Big names have appeared on U.S. Soccer’s Male Player of the Year list.

Many of them — Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Kasey Keller — have had sustained success in Europe. They’re well-known in England.

But after being named this year’s recipient, Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley pointed to one of the little — quite literally — known guys on the list of players who have claimed the U.S. Soccer Federation’s top honour.

Five-foot-7 midfielder Chris Armas, who won the award in 2000, is the guy Bradley looks up to on the list.

“He’s not the biggest name,” Bradley said of Armas, who played for his dad, Bob Bradley, with the Chicago Fire. “When I was a young guy hanging around Fire training, he always went out of his way to look after me and include me and to teach me.”

Fifteen years later, Bradley’s name is forever enshrined on a list of U.S. greats.

“Playing for the national team is an incredible honour,” Bradley told the Toronto Sun by phone Wednesday night. “Wearing those colours and knowing everything our country stands for. It’s an incredible honour.

“To be voted Player of the Year is something I’m very proud of. It was a disappointing year on a team level. That will be the part that I remember first, to be honest. In the big important games this year we weren’t able to do what we needed to. That disappointment is still there.”

For all the successes — beating Germany, setting records with Toronto FC and making the MLS playoffs — there were just as many failures.

Internationally, the U.S. had a disappointing Gold Cup before losing out on the Confederations Cup.

Bits of turmoil have lingered inside and outside the U.S. team for years under embattled head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

But despite the exclusivity of his latest achievement, Bradley isn’t interested in talking about accomplishing things individually. The fact he’s likely to, at some point in the near future, become his national team’s all-time appearance leader isn’t relevant currently.

“I very much take things one game at a time and look to give everything I have 90 minutes at a time no matter who I’m playing for — Toronto FC or the U.S. national team,” Bradley said. “It’s important to see things in a bigger picture but you have to scale things down and focus on what’s right in front of you. I think that’s something that I’ve always been good at. More than any individual accomplishments I’m desperate to be on teams that win.”

There’s reason to believe that could — finally! — start at Toronto FC next season.

The Reds made three major signings this month, picking up veteran, defensive-minded MLSers in Drew Moor, Will Johnson and Steven Beitashour.

“In all three cases those are great additions,” Bradley said. “I know Drew from having played with him in the national team. He’s a very good guy who knows the league inside and out. Will and I go back so many years. We played together when we were 10 years old.

“I feel strongly that to get where we all want we need to continue to add guys who really give us something on the field in terms of their quality, their competitiveness, their mentality — and guys who come here excited about what we’re doing.”

The fact both Johnson and Moor turned down, potentially, more money to join Toronto FC says something about their commitment. It says something about this market’s potential.

There aren’t many places in MLS that are viewed as something of a destination.

“Toronto FC has it together,” Bradley added. “The number of calls and texts that we all get from players and, in the (front office’s) case, agents of players who want to come here and be involved is incredible. Like I said, with Drew and Steven and Will, these are guys who had other options but they wanted to be a part of it.

“With all due respect, Toronto, in the past, was a place guys were looking to get out of as soon as possible.”

Now there are players looking to join the best player in the U.S.

“I love the game. I love to train. I love to compete,” Bradley added.

“I love the feeling of stepping on the field and giving everything. My best years are still ahead of me.”

AU REVIOR, DIDER?

For as fast as the Montreal Impact rocketed into relevancy with the arrival of Chelsea legend Didier Drogba this summer, the fall could be just as swift.

Interim Chelsea bench boss Gus Hiddink is keen to bring Drogba back to Stamford Bridge as a member of his staff.

Impact fans, meanwhile, are in something of a tizzy amid fears the 37-year-old won’t see out his 18-month contract.

Montreal’s public relations team addressed those concerns Wednesday night in an effort to calm fears heading into the holidays.

“We are currently in contact with Didier Drogba and Chelsea FC,” the club tweeted. “We are doing everything we can to have him back with the Impact in 2016. We understand his attachment to his former club and his desire to help them. We are willing to accommodate him.

“But our objective is to have him back for another season, as agreed in his contract. This situation is out of our control. We would like to thank our supporters for their understanding and their patience.”

Patience? What patience?

A report from Global Montreal Tuesday night indicated some supporters are threatening to abandon the team if Drogba isn’t back in 2016. The former Ivorian international scored 12 goals in 12 starts for Montreal last season, leading the Impact in a convincing 3-0 playoff win over Toronto FC.