Jozy Altidore reflected on his time playing with Sebastian Giovinco at Toronto FC . He praised the Italian for his lasting impact on not only the club but MLS as a whole.
Altidore and Giovinco both arrived to TFC in 2015. The club had fallen short of expectations following the previous season's 'Bloody Big Deal,' when Jermain Defoe made his move to MLS. As a result, Toronto moved on from Defoe, selling him to Sunderland in exchange for Altidore and a transfer fee.
Michael Bradley was the lone Designated Player as part of Toronto's plans, as they aimed to make two major signings. The move was pivotal as the trio of Bradley, Altidore, and Giovinco achieved great success.
Toronto FC reached back-to-back MLS Cup Finals, winning one, as well as the CONCACAF Champions Cup Final in 2018. TFC also continued its dominance domestically, winning multiple Canadian Championship titles.
Beyond the pitch, Jozy Altidore witnessed firsthand the impact Sebastian Giovinco had.
'The Atomic Ant' generated strong interest among Toronto's large Italian community. He took a risk by leaving Juventus and Serie A . The move to MLS diminished his chances of being called-up to the Italian national team.
Still, Giovinco embraced Toronto and changed the perception of a Designated Player in MLS.
"Today, we have many amazing players coming to MLS. But I think few will captivate a city and will make a fanbase believe in the way [Giovinco] did," Altidore said during a reunion with Giovinco on Toronto FC's YouTube channel.
"A wise man once said to me, maybe a Toronto FC fan back in the day, he told me, 'No Seba, no party.' We had a special group, but you need that special sauce. Seba was our X factor," he said. "To look at the players that have come to MLS, they bring three, four, five guys and they're still not able to do that. It says a lot about the team we had. And it's a special feeling to be able to do that."
Although Altidore made it clear that Giovinco had a significant impact, 'The Atomic Ant' made sure to praise his teammates.
TFC had a strong supporting cast around Bradley, Giovinco and Altidore, particularly in 2016 and 2017. Management was aggressive and consistently found ways to improve while being compliant with MLS ' roster rules.
"Jozie, I can say also, it's not only about me but it's about everybody. You too, for a different way, maybe I can say the same thing about you. But if you put everybody together, that's what created the difference," Giovinco said during a reunion with Altidore on Toronto FC's YouTube channel.
Giovinco emphasized the camaraderie among the Toronto FC players at the time, which he credits as a recipe for success.
"That time everybody was on the same page. And it's tough to do that and replicate in a team. [Being] on the same page," he said. "I think one part was losing the [MLS Cup] Final in 2016, where we were very close to winning and that's a penalty kick, whatever. Then the next year, starting from the first day, I was already feeling that something was coming. Something special was coming."
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