Editing Clint Dempsey (section)

====2009–10 season====
On August 13, 2009, Dempsey signed a contract extension to remain with Fulham through 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dempsey Signs Extension|url=http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2009/august/13/dempsey-signs-extension|publisher=Fulham FC|date=August 13, 2009|access-date=December 5, 2013|archive-date=April 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140418230033/http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2009/august/13/dempsey-signs-extension|url-status=dead}}</ref>[[File:Clint.JPG|thumb|Dempsey training with Fulham in August 2009|alt=|270x270px]]On August 20, he scored his first goal in European competition, in the new [[UEFA Europa League|Europa League]], netting Fulham's second goal in a 3–1 win against [[FC Amkar Perm|Amkar Perm]] in the [[UEFA Europa League 2009–10 play-off round|play-off]] round.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fulham 3–1 Amkar Perm|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8209325.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=August 20, 2009|access-date=August 20, 2009|archive-date=December 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215071112/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8209325.stm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On December 30, ''[[La Gazzetta dello Sport]]'' named Dempsey as one of the top eleven Premier League players of the season.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Cantalupi|first=Stefano|title=I verdetti di metà Premier Ancelotti gira in testa|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Estero/Premierleague/29-12-2009/i-verdetti-meta-premier-602478747237.shtml|journal=[[La Gazzetta dello Sport]]|date=December 30, 2009|access-date=January 5, 2010|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207004605/http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Estero/Premierleague/29-12-2009/i-verdetti-meta-premier-602478747237.shtml|archive-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On January 17, 2010, Dempsey suffered a suspected [[cruciate ligament|cruciate knee ligament]] injury in a 2–0 away defeat to [[Blackburn Rovers]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Fulham's Clint Dempsey knee injury rocks Fulham and US|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/8464490.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=January 17, 2010|access-date=January 17, 2010|archive-date=December 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227032907/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/8464490.stm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On March 11, Dempsey returned, coming on in the last minute of Fulham's loss away to [[Juventus FC|Juventus]], and then completed 72 minutes of Fulham's 3–0 away loss to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in the league.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8559649.stm|title = Man Utd 3-0 Fulham|date = March 14, 2010}}</ref>

On March 18, Dempsey came off the bench against Juventus in their second-leg, last-16 tie in the Europa League and scored the winner on a long chip shot. Fulham won the game 4–1, and this game resulted in the club winning an award, as well as Dempsey receiving an award for his goal.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fulham 4–1 Juventus|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8573049.stm|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|work=BBC Sport|date=March 18, 2010|access-date=March 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308061940/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8573049.stm|archive-date=March 8, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

''[[The Guardian]]'' suggested that the goal "might become the most famous goal in Fulham's history".<ref>{{cite news|title=Fulham's Clint Dempsey gambles to knock Juventus out of Europa League|date=March 19, 2010|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/mar/19/fulham-juventus-europa-league|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=December 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225210906/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/mar/19/fulham-juventus-europa-league|archive-date=December 25, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On May 12, Dempsey replaced [[Bobby Zamora]] in the 55th minute of the [[2010 UEFA Europa League Final]], thus making history in becoming the first ever American to appear in a major European final. In the end, Fulham lost the match, as [[Atlético Madrid]]'s [[Diego Forlán]] scored in the 116th minute of [[extra time]], giving Atlético a 2–1 win.<ref>{{cite web|title=Clint Dempsey Becomes First American To Appear in European Final|url=http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1614/americans-abroad/2010/05/12/1922167/clint-dempsey-becomes-first-american-to-appear-in-european|publisher=Goal.com|date=May 12, 2010|access-date=May 12, 2010|archive-date=November 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127061654/http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1614/americans-abroad/2010/05/12/1922167/clint-dempsey-becomes-first-american-to-appear-in-european|url-status=dead}}</ref>

His performances throughout 2009–10 earned him the designation of Most Valuable Player among Americans in Europe by SoccerOverThere.com, among other sources.<ref>{{cite web|title=Howie's 2009–10 All-Over There team|publisher=SoccerOverThere.com|url=http://www.socceroverthere.com/?p=1303|date=May 3, 2010|access-date=February 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206144822/http://www.socceroverthere.com/?p=1303|archive-date=December 6, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>