Michael Bradley featured in some of the most significant games in U.S. national team history. A starter at two World Cups where the USA advanced from the group stage, he also played a key role in the historic win over Spain at the 2009 Confederations Cup and lifted Gold Cup titles in 2007 and 2017.

The central midfielder earned an impressive 151 caps and scored 17 goals — none more memorable than his equalizer against Slovenia at the 2010 World Cup, when the U.S. came back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 draw.

At the club level, Bradley’s career spanned MLS, the Dutch Eredivisie, the German Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A, and a spell in the English Premier League.

Bradley, now 37, retired from his playing career at the end of the 2023 MLS season with Toronto. He transitioned directly into coaching, serving as assistant to his father, Bob Bradley, at Norway’s Stabaek.

On June 12, Michael Bradley was hired to coach the New York Red Bulls II in MLS Next Pro after the previous head coach, Ibrahim Sekagya, was promoted to assistant first-team coach.

As of now, the Red Bulls II sit in first place in the 15-team Eastern Conference.

We spoke with Bradley about his transition into coaching, working in the Red Bulls organization, and the overall direction of player development in MLS and in the United States.

Michael Bradley on Soccer America covers: May 2008 (when at age 20 he was starring for Dutch Serie A club SC Heerenveen) and January 2010 (tackling David Beckham).

SOCCER AMERICA: First of all, congratulations on getting the opportunity to coach the Red Bulls II. Now that you have been leading the team for a few weeks, what are your first impressions and how does it measure with your expectations?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: In terms of just an opportunity for a young coach to come into a club like this, an organization like this — everything with the standards from the top right on down are very, very high in terms of professionalism, in terms of the environment, the culture.