USMNT legend Michael Bradley is given a guard of honor ahead of the final game of his career after Toronto FC legend announced his retirement

  • Michael Bradley announced his retirement from football on Tuesday at the age of 36
  • The American midfielder spent the second half of his career with Toronto FC in the MLS
  • DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

USMNT legend Michael Bradley was honored by MLS club Toronto FC ahead of the final match of his career.

The 36-year-old announced on Tuesday that he would retire at the end of the MLS regular season after an illustrious two-decade career.

MLS’s decider day – the final game of the regular season – on Saturday marked Bradley’s final game of his career before hanging up his boots.

And Toronto FC, the cub where he spent the second half of his career, paid tribute to its captain before taking the field for the final time against Orlando City.

During team warmups, Bradley’s teammates all wore No. 4 – his number – on the back of their jerseys.

Michael Bradley was honored by Toronto FC ahead of the final match of his career

The club and fans paid tribute to their captain after he announced his retirement on Tuesday

The USMNT legend received a waiting award from players from both Toronto and Orlando City as he walked onto the pitch, flanked by his son Luca (right) and his daughter Quinn (left).

Before kick-off, both teams gave the American football icon a guard of honor as he walked onto the field, flanked by his son Luca and his daughter Quinn.

However, his farewell was spoiled by Orlando as his career ended on a sour note with a 2-0 defeat.

Bradley’s Toronto finished last in the Eastern Conference and had already been eliminated from the playoffs.

The midfielder spent the second half of his 20-year career in Canada after joining the club in 2014 following previous stops at Heerenveen, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Aston Villa, Chievo and Roma.

“Over the past ten years I have shed my blood, sweat and tears in my efforts to help this club in the best way possible,” he said in a press release on Tuesday.

“There were some incredible days – moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life – and some bad ones too. But I never stopped giving it everything I had.

‘Thank you to all my teammates, coaches and everyone at the club. Thank you to the fans for the unforgettable evenings at BMO Field. This city and this club will always be a home.’

Bradley, who broke onto the pro scene with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (now the Red Bulls), led Toronto to an MLS Cup win in 2017.

His farewell was spoiled by Orlando as his career ended on a sour note with a 2-0 defeat

He is perhaps even better known for his international career, in which he scored 151 caps and captained the United States.

He competed in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and was part of the 2018 qualifying group that missed the defeat to Trinidad and Tobago.

Bradley last appeared for the national team in 2019 as Gregg Berhalter looked to renew the player pool for the Qatar World Cup.

The New Jersey native has made more than 500 appearances in all competitions, scoring 51 goals at club level.

Related Post