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Osorio’s something of an adrenaline junkie, competing not just for minutes, but for a new contract come 2019.

He says the pressure, the expectation, the unknown, fuels him.

“When things are on the line it’s like a rush to me,” Osorio said. “It’s like in the playoffs, when I feel more alive because of everything that’s on the line. I’m motivated.”

Then there’s the other great motivator: An extended stay with Canada’s national team.

Osorio’s somewhat baffled that he’s started just a dozen games for Les Rouges in five years.

A misunderstanding, he calls it, with ex-coach Benito Floro stymied the start of his international career. Former coach Octavio Zambrano, he added, “waited” to give him a chance.

“I just started an MLS Cup final – and won,” Osorio reminded the Sun. “Name me another Canadian player who has done that.”

It has been almost a decade since another Canadian started – and won – an MLS Cup. Midfielder Will Johnson won a league title with Salt Lake back in 2009. Before that, it was Houston’s Pat Onstad and Dwayne De Rosario two years earlier.

In other words, it’s rare.

Still, MLS pundits both locally and abroad would rather talk about young players like Dallas’ Kellyn Acosta and Vancouver’s Alphonso Davies. They’d rather talk about New York’s Tyler Adams and Seattle’s Cristian Roldan. It has Osorio wondering if he’ll ever garner that respect.

“My aspiration could be to play for Toronto,” Osorio told the Sun. “My aspiration could be later in the year to go to another team where I could have a bigger role. It all depends how it goes, how I’m doing in the present. We’ll see how this year goes.”

Osorio later added: “I think if I went to Europe and I did well in Europe, I’d gain a lot more respect from people on this side of the world.”

He shouldn’t have to cross the pond to gain the amount of appreciation he deserves.

And Toronto FC fans shouldn’t forget the importance of supporting their own.