Defoe, who has 55 caps and 19 international goals to date, was unveiled at a press conference in Canada on Monday and said he is excited to be embarking on a fresh chapter in his career.
"As a professional you want that fire in your belly. You want to test yourself in different leagues and in different countries. It’s a massive challenge for me,” he said.
“For me the most important thing is playing football. To get into a World Cup squad you have to be playing football, playing well and scoring goals.”
Defoe has found his opportunities limited so far this season and only opened his Premier League account with a goal against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Fact file
- Born: 7 October 1982
- Place: Beckton, London
- England caps: 55
- International goals: 19
- Debut: v Sweden (March 2004)
He has, however, been a regular performer for Spurs in their UEFA Europa League campaign.
The London-born striker has scored seven goals in this season's UEFA Europa League - a tally that moved him ahead of Martin Chivers as the club’s all-time top goalscorer in European competition.
Despite his impressive form in Europe, the 31-year-old said that the most important thing for him in a World Cup year is to be starting games week in, week out.
“For me it’s just about getting my boots on and playing regularly,” he added.
"Having played in a World Cup before, it’s a dream come true. It’s why you play football.
"I’ve played in the Premier League for a long time and scored a lot of goals. Hopefully everybody knows what I’m about and what I can do.
"To get onto that plane would be unbelievable. I played in 2010 in South Africa and it was an unbelievable experience – and I’m certain the one is Brazil will be something very special indeed.”
“Having played in a World Cup before, it’s a dream come true. It’s why you play football.”
Jermain Defoe
Commenting on Defoe’s move to Toronto, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment President & CEO Tim Leiweke, said: “We are thrilled, for our club and for our fans, with the opportunity to bring a global football superstar like Jermain Defoe to Toronto FC.
“We promised our fans in October that building a winning club was our top priority and we scoured the globe to find the right players to fulfill that promise.
"Right from the beginning of this process, Jermain Defoe was the top player on our list and we got our man.”
Defoe will now return to London and remain with Tottenham until 28 February.
He will then head back to Canada ahead of the new MLS season - which for Defoe’s new side starts with a trip to Seattle on 15 March.
