TORONTO — The Atomic Ant is back with Toronto FC.
Former star striker Sebastian Giovinco, the franchise's all-time leading scorer with 83 goals, has rejoined the MLS club as a special adviser and team ambassador.
Toronto made the announcement hours before Saturday's regular-season finale against league-leading Inter Miami at BMO Field. The team teased Giovinco's return via social media earlier in the week with the smiling Italian promising "something special" would be announced at the Miami game.
"After collaborating for some time, we are happy to have formalized this new role and look forward to Seba beginning this new chapter with us," GM Jason Hernandez said in a statement. "His contributions on and off the field have left an everlasting impact on our club, and we are confident his experience in the game will bring substantial value to our organization as we move forward."
Giovinco, now 37, spent four seasons in Toronto colours (2015 through 2018), helping the club win the Canadian Championship, Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup in 2017.
In his first season in North America, the former Juventus attacker won the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award, MLS Golden Boot and MLS Newcomer of the Year Award after being directly involved in 65 per cent of Toronto's 58 goals with 22 goals and 16 assists.
The five-foot-four Italian was named to the MLS Best XI three times (2015, 2016, 2017), and was an MLS all-star in all four of his seasons in the league.
Giovinco also won the George Gross Memorial Trophy as Canadian Championship MVP (2017), CONCACAF Champions League Golden Ball (2018) and made both the CONCACAF and CONCACAF Champions League Best XI (2018).
In December 2020, Giovinco was named to Major League Soccer's list of 25 greatest players, alongside Donovan, David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Canadian Dwayne De Rosario.
He left Toronto in January 2019, sold to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal FC after failing to come to contract terms with TFC.
The Italian quit the well-heeled Saudi club in August 2021 by mutual agreement, retiring after a short stint with Italy's Sampdoria in 2022. But he and his family maintained their residence in Toronto.
"Both of my kids go to school here," he said. "Actually we never left. For me, it's my home."
Giovinco, who won 23 caps for Italy, says his new role will range from representing TFC in the community to helping with player development, scouting and recruitment.
"My time here was special," Giovinco said in English. "We won, we lost, but at the end I gave everything for the club.
"We have to be honest. I lost the national (Italian) team because I moved to Toronto, but I'm proud because my family loves to live here so at the end it was the right choice.
"And like I said, I gave everything on the field. Now I try to help outside the field."
Giovinco made 142 appearances across all competitions for Toronto, contributing 64 assists in addition to his goal-scoring heroics. He helped TFC win three Canadian Championships (2016, 2017, 2018), two Eastern Conference Championships (2016, 2017) and reach the final of the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League.
Giovinco was the league's top earner in his final season with Toronto at US$7.1 million.
"He leaves Toronto as the greatest player in club history," then-Toronto president Bill Manning said after selling the Italian.
Giovinco terrorized defenders with his pace and guile. He could finish with both feet and was deadly from set pieces.
There were swerving runs that left defenders tied up like a pretzel, audacious chips that befuddled goalkeepers and unstoppable shots from all angles.
"One for the ages," MLS executive vice-president Todd Durbin said in awarding Giovinco the MVP trophy.
Giovinco was fouled a league-high 90 times in 2015. Still he only missed one game, due to an adductor injury.
He scored 14 career MLS goals directly from free kicks in the regular season with six in 2017 — the most in a single season in MLS history (since 2003 when the league started tracking them). He also had one direct free kick goal in the MLS playoffs.
After leaving Sampdoria, Giovinco flirted with a return to TFC's playing ranks.
Giovinco spent time at Toronto's training camp in California in January 2022, albeit without a contract. Toronto opened its training centre to him in August 2023, allowing him to practise on his own and eventually incorporated him into team warm-ups before training.
At the time, Manning said Giovinco was interested in finishing his career with the MLS team and that money was not an issue. But nothing came of it.
Giovinco has been working with the Juventus Academy in Toronto and Niagara.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2024.
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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press