- Michael Bradley announced his retirement from soccer at age of 36 on Tuesday
- The USA midfielder spent the latter half of his career with Toronto FC in 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 game of his career.
The 36-year-old announced Tuesday that he would be retiring at the end of the MLS regular season after an illustrious 20-year career.
MLS’s decision day – the final game of the regular season – Saturday marked Bradley’s final game of his career before hanging up his boots.
And Toronto FC, the cub where he spent the latter half of his career, paid tribute to its captain before he took to the field for a final time against Orlando City.
During the team’s warmup, Bradley’s teammates all wore the No. 4 – his number – on the back of their jerseys.
Michael Bradley was honored by Toronto FC ahead of the final game of his career
The club and fans paid tribute to their captain after he announced his retirement Tuesday
The USMNT legend was given a guard honor from players of both Toronto and Orlando City as he walked onto the field flanked by his son Luca (right) and his daughter Quinn (left)
Before kickoff, both teams gave the American soccer icon a guard of honor as he walked onto the field flanked by his son Luca and his daughter Quinn.
However, his send off 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 playoff contention.
The midfielder has spent the latter half of his 20-year career in Canada after joining the club in 2014, following prior stops at Heerenveen, Borussia Monchengladbach, Aston Villa, Chievo and Roma.
‘For the last 10 years I have spilled my blood, sweat and tears trying to help this club be the best it could be,’ 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 everything I had.
‘Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, and everyone inside the club. Thank you to the fans for the unforgettable nights at BMO Field. This city and this club will always be 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 send off was spoiled by Orlando as his career ended on a sour note with a 2-0 defeat
He’s perhaps even more well known for his international career, where he racked up 151 caps and captained the USA.
He took part in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, and was part of the qualifying group for 2018 that missed out losing to Trinidad and Tobago.
Bradley last appeared for the national team in 2019 as Gregg Berhalter looked to refresh the player pool for the Qatar World Cup.
The New Jersey native has made over 500 appearances in all competitions, with 51 goals at the club level.
