Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard Congratulated by President Obama

United States Men’s National Team players Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard were commended by President Barack Obama for turning in fine performances during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Count President Barack Obama as one of Clint Dempsey‘s and Tim Howard‘s biggest fans. 

The two stars of the United States Men’s Soccer Team (USMNT) received a phone call from President Obama on July 2, commending them on their fine performance during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, per Time.com’s Noah Rayman:  

“Goalie Tim Howard won’t be Secretary of Defense anytime soon, but Obama is happy with him.   

“USA goalie Tim Howard and team captain Clint Dempsey received a phone call from President Barack Obama commending them for their performance in the World Cup. 

“Howard, who recorded a World Cup record of 16 saves in the team’s 2-1 loss to Belgium, has become something of a hero, earning his own Internet meme even. Two separate petitions have called for Howard to be named Secretary of Defense and for the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to be renamed after Howard. 

“Obama didn’t quite offer to nominate him Secretary of Defense — White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest joked Wednesday that Howard would not be joining the Obama administration in the near future — but he did praise the goalie and his captain for their leadership. 

“‘I just wanted to call you to say you guys did us proud,’ he said on the call. ‘To see the way you guys captured the hearts and minds of the whole country is unbelievable.

“‘Clint you were fantastic and Tim, you know, I don’t know how you’re going to survive the mobs when you come back home,’ he said. 

“The real Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel, also called Howard to congratulate him.”

WATCH: President Obama calls #USMNT players @clint_dempsey & @TimHowardGK from the @WhiteHouse. http://t.co/NcaoG3kwgy— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) July 3, 2014

Dempsey, along with his Major League Soccer teammate DeAndre Yedlin, is working his way back into the Seattle Sounders rotation with no set timetable, notes The Seattle Times’ Ashley Scoby: 

“Clint Dempsey and DiAndre Yedlin are returning to the Sounders after Fabian Johnson’s strained hamstring, is expected back early next week, according to the team. In the meantime, he will be in New York for talk-show appearances on Friday. He will be on ‘Good Morning America’ (ABC, starting at 7 a.m.) and the ‘Today’ show (NBC, starting at 7 a.m.). He had appeared on ‘SportsCenter’ and CNN on Thursday. 

“Yedlin’s surprise early appearance against Belgium and his subsequent play in the round-of-16 game catapulted the 20-year-old into the national spotlight. Sounders coach Sigi Schmid and Yedlin will have to adjust to his newfound fame. 

“‘It’s difficult,’ he said. ‘When you have success like that, all of a sudden there’s a lot of people that come out of the woodwork and are your friends. So I hope he doesn’t look at Facebook too much. He’s been a mature kid. He’s handled things pretty well so far.’

“Meanwhile, U.S. team captain Dempsey will take a slightly longer break, according to the Sounders. He is expected back at practice late next week.

“Dempsey broke his nose in the United States’ first World Cup match against Ghana, but Schmid said in a Seattle Times live chat on Wednesday that Dempsey was ‘doing fine.’

“Schmid said both players are ‘for sure’ going to play in the Sounders’ match against Portland on July 13, but Schmid did not rule out either one from Saturday’s match at Vancouver.

“‘Each of their timetables is probably going to be a little bit different, unique to them and their situation,’ Schmid said. ‘(There’s a possibility we might have one, maybe both, back for this weekend, but less likely that that’s going to happen. Then we’ll see them next week.'” 

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