Orlando City Names Former Benfica Executive Armando Carneiro as Chief Soccer Officer

Orlando City made a surprising announcement today, naming former General Director of S.L. Benfica's Academy, Armando Carneiro, as the club's first-ever Chief Soccer Officer effective immediately.

Carneiro will serve as head of competition, overseeing all of soccer operations and staff for all three of Orlando City’s professional teams, along with Orlando City’s Youth Academy.

"Our goal is to be one of the best clubs in the world, both in the men's and women's games. Therefore it is imperative that we bring in someone with worldwide soccer experience to guide our success," said Founder and President Phil Rawlins in a statement. "Armando has a wealth of experience in international soccer. We are thrilled to have been able to attract someone with his track record to join our organization and to help us move Orlando City to the next level in the global soccer scheme."

This move means quite a shake-up in the Orlando City front office, as current General Manager Paul McDonough will now report Carneiro, who brings a vast soccer knowledge with him, however, none of that being American or MLS-related, something which is very important for running a club in this league.

Carneiro's addition also adds to the many different soccer backgrounds in the Orlando City front office, presenting an interesting challenge for the club to handle moving forward.

"Orlando City is at a very exciting stage, coming off a strong first year in MLS and with the launch of the Orlando Pride and OCB teams," said Carneiro in the release. "I am excited for the opportunity to help direct the growth and contribute to the overall success of the club well into the future. I look forward to working with the entire technical staff — from the first team through the academy — to further strengthen Orlando City's performance."

In addition to the hiring, Orlando City also announced that their Nov. 15 friendly against Flamengo at the historic Maracanã will be streamed live on OrlandoCitySC.com.