Michael Bradley

Michael Bradley
  • U.S. National Team: MNT
  • Position: Midfielder
  • Date Of Birth: July 31, 1987
  • Height: 6-2
  • Weight: 175
  • Hometown: Manhattan Beach, Calif.
  • Club: Roma (Italy)

A tactician as well as a dogged competitor, Bradley patrols the center of the field with energy and savvy and is one of the USA’s most consistent performers. One of five U.S. players to play every minute at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he has represented the United States at the World Cup level for both the full team and the U-20s, as well as at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. His impressive professional career in Europe that began at Heerenveen in Holland continues its ascension, with more than two seasons at Borussia Mönchengladbach in the German Bundesliga and a loan spell to Aston Villa of the English Premier League under his belt. Bradley is now the second modern-era American to play in Italy’s Serie A after joining Chievo Verona in August of 2011.

  • Started every game in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup and added a goal and two assists
  • Game-tying goal against Slovenia in the World Cup kept the USA’s chances of advancing alive, helping him earn both ussoccer.com Man of the Match honors and a nomination for Best Goal of 2010
  • A finalist for the 2010 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year, he is the fourth youngest U.S. player in history to reach 50 caps
  • Started in 15 of 18 qualifiers in the 2010 cycle, finishing tied for second in goals scored with five, including two game-winners
  • Featured as a starter in the first two group games of the 2008 Olympics, going 90 minutes against Japan and the Netherlands
  • Named U.S. Soccer’s 2007 Young Male Athlete of the Year for his efforts for both club and country, including a part in the USA’s Gold Cup winning run as well as a run through the FIFA U-20 World Cup
  • His final year at Heerenveen was a career year by any count as he scored 21 goals in all competitions

