Michael Bradley becomes Red Bulls’ 21st coach in 31 seasons, taking job his father once held

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — Former Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley became the New York Red Bulls’ 21st coach in 31 seasons when he was promoted Monday to replace Sandro Schwarz, taking over a job his father held two decades earlier.

Bradley, a former U.S. national team captain, was hired on June 12 as coach of Red Bulls II in the third-tier MLS Next Pro and led the team to the league title.

The 38-year-old had 17 goals in 151 international appearances from 2006-19 and spent 20 years playing for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (2004-05), Heerenveen (2006-08), Borussia Mönchengladbach (2008-11), Aston Villa (2011), Chievo Verona (2011-12), Roma (2012-14) and Toronto (2014-23).

Bradley was an assistant to his father Bob with Norway’s Stabaek in 2023-24. His father coached the U.S. from 2006-11 and Toronto from 2021-23.

New York missed Major League Soccer’s playoffs, finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference with 12 wins, 15 losses and seven ties, and Schwarz was fired on Oct. 27 after two seasons. The team was seventh in 2024 and advanced to the MLS final, where it lost to the LA Galaxy.

The Red Bulls began play in 1996 as the New York/New Jersey Metrostars. They have never won the MLS championship.

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The Associated Press