Dempsey represented the United States at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship and made his first appearance with the senior team on November 17, 2004, against Jamaica. He earned more than 140 caps and scored 57 international goals, making him the nation's fourth-most capped player and tying him with Landon Donovan as the top all-time scorer with 57 goals. Dempsey has represented the United States at four CONCACAF Gold Cups (winning three), helped them to the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, and scored in each of the three FIFA World Cups he attended.