The consecration came in an unforgettable 2017 that went down in history as one of the most dominant years by any team in the MLS. Osorio was a fundamental part of a Toronto FC that won three titles; the Canadian Cup, the Supporters’ Shield Trophy (best team in the regular round) and the Major League Soccer championship, to complete the first and only “Triple” in the history of the league.
Osorio is still active, breaking networks with Toronto FC, the club with which he won the “Golden Boot” in the Concacaf Champions League in 2018. Parallel to this, he has seen action with the Canadian national team, reaching the semifinals of the Copa América in 2024, two years after having fulfilled another dream: Playing in the Soccer World Cup, after being called up for the Qatar 2022 event.
Connection with ice
Major League Soccer champion and current captain of Toronto FC, Osorio has spent his entire career at home and when he leaves the field, he is a loyal fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Toronto is definitely a hockey city with a rich history, so every time the Maple Leafs play, everything comes to a standstill, even more so in the playoffs, because hope is renewed that a Stanley Cup championship will probably be achieved. “I am a 100% soccer person, but I support my hometown teams and there are none more popular than the Maple Leafs.”
For this reason, Osorio knows what it is like to experience live hockey thanks to several visits to the Scotiabank Arena. “Yes, I’ve been to a lot of games, especially the playoffs. I think postseason games are the best because of a great energy within the building. Hockey is a fast-paced sport that excites all of us who have the opportunity to witness it.”
The international midfielder with Canada also highlights the talent present in the NHL. “I’m not a hockey expert, so maybe I don’t know everything that’s going on. But, simply watching the game, you realize the great athletic ability that the players have to control everything at such a fast pace, it is truly very entertaining and at the same time, admirable.”
Furthermore, there is the fact that in both hockey and football, there are common elements. “There are definitely many similarities between both sports, not only because of the position of the players or even the quantity if we compare it to indoor soccer. There is also the element of construction and movement, that is, in both disciplines, everything is based on working together.”
special moment
In addition to defending both the shirt of his native Toronto at the club level in the MLS, as well as the colors of Canada internationally, soccer gave Osorio and the rest of the Canadian team players a gratifying episode last July 6, 2024, when after beating Venezuela, to become only the fourth North American country to reach the Copa América Semifinals, hockey legend Sidney Crosby entered the locker room to congratulate his country’s players for the prestigious achievement on the field of AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