2011: Helped the U.S. to its 3-2 win against Slovenia, tallying an assist on Clint Dempsey’s strike … Started every game for the U.S. in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, adding a goal and two assists … Set up Clarence Goodson’s goal in the 2-1 defeat against Panama and registered an assist on Jozy Altidore’s strike from distance that won the U.S. its game against Guadeloupe … Scored the opening goal in the 4-2 loss against Mexico in the final with a perfect header from a Freddy Adu corner … 2010: Led the team in 2010 in both games played (10) and minutes played (930) … Scored the game-tying goal in the 82nd minute of the 2-2 draw with Slovenia on June 18 in Johannesburg, earning ussoccer.com Man of the Match honors … Covered more than 22 miles during group play per FIFA’s player tracking, the third most of any player in the tournament … Played every minute of every game in the 2010 FIFA World Cup … Named ussoccer.com Man of the Match in the 2-1 loss to eventual World Cup runners up the Netherlands on March 3 in Amsterdam … Reached the 50 cap plateau when he started in the 0-0 draw on Oct. 12 against Colombia … 2009: Tied for the team lead in starts (15) with Landon Donovan, finishing second in minutes played (1,315) … Started nine of 10 final round qualifiers, missing the June 6 match against Honduras for yellow card accumulation … Netted both goals in the USA’s 2-0 victory against Mexico on Feb. 11 in Columbus to kick off the final round of World Cup qualifying … Started four of five matches in the FIFA Confederations Cup, scoring the second goal in the 3-0 win against Egypt on June 21 that lifted the U.S. into the semifinals against Spain … Awareness and positioning led to his goal on Oct. 14 against Costa Rica, as he knocked home a rebound that cut the Costa Rica lead in half … Earned ussoccer.com Man of the Match honors in that game, as well as in the 1-0 victory against Trinidad & Tobago on Sept. 10 in Port of Spain … 2008: Tied for the team lead with 11 starts in 2008 and finished second on the team in minutes played (893) … His performance earned him a nomination for U.S. Soccer's Male Athlete of the Year … Scored his first World Cup qualifying goal against Barbados at The Home Depot Center in June … Tallied the game-winner with a deft outside of the foot flick against Trinidad & Tobago on Sept. 10 in Washington, D.C. … Earned Man of the Match honors for that performance and received a nomination for U.S. Soccer’s Best Goal of 2008 … 2007: Scored his first goal for the U.S. in the final moments of a 1-0 U.S. win against Switzerland on Oct. 17 in Basel … Appeared as a halftime sub in a 3-1 victory against Ecuador in March before getting his first start for the senior team against Guatemala three days later … Was a member of the 2007 Gold Cup squad and featured as center midfielder in five games leading up to the semifinals … Was red carded against Canada in the semifinals of the Gold Cup and suspended for the final against Mexico … 2006: Earned his first two caps in the buildup to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he was a member of the pre-tournament training camp and friendlies … Made his debut as a sub in the 89th minute against Venezuela on May 26, 2006 … Under-23s: Featured in two games during the Olympics in Beijing … Started against Japan and the Netherlands but earned two yellow cards and was suspended for the final group game against Nigeria ... Under-20s: A member of the 2007 U-20 World Cup team which advanced to the quarterfinals in Canada … Added experience and professionalism to the promising U-20 side that was eliminated in the end by Austria … Appeared in all five matches in Canada, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against Uruguay in the second round … Under-17s: Part of the Residency Program from the fall of 2002 to the spring of 2004 … First Appearance: May 26, 2006, vs. Venezuela … First Goal: Oct. 17, 2007, vs. Switzerland.
2011: Joined Chievo Verona on a two year contract on Aug. 30, 2011 … Went the distance in each of his 12 starts for Chievo, recording 13 total appearances in the first half of the season … Made his debut as a substitute in the 2-1 loss against Parma in the Serie A … Provided an assist in the 2-1 win against Genoa on Sept. 25 when his corner kick led to the equalizer … 2010-11: Moved to Aston Villa of the English Premier League on loan for the second half of the 2010-11 season … Made three appearances for Aston Villa in the regular season and played one game in the FA Cup … Finished the first half of the Bundesliga campaign with three goals in 19 appearances … 2009-10: After an uneven early start, Bradley earned his place in the starting XI and didn’t let go, starting the final 10 matches of the first half of the campaign … Had two goals in 13 matches, including a laser in the 5-3 win on Dec. 12 against Hannover … Finished with five goals in 28 appearances in his first season at ‘Gladbach, the club narrowly avoiding relegation with a hearty effort to close out the campaign that included a draw against Dortmund on the final matchday … 2008-09: Signed a four-year deal with Borussia Mönchengladbach at the end of the transfer window in August … Debuted for the club on Sept. 20 against Hertha Berlin in a Bundesliga match … Scored his first goal for 'Gladbach when he grabbed a late equalizer for his club in a 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich on Nov. 15 ... 2007-08: Finished the season with 21 goals in all competitions … Ended his Heerenveen career with more than 50 league appearances for the Dutch club ... Helped Heereveen to a fifth place finish in the Eredivisie and qualification for the UEFA Cup ... Tallied a hat trick in the 4-2 win against FC Groningen on Dec. 9 in Heerenveen … Scored his first goal for Heerenveen in a 5-2 rout of Excelsior on September 15, 2007 … Spent the month of September in sparkling form for Heerenveen, scoring four goals in all competitions for his club, including two against Helsingborg in the UEFA Cup … 2006-07: In his first full season at Heerenveen, he established himself as an important part of the first team, making 21 Eredivisie appearances for the club as they finished fifth … Also featured in the UEFA Cup for Heerenveen, making three appearances for the side in the first round and group stage … Ended the season with 25 appearances in all competitions … Helped Heerenveen clinch a UEFA Cup berth for the 2006-07 campaign by starting all four playoff games … 2005-06: Moved to Heerenveen in January 2006 and became the youngest player in league history to be sold by MLS … Made his first appearance for his new club, and only appearance of the season, in April 2006 … 2005: Flourished in his second year in MLS, making 30 starts for the MetroStars …Played under his father, Bob Bradley, who was at the time the head coach of the MetroStars … Scored his first professional goal with the MetroStars in a playoff-clinching win against Chivas USA in 2005, finishing with one goal and four assists ... 2004: Drafted 36th overall by the MetroStars … Made no appearances in his first year with the team, his season severely limited by a foot injury.
Born in Princeton, N.J. … Lists Ireland’s Roy Keane as the player he most admires … Married Amanda Barletta in the summer of 2011 … Played for U.S. Soccer Development Academy club Chicago Magic in his teenage years.

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