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The Prolific Bradley Wright-Phillips Has officially Retired

photo by Anthony J. Merced

The end of the career from an English Scoring Machine whose famous father graced the pitch at Highbury, and his brother who was a member of the English National Team, has finally called it quits on a blooming late MLS career as Bradley Wright-Phillips says goodbye to the game.

“I’m done. Thank you to all of the clubs that gave me the opportunity to represent the badge,” Wright-Phillips wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, fan bases for your support (ups and downs) but most of all thank you to my friends and family, especially my wife Leanne.”

Coming over to play with Thierry Henry in 2013 on a trial, BWP was given a chance to show what he was made of, he scored his first MLS goal at BBVA Compass Stadium against the Houston Dynamo as well as his first playoff goal against the same side in the second leg of Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. But once the Calendar turned to 2014 Bradley went off on a scoring tangent that no one saw coming.

He became the first MetroStars/Red Bulls striker to score and convert a 20 goal season. He then challenged the league's single-season scoring record by tying with Roy Lassiter and Chris Wondolowski with 27 goals. When Mike Petke was let go as head coach of the Red Bulls and Thierry Henry called it a career, Bradley had his contractors informing him that he would never have a season like that again without the brilliance of Henry feeding the ball. 

That changed very quickly with the arrival of Jesse Marsch surrounding BWP with talented Midfielders like Long Island-born Mike Grella, Sacha Kljestan, Felipe, Jamaican international right-sided fullback Kemar Lawrence, and his buddy Lloyd Sam and Dax McCarty as they continue to feed Bradley to convert many goals and convert several hat tricks.

We will never forget the big games against bitter rivals in DC United, the Philadelphia Union, and of course the red wedding at Yankee Stadium as he scored twice in the famous seven goals to nil road win. He was also important during their run in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions LEague, converting in the second leg in the round of sixteen against Olimpia of Honduras, then the first leg in the Quarterfinals at Mexico's Club Tijuana converting a brace.

Overall. Bradley Wright-Phillips scored 109 league goals with 126 in all competitions. Scored the most goals against NYCFC with 12, DC United in the second with11 including his 100th career League goal at Audi Field on July 25th in 2018 which took his 159 games as the fastest goal scorer in league history, and the Chicago Fire in third place with 10.

Against three opponents he has converted a two-goal game and a hat trick on two separate occasions, scored nine times in the playoffs, four goals in the CONCACAF Champions League, and five goals in proper play of the US Open Cup tying the record with Amado Guevara. There are reports that Wright-Phillips has been contacted by the Red Bulls to be a part of the front office. 

Congratulations on your retirement Bradley Wright-Phillips and good luck in your future endeavors.

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