Bradleymichael
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Michael Bradley

  • DOB July 31, 1987
  • Age 37
  • Place of birth Princeton, New Jersey
  • POSITION Midfielder
  • HEIGHT 6'2"
  • WEIGHT 175
  • U.S. CAPS 133
  • CLUB Toronto FC
  • Current ASN 100 Rank 72
  • Previous ASN 100 Rank 52
  • Youth Experience U-17, U-18, U-20, U-23
Bradley earned his first international start on March 28, 2007, during a friendly against Guatemala. He was a starter at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and helped lead the U.S. to the title, though he was sent off for a late tackle in the semi-final against Canada. The next month, he started every match for the U.S. at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he scored the game-winning goal in the 107th minute against Uruguay in the round of 16. He scored his first senior international goal on October 17, 2007, with a game-winner in the 87th minute against Switzerland in a friendly in Basel. Following these performances, Bradley was named U.S. Soccer's Young Athlete of the Year for 2007. Against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio on February 11, 2009 in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier, Bradley scored both goals in a 2–0 victory.

During the United States' surprise run to the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, Bradley scored the second goal against Egypt off an assist from Landon Donovan, helping the Americans advance to the semi-final on goal differential after beating the Egyptians 3–0. He started in the 2–0 upset victory against Spain in the semi-final, but was sent off late in the game.

Bradley was a key player for the U.S. in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, starting all four matches in central midfield. In the group stage, he scored the equalizer in a comeback 2–2 draw against Slovenia. He captained the national team for the first time in an August 10, 2010 friendly against Brazil in his birthplace of New Jersey. In the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Bradley featured in each game in a new midfield partnership with Jermaine Jones, and scored the opening goal in the final against Mexico, though the United States went on to lose 4–2.

After U.S. Soccer removed the captaincy from Clint Dempsey as punishment for a controversial incident with a referee before the 2015 Gold Cup, Klinsmann named Bradley the national team's new permanent captain. In the opening game against Honduras on July 7, Bradley earned his 100th cap at the age of 27.

On July 7, 2019 Bradley played as the U.S. lost the final of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup by a single goal to Mexico. He became the third American to 150 caps, after Cobi Jones and Landon Donovan.

Noteworthy Reads

http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/story/_/id/7994437/us-soccer-michael-bradley-leading-american-charge-schaerlaeckens
tp://www.ussoccer.com/news/mens-national-team/2011/08/qa-michael-bradley.aspx
AmericanSoccerNow.