President Obama called US Men’s National Team
captain Clint Dempsey and goalkeeper Tim Howard on Wednesday to commend
them for making their country proud and being great role models during
the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The President told them, “Well you guys all did us
proud, not just by hard you played and how well you did, but you guys
just carry yourselves with a lot a class, and it makes people really
respect the sport and you guys are really great models for a lot of
sports.”
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Speaking to Dempsey and Howard the day after the US
team lost to Belgium 2-1 extra-time in the round of 16, the President
commended them for capturing the country’s imagination, “You guys did
great, and as somebody whose first sport was soccer, although I was
never that good, to see the way you guys captured the hearts and
imagination of the whole country was unbelievable. And obviously, the
sport has been growing steadily just because so many kids are playing it
at a young age, but this is the first time where I think you really
ended up having a whole country focused.”
“Clint, you were fantastic and Tim, I think uh, I
don’t know how you’re going to survive the mobs when you come back home,
man,” the President deadpanned. We got a peek of Obama’s half smile
that ushers in the full Obama grin before he finished, “You’re going to
have to shave your beard.”
They expressed a hope that they had made the
President proud, so the President assured them, “Well you guys all did
us proud, not just by hard you played and how well you did, but you guys
just carry yourselves with a lot a class, and it makes people really
respect the sport and you guys are really great models for a lot of
sports.”
Obama seemed to understand their disappointment, but
he buoyed them by saying, “But what you guys accomplished is really
really significant and it will make a difference in the country.” He
asked them to relay his congratulations to Coach Klinsmann and the
entire team on their hard work.
In closing the call, the President said he hoped he
would see them at the White House soon, and he still has the jacket they
gave him.
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