Dempsey was named to the 2006 FIFA World Cup roster for the United States and scored the only American goal of the whole tournament, during a 2–1 loss to Ghana in the final group stage match. He scored three goals at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, one each against Egypt, Spain, and Brazil, and helped lead the United States to a finish as runners-up. Dempsey's sole goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup came in a 1–1 draw to England, making him the second American to score in multiple World Cups. During the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup against Ghana, Dempsey scored 30 seconds after kickoff, the fifth-fastest goal in World Cup history; he also became the first American to score in three consecutive World Cups. He was the top goalscorer at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, scoring seven goals for the United States during their tournament victory and setting a record for most goals scored by an American at the Gold Cup. On July 22, 2017, during a 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal against Costa Rica, Dempsey tied Landon Donovan's record for all-time top scorer with his 57th goal. Donovan himself called Dempsey's record "much more impressive", adding that Dempsey had scored fewer penalties and achieved the record in fewer caps.