for him. He’s just trying to protect himself.” Perhaps it’s that edge that propelled him from 2004 MLS Young Player of the Year in his first season to Nike endorsements and the World Cup two years later.

Dempsey’s performances there caught Europe’s attention, but the MLS blocked a $1.5m move to Charlton, feeling he was under-valued. “It didn’t make sense to me,” he says. “I was getting paid under six figures and yet they wanted to charge over seven.”

The attacking midfielder now has offers from “three mid-table clubs” and says he expects to move to England in the transfer window. Nicol predicts big things: “Clint uses both feet, gets in the box, and has a really soft touch. He sees thing early. The boy can play.”