The General's First Strike

On This Day in 2012, Bradley Scored his First Serie A Goal in a Chievo Verona Victory

For Michael Bradley, a modest Sunday afternoon in Verona was a landmark moment for him and American soccer. Standing at the edge of Catania's penalty area at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, the midfielder from New Jersey was about to etch his name into Serie A history.

The path to this historic moment had begun with uncertainty. Bradley needed a fresh start after an unfulfilling loan spell at Aston Villa, where he made just three Premier League appearances. On August 31, 2011, he joined Chievo Verona, becoming the only American playing in Italy's top flight at the time. "After the few months in England, where just in terms of games played, it wasn't what I hoped for," Bradley reflected, "it was important to find a place where I was going to be given a real chance and a real opportunity to play regularly."

What made Bradley's Italian adventure particularly poignant was its timing. Just weeks before his move, his father, Bob, had been dismissed as U.S. National Team coach and was replaced by Jürgen Klinsmann. As Michael settled into life in Verona, he navigated both professional and personal transitions simultaneously.

Yet true to his reputation for resilience, Bradley quickly found his footing at Chievo. The modest club—hailing from a suburb of just 4,500 residents and sharing a stadium with the more popular Hellas Verona—proved to be the perfect environment. "From the first day I got here, everything about this experience has been really good," Bradley said. "The people at the club, the players, the coaches—everybody has been incredibly welcoming, and when you come to a new place, when you come to a new club, that makes a big difference."

The midfielder integrated into the team, impressing manager Domenico Di Carlo with his work rate, technique and tactical intelligence. After just a quarter of a year at the club, he mastered Italian within months, conducting interviews and speaking to local students in the language. Soon, the locals affectionately nicknamed him "Il Generale" and "Captain America," a testament to his commanding presence on the field.

By April 2012, Bradley had become integral to Chievo's system, starting regularly and helping the "Flying Donkeys" (a nickname adopted from a once-derogatory chant by rival fans) compete against Italy's giants. On April 7, with Chievo fighting to ensure Serie A survival, Bradley's moment arrived against Catania.

Just six minutes into the match, Alberto Paloschi delivered a cross into the penalty area. Bradley timed his run perfectly, meeting the ball with conviction. His right-footed strike bounced off the post and into the net, giving Chievo an early lead. The goal—the first by an American in Serie A since Alexi Lalas for Padova in the mid-1990s—set the tone for a crucial 3-2 victory.

After Bradley's opener, Chievo captain Sergio Pellissier converted a penalty following a red card to Catania's Nicola Spolli. Though Catania pulled one back through an unfortunate Marco Andreolli own goal, Paloschi restored the two-goal advantage after halftime. Sergio Almiron's late goal for the visitors created a tense finish, but Chievo held on for three vital points.

The victory lifted the Flying Donkeys 11 points clear of the relegation zone with seven games remaining, essentially securing their top-flight status for another season. For Bradley, the goal represented more: validation of his bold decision to test himself in Calcio's tactical battleground.

"When you look at players in my position—defensive midfield—in this country, they value this kind of player," Bradley explained about his move to Italy. "Growing up, Demetrio Albertini was my favorite player. So when you watch him, you see how important he was for Milan at the time."

The midfielder's season at Chievo proved transformative. He finished the campaign, appearing in 35 matches and logged over 3,000 minutes of playing time. He ranked second on the team in tackles per game and first in passes attempted (with a 79 percent completion rate). His growth as a regista—a deep-lying playmaker who initiates moves from just in front of the back line—benefited both club and country.

Bradley's performances did not go unnoticed. By summer 2012, bigger clubs were circling, and on July 16, he completed a €3.75 million transfer to AS Roma, signing a four-year contract with one of Italy's most storied teams. The Chievo chapter had lasted just one season, but its impact on Bradley's career was immeasurable.

Looking back, Bradley's time in Verona was memorable not because of his goals or performances but because he embraced the experience altogether—learning the language, understanding the tactical nuances, and respecting the culture of Italian football. As Chievo's press officer, Tommaso Franco, aptly described him: "He's a painting with many different colors. There's red, there's blue, there's yellow. He's bravissimo."

For a player who would go on to become one of America's most accomplished footballers, that quiet afternoon in Verona when the ball struck the post and nestled into the net represented more than just a milestone—it was validation of the belief that Americans could not just survive but thrive in the tactical cauldron of Serie A. In one sublime moment, Michael Bradley had turned an opportunity into a triumph that would help define his career.