World Cup Throwback Thursday: See Team USA Before They Were Soccer Stars

By Kelli Bender

UPDATED 06/26/2014 at 12:00 PM EDT • Originally published 06/26/2014 at 11:30 AM EDT

Clint Dempsey at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and Clint Dempsey in his high school yearbook (inset)

Michael Steele/Getty; (inset)Courtesy Clint Dempsey

He may be scoring goals in the first minute of game play now, but Clint Dempsey was once a normal high school athlete with big dreams.

Even the strong and sleek stars of Team USA had to start somewhere. Long before the boys in red, white and blue descended upon the 2014 FIFA World Cup, they were just adorable kids on elementary and secondary school soccer teams. And luckily, there's photo evidence to prove it.

Gear up for Team USA's big game against Germany and celebrate Throwback Thursday fútbol-style with these amazing then-and-now Instagram pics of America's soccer stars.

It's the perfect blend of patriotism, awkwardness and nostalgia.

Midfielder Kyle Beckerman (kylebeckerman)

Then:

Now:

Midfielder Alejandro Bedoya (alebedoya)

Then:

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Forward Clint Dempsey (clint_dempsey)

Then:

Now:

Defender Omar Gonzalez (ogonzal1)

Then:

Now:

Goalkeeper Tim Howard (timhow1)

Then:

Now:

Forward Aron Johannsson (aronjo)

Then:

Now:

Goalkeeper Nick Rimando (nickrimando)

Then:

Now:

Defender DeAndre Yedlin (yedlinny)

Then:

Now:

Midfielder Graham Zusi (gzusi)

Then:

Now: