Steven Beitashour on TFC's glory days: 'We just knew how to win'

Steven Beitashour's time with Toronto FC was brief, but he made a big impact during his two years at the club.

The right fullback was selected in the second round (3oth overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes and ended up winning a Supporters' Shield with his hometown club. He also enjoyed stints with the Vancouver Whitecaps, LAFC and Colorado Rapids, but his greatest success came in Toronto, where he won an MLS Cup, a Supporters' Shield and two Canadian Championships.

Beitashour came to Toronto via a trade with Vancouver prior to the 2016 season and played a major role in helping transform the Reds from MLS Cup pretenders into the best team in the league. But a pay dispute with club management following the 2017 campaign led to his premature exit.

Last month, the former Iranian international announced his retirement after 14 MLS campaigns, the last three of which were spent with the Rapids. Beitashour, who turns 37 on Feb. 1., still lives in Colorado with his wife Karlie and their two young sons Brayden and Zayne as he plots his next career move.

In this one-on-one interview with TFC Republic, Beitashour talks about his decision to retire, being a part of Toronto FC's treble-winning side in 2017 and much more

This Q&A has been lightly edited and trimmed for brevity and clarity.