Aesthetic history of Toronto FC

Even before the opening of the transfers, a new soap opera has begun, destined as always to cause discussion and monopolise public opinion. As you may have guessed from the title of the article and the various news sites that in this period assiduously and tirelessly report any possible rumors, offers or contacts, one of the hottest topics of this early 2022 is the possible transfer at the end of the season of Lorenzo Insigne to Toronto FC.

Lorenzo Insigne is the captain, flag and symbol of Napoli and his possible departure from the city that saw him born and grow, not only from a footballing point of view, can only provoke and animate discussions of all kinds. In recent days the rumours of a possible offer from Toronto have become more and more insistent, the latest offer put on the table by the MLS club is a five-year contract for 11.5 million per season plus bonuses. Monstrous figures on which everyone has felt obliged to have their say, even Giovinco who until a few years ago played for the Canadian club has warned his colleague of the possible mistake he could make. A disproportionate and tempting figure that for days many Neapolitan fans under the various posts of the Canadian team have been asking not to propose to the Neapolitan talent, often in English, often in Italian and sometimes without paying too much attention to formality.

Even before everyone was reminded of Toronto once again because of the latest events related to the football market, the team wrote an important page of the sport, becoming the first club to win the MLS. A management that over the years has been able to build a sporting empire and that despite its recent history already plays in a stadium costing around 70 million dollars, which can hold around 30 thousand people.

A modern stadium capable of hosting not only MLS matches, but also rugby matches, without an athletics track, with very high stands that from the field give the impression of overwhelming the players. In addition to the stadium, built on the model of those in England, since its foundation the club has based its image on simplicity, and this is also its strength, as the president himself declared some time ago, as can also be seen in the name of the team and in the red and white colours that reflect the strong Canadian identity. The rest is done by a minimalist but contemporary logo, with a 'T' that fits perfectly into a shield, capable of being in step with the times and perfect for any type of eventuality.

In addition to sharing the same ownership with the Toronto Raptors, the two teams also share an illustrious fan: Drake. Although the Canadian rapper has never hidden his passion for basketball, becoming an almost regular presence at the Air Canada Center, he is also often seen at the BMO Center, becoming over the years a sort of global ambassador for Toronto teams. 

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Aside from cheering and rejoicing over the team's first MLS win, it's impossible to forget when during the 2019 NBA Playoffs Drake took centre stage, at least the one outside - just outside - the parquet. Sitting practically next to the team, he cheered with them, clapped for them, even massaged their head coach and argued with opponents, raising the level of tension, in a season that ended with an unhoped-for ring for the Toronto Raptors.

The bond with the franchise and the team is so strong that it seems Drake has his own locker next to the players' locker room in the arena and even in the stadium. A relationship that later turned into a collaboration, OVO, Drake's brand, for a year was also responsible for creating the City Edition of the franchise as well as creating a basketball practice facility in Toronto sponsored by the franchise and bearing the name of the brand. And who knows if in the next years, also considering the international dimension of the football team, there could be also a collaboration with OVO with a football background, already with Giovinco and in the spasmodic wait of Views, one of the many masterpieces of Drake, someone already seemed to try and maybe the arrival of a footballer of international profile as Insigne could accelerate things.

To support Toronto FC since its inception there has always been adidas as well as Drake, the German brand since 2007 has always dressed the Canadian team also strong of the agreement in place with the MLS. To the Canadian team adidas has always entrusted the best designs and templates ever produced, since the very first season when as for Liverpool, Milan and Real and all other top European teams has designed the uniforms with the unforgettable template Teamgeist, brought to light at the end of 2020 in a new collection. One of the most iconic jerseys is undoubtedly that of 2014, with the maple leaf, the national symbol that was added to the Canadian coat of arms in 1921. 

But even before Insigne, Toronto had already been in the news for transfers in the past seasons, in addition to the amazing purchase of Giovinco from Juventus in 2015, in the 2013-2014 season the team concluded many important high-profile deals. At the start of the season they secured Justin Morrow and Jackson, as well as Brazilian Gilberto, after which they once again drew from Italy, surprisingly acquiring American Michael Bradley from Roma, who had a great season so far.

On 10 January 2014, instead, one of the biggest signings of the Canadians was announced, a football pioneer who arrived in America with great expectations to raise the level of the MLS: Jermain Defoe. The striker arrived from Tottenham for £6 million, a record sum at that time for the American league and for football in general still far from the astronomical figures of today. A month later the Canadian club managed to put the icing on the cake in that market, signing former Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar, a real coup despite the age of the Brazilian goalkeeper who played in the Premier League at QPR at the time.

Net of its young history, Toronto over the years has shown the desire to become in every way a great club, signing not only big names, but also building a stadium up to the ambitions of the club and focusing year after year on coaches and players who could grow the club putting aside any kind of blazon and notoriety. With the possible transfer of Lorenzo Insigne, which according to many sources seems to be close, the club confirms once again the goodness of the project with the sole objective of building a team that can impose itself in America and in time grow and establish itself off the field. The football market has just begun, we will see what these months have in store for us and especially if Insigne will decide to leave his hometown to face a new experience where football is growing strongly but is still struggling to reach the levels of the European one.