In years past, Toronto FC fans would be holding their collective breath while watching Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore compete for the U.S. national team.
On numerous occasions, the designated player duo would leave the MLS side for international duty, only for one or both of them to come back either injured or run ragged under previous U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
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But that was then — with Bruce Arena back in charge, the Americans have enjoyed a small resurgence this year. More importantly for TFC, the Canadian club's star players have come back from national team games unscathed and perhaps even better than when they left.
It may be tough to quanitify "better" in terms of table-topping TFC this year, as both Altidore and Bradley have been integral to the club's ascent up the standings in the current campaign.
However, they certainly haven't seen a drop in form when transitioning from club soccer to the Gold Cup, with Golden Ball-winning Bradley bossing the midfield as captain and Altidore banging in huge, timely goals — as has become the norm in Toronto.
"He makes my job easier because we have a really focused individual, a focused captain, and a person that wants to play in a World Cup in 2018," Arena said of Bradley in an ESPN article espousing the noticeable uptick in the midfielder's national team performance in 2017. "From January on, he has been a great leader in the program, very focused … and the players follow his lead. He's been fantastic to work with."
Being the best player at the Gold Cup is a success. @ussoccer's Michael Bradley earned the Golden Ball presented by @ScotiabankFC pic.twitter.com/CblumcRh38
— Gold Cup 2017 (@GoldCup) July 27, 2017
And while Bradley has been setting the tone in the U.S. midfield since being called in as a knockout stage replacement, Altidore has been at his prolific best in front of goal, scoring the winner in a 2-0 semifinal victory over Costa Rica followed up by a picture-perfect free kick to open the scoring in Wednesday's final against Jamaica.
GOL Estados Unidos, @JozyAltidore No. 27 | @ussoccer @ItsTheJFF #CopaOro2017 pic.twitter.com/fJOs7APMN4
— CONCACAF (@CONCACAF) July 27, 2017
Altidore's epic strike wasn't the tournament winner — Jamaica drew level early in the second half before Jordan Morris scored the clincher in the dying minutes — but the 27-year-old continued his stellar big-game form that has been present since last year's MLS playoffs with TFC.
With a one-point lead in the MLS Supporters Shield race and 13 regular season games left to play, Toronto will welcome back the in-form duo of Bradley and Altidore — along with teammate Justin Morrow, who showed well in his two appearances for the U.S. — with open arms.