Football
ESPN staff 6y

Michael Bradley happy to secure MLS Cup 'obsession' with Toronto

Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley was thrilled to secure his "obsession" of winning the MLS title after the 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders in Saturday's final.

After nearly a decade in Europe, Bradley returned to MLS four years ago as one of the league's highest-paid players and on Saturday obtained his goal of helping Toronto become the first Canadian club to lift the MLS Cup trophy.

The triumph comes one year after Toronto came up short on penalties in the final against the same opponents, and Bradley praised his teammates' resiliency.

"This has been the dream for four years, since the day I got here, and for the last year the dream has become an obsession," he told ESPN after the game.

"For this group of guys to work every single day, and remember last year, to get back here, to play that game, in this atmosphere, with that on the line -- it's unbelievable."

Bradley, also the captain of the United States national team, was the target of jeers during the playoffs after the U.S. failed to qualify for the World Cup, but he didn't have anything to say to his critics.

"I don't have to say anything," he said. "I love to play, I love to compete. That's it for me."

Toronto FC became the first MLS team to complete the domestic Treble -- making it through the playoffs to win the MLS Cup, earning the Supporters' Shield for the best regular-season record, and also winning the Canadian Championship cup competition.

Victor Vazquez was with Barcelona when they won the Champions League in 2009 and 2011, but he said for the amount of trophies Toronto FC won this season, the Reds are the best team he's played for.

"For sure, I never win that many trophies. That explains everything," he said. "That's also why I came here. They put a lot confidence in me and I give it back so we are celebrating and we're going to enjoy this night."

Vazquez capped the victory with a goal in stoppage time, but he credited Jozy Altidore's opener for opening up the game in Toronto's favor.

"I can not explain this, that's amazing," he said. "Everything we did today is for these people around the pitch. Everything we have done all season, and today, we have done everything. I don't have words, because that's too much, I think.

"The game was more open [after Altidore's goal] and then we could create more chances, we could score more goals. They went to try to put some balls in the box but they didn't do anything.

"We won the balls on the pitch, we did everything and we have to be proud and happy, because to do this, that's amazing."

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