The Importance of Michael Bradley

I just read an article by John D. Halloran over at Bleacher Report called “Why Michael Bradley is Key to USMNT’s World Cup Success.” I could not agree more with what was written. When Jozy Altidore was ruled out due to injury, I had confidence that our team would pick up the slack and we would be fine.  When minutes before the Costa Rica game, Michael Bradley picked up that ankle injury, I was officially in panic mode. The loss in Costa Rica only confirmed it, Bradley is the best player in the US team and his presence is essential for the team. During the post match interview, Donovan and Klinsmann confirmed that losing Bradley definitely had an impact on them and all of the players. Add the fact that it was minutes before kickoff, only made it worse.

Maybe it was the fact that the team lost a player right before game time or (most likely) the fact that the player was Michael Bradley, that the US team did not play like the team had a 12 game win streak. Yes, they were playing against Costa Rica in Costa Rica, where they have never won, and we all know that they have one hell of a good home advantage, but that does not make them unbeatable. What would have been the outcome with Bradley on the field? We will never know.

Bradley is our playmaker. He creates space, he moves our players, and like the article stated he can play a number of roles. He can play with anyone you put alongside him. The pair up with him and Geoff Cameron in the Panama game in Seattle was great and hope it repeats itself. You can tell that Cameron, just like the rest of the team, respect and look up to Bradley for leadership. There’s a reason that many want Bradley to be the official captain,;we all know that he’s the captain on the field without the armband.

Every time I see Bradley play, I think of the time when ignorant people would say that the only reason he played for the USMNT was because his dad was the coach. How could you not see the talent he has?!

If the USMNT wants to win a world cup, they will need a player like Michael Bradley. At 26, he most likely has 2 World Cup appearances left. Focus is now on Brazil, and like John said, “There won’t be a more important player on the field for the USMNT.”