Michael Bradley

Michael Bradley was born on July 31, 1987, in Princeton, New Jersey. The son of soccer coach Bob Bradley, he spent his teenage years in Palatine, Illinois, playing for Sockers FC and attending the United States Under-17 Men’s National Team Residency Program. Bradley turned professional at 16, signing a Project-40 contract with MLS and was drafted by the MetroStars in 2004. After not playing in his rookie season due to injury, he secured a starting position in 2005, playing 30 out of 32 matches and scoring his first professional goal against Chivas USA.

In January 2006, Bradley was transferred to SC Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie, becoming the youngest MLS player ever sold. He quickly earned a starting spot and, in the 2007–08 season, scored 16 Eredivisie goals, setting a record for an American player in a European first division. His career continued in Europe with Borussia Mönchengladbach in the German Bundesliga (2008-2011), a loan spell at Aston Villa in the English Premier League (2011), and Italian Serie A clubs Chievo (2011-2012) and Roma (2012-2014).

Bradley returned to MLS in 2014, joining Toronto FC, where he made over 250 appearances and served as captain. He led Toronto FC to significant achievements, including winning the MLS Cup in 2017. A consistent presence on the United States national team, Bradley earned over 150 international caps between 2006 and 2019, playing in multiple CONCACAF Gold Cups and FIFA World Cups. He retired from playing in October 2023 and has since transitioned into coaching, joining his father’s staff at Stabæk Fotball in 2023 and becoming head coach of New York Red Bulls II in 2025.