Soccer Legacy · 2006–2023

On the Biggest Stages

Seventeen professional seasons. Club football in the United States, Spain, England, Turkey, the Netherlands, Canada and Mexico. Two World Cups and a championship-winning night that Toronto still talks about.

115

USMNT caps

USMNT goals · 3rd all-time

World Cups · 2010, 2014

MVP

2017 MLS Cup

Timeline

The Path

Jozy Altidore playing for Sunderland against Cardiff City — Sunderland v Cardiff City, December 28, 2013Photo: Jon Candy · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Nov 6, 1989
Born in Livingston, New Jersey
The son of Haitian immigrants; the family soon settles in Boca Raton, Florida, where he grows up.
2004–06
U.S. Soccer Residency, IMG Academy
Joins the federation's residency program in Bradenton as its youngest player at the time, scoring prolifically for the youth national teams.
2006
Pro debut at 16
Drafted by the MetroStars and debuts for the renamed New York Red Bulls as a 16-year-old; named U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year.
2007
U-20 World Cup & first cap
Four goals at the U-20 World Cup in Canada, then a senior debut against South Africa weeks after turning 18.
2008
Villarreal · Beijing Olympics
Moves to La Liga in what was then a record outgoing transfer fee for MLS, and represents the U.S. at the Beijing Olympic tournament.
2009
Xerez (loan) · hat trick · Confederations Cup
A brief loan to Xerez ends without a competitive appearance. For his country, he becomes the youngest American to score a senior hat trick and opens the scoring in the semifinal upset of Spain as the U.S. finish Confederations Cup runners-up.
2009–10
Hull City (loan)
A season-long loan delivers his first Premier League minutes.
2010
World Cup, South Africa
Starts all four U.S. matches and is named man of the match in the group-clinching win over Algeria.
2011
Bursaspor (loan)
A spring loan to Turkey's Süper Lig before a permanent move to the Netherlands.
2011–13
AZ Alkmaar · Dutch Cup
His 31 goals in 2012–13 set a record for an American in a European league, and AZ lift the 2013 KNVB Cup.
2013–15
Sunderland · Player of the Year
Returns to the Premier League; named U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year for 2013.
2014
World Cup, Brazil
A second World Cup, cut short by a hamstring injury in the opening win over Ghana.
2015
Toronto FC
Back in MLS, he earns All-Star selection in his first season.
2016
Player of the Year, again
A second U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award.
2017
Gold Cup · treble · MLS Cup MVP
Scores in the Gold Cup semifinal and final as the U.S. lift the trophy; with Toronto wins the Supporters' Shield, Canadian Championship and MLS Cup, scoring the winner in the final.
2018
Canadian Championship
Back-to-back domestic cups with Toronto.
2022
New England · Puebla (loan)
Joins the New England Revolution before the season, then spends the second half of the year on loan at Liga MX side Puebla.
2023
Final whistle
New England buy out his contract in June, closing a professional career that began in 2006.

Club career

Ten Clubs, Seven Countries

2006–08

New York Red Bulls

MLS · USA

2008–11

Villarreal

La Liga · Spain

2009

Xerez (loan)

Spain

2009–10

Hull City (loan)

Premier League · England

2011

Bursaspor (loan)

Süper Lig · Turkey

2011–13

AZ Alkmaar

Eredivisie · Netherlands

2013–15

Sunderland

Premier League · England

2015–21

Toronto FC

MLS · Canada

2022–23

New England Revolution

MLS · USA

2022

Puebla (loan)

Liga MX · Mexico

MLS

A teenage debut with the Red Bulls in 2006, then a return in 2015 that made him Toronto FC's second all-time leading scorer behind Sebastian Giovinco. In 2017 his goal beat Seattle 2-0 in the final as TFC completed the league's first domestic treble.

Europe

La Liga with Villarreal, loans to Xerez and Turkey’s Bursaspor, 70 Premier League games across Hull City and Sunderland, and a 2012–13 season at AZ Alkmaar in which his 31 goals set a record for an American in a European league.

USMNT

115 caps and 42 goals, the 2008 Olympics, the 2009 Confederations Cup final, two World Cups, four Gold Cups (2011, 2015, 2017, 2019) including the 2017 title, and more than 40 World Cup qualifiers.