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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Leander Schaerlaeckens

Steely and strangely divisive, Michael Bradley’s playing career cut to the id of US soccer fandom

Michael Bradley Bob Bradley Soccer United States Roma USMNT
Michael Bradley of US celebrates with teammates after scoring the first goal of his team during the match between Mexico and The United States as part of the FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifiers at Azteca Stadium on June 11, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico.
Michael Bradley after scoring his best goal in a US shirt, a long-range chip against Mexico in 2017. Photograph: Miguel Tovar/LatinContent/Getty Images

In a sense, the real surprise isn’t that it took almost six years for Michael Bradley to get his flowers for his long and laureled United States men’s national team career. It’s that he agreed to receive them at all.

That sort of thing is, after all, extremely un-Michael Bradley.

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