Soccer Star Clint Dempsey Sidelined for 'Irregular Heartbeat'

U.S. Soccer and Seattle Sounders star Clint Dempsey is undergoing medical evaluations for an "irregular heartbeat," the Sounders announced Friday.

He will sit out Sunday's match against the Portland Timbers for the Sounders. Dempsey will also miss the United States's next two World Cup qualifying games — the Friday, September 2 match at Saint Vincent and Grenadines and the game against Trinidad and Tobago four years later.

Few details were available about the exact nature of Dempsey's condition.

"As the medical process unfolds and information is gathered internally, no other details are being made publicly available at this time," a Seattle Sounders statement said.

The 33-year-old forward has scored eight goals and added two assists this season so far for Seattle.

The Sounders play at Portland on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT on ESPN.

Image via Noah Salzman, uploaded to Wikipedia, used under Creative Commons