Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/16/16

Good morning, all. Happy Hump Day! This is my first piece for The Mane Land and I am excited to be a part of this community. Hope you enjoy!
More Looks at Orlando City's New Stadium
In case you hadn’t heard, the Lions will have a new stadium for their third season in MLS. Orlando City President and Founder Phil Rawlins, has professed his excitement for the new stadium, saying that having their own stadium is the last piece of the puzzle for the young franchise. Rawlins went on WMFE’s Intersection program yesterday to talk about the stadium and the club. You’ve seen some photos of the new home of the Lions but, as it continues to near completion, more are always coming out. You can see some at the Intersection link above, as well as some earlier shots Bungalower posted yesterday. The stadium, which is costing $156 million to build, is on schedule to be open for the new season in March. It is expected to hold 25,500 people. The Orlando Pride, record holders for the largest attendance in NWSL history for a single game, will also play in the stadium next year.
USMNT Falls Apart in Costa Rica
You thought the 2-1 home loss to Mexico on Friday was disappointing, but that was just the appetizer of despair. The main course came last night in San Jose, Costa Rica, as Los Ticos destroyed the U.S., 4-0. The U.S. were deadlocked in a scoreless draw for much of the first half, but a series of bad plays led to a free header for Johan Venegas just before halftime and then the Ticos poured it on in the second period, getting two goals from Joel Campbell and one from Christian Bolanos on a night the Yanks would just as soon forget. The USMNT is dead last in the Hex after two rounds and has very little margin of error the rest of the way.
Steven Gerrard Confirms He’s on His Way Out of MLS
Just a day after Frank Lampard announced he will be leaving New York City FC, fellow Englishman Steven Gerrard confirmed he will be leaving his own MLS club, LA Galaxy. Unlike Lampard, who still has not made a decision on whether to continue playing or move to an off-the-field role, Gerrard has stated he wants to continue to play. The former England and Liverpool captain made 34 league appearances in two seasons in MLS, scoring five times. According to reports, Gerrard has been linked with Celtic and Newcastle. Newcastle are currently first in EFL Championship and are one of the favorites to be promoted, meaning Gerrard could be in store for a return to the Premier League.
North Korea Plans on Producing the Next Messi
What is more likely? That Kim Jong-Il once shot a 34-under, 38 in his first round of golf ever, or that North Korea will produce a soccer player BETTER than Lionel Messi? Well that is exactly what the country is planning on doing. In 2013, they opened up the Pyongyang International Football School hoping to turn into a force to be reckoned with in international soccer. Ranked 125th in FIFA’s international rankings, North Korea wants to first start off dominating Asia, and then move on to dominating the rest of the world. The Asian side failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. But if they produce a North Korean Messi, qualification for the 2022 World Cup should well be in reach.
Patrick Vieira Heads to Manchester to Work with Pep Guardiola
New York City FC boss Patrick Vieira has gone to Manchester City to work with and learn from City’s manager, Pep Guardiola. Manchester City is New York City FC’s majority shareholder and the American club acts as a sister club to the English side. Vieira finished his playing career with Manchester City and was previously manager of their reserve team before moving to New York. Vieira is in England to get some tips and better learn how to manage a team from arguably one of the best managers in the world, Guardiola. In his first season in charge, Vieira led New York to the conference semifinals, where they lost to Toronto. Considered a successful first season, the Frenchman has gone to Manchester to prepare for next season and better his managerial skills in order to improve upon this last season.
Hope you enjoyed this and that you have a great rest of your week. I am looking forward to my time here!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/14/25
Nico Lodeiro linked with Club Libertad, Emily Sams signs contract extension, Orlando City B signs Bernardo Rhein and Justin Ellis, and more.

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope your day is spent with plenty of chocolate and time with loved ones as we get ready for the final weekend before Orlando City’s season kicks off on Feb. 22. The Lions are taking on Inter Miami today at 7:30 p.m. in Tampa in a friendly that will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Hopefully the Lions can close out their preseason schedule with a win. Let’s jump into today’s links!
Nico Lodeiro Linked With Paraguayan Club
Rumors were swirling Thursday morning that Orlando City midfielder Nico Lodeiro would join Paraguay’s Club Libertad, but the club’s president, Ruben Di Tore, provided some clarification on the radio. He confirmed the club’s interest in Lodeiro, but that the move would not be taking place this window and may happen in the summer.
In his first season in Orlando last year, Lodeiro played in every game and posted 11 assists and a goal. His performance triggered the 2025 option on his contract, which would conclude after this upcoming season. It would make sense for the club to transfer the 35-year-old before then, but it looks like we won’t see if that move comes to pass until the summer.
Emily Sams Signs Contract Extension
The Orlando Pride and defender Emily Sams have agreed to a contract extension that will last through the 2027 NWSL season. Sams was one of the best players in the league last year, earning the title of NWSL Defender of the Year and helping the Pride win both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. The 25-year-old was also recently called up by the United States Women’s National Team for the SheBelieves Cup later this month. NWSL stars leaving the league has been a major talking point this off-season, so it’s nice to see Sams extend her contract with Orlando by another year.
OCB Signs Bernardo Rhein and Justin Ellis
Orlando City B signed a pair of academy players, with midfielder Bernardo Rhein and forward Justin Ellis both joining on MLS NEXT Pro contracts. Both players are 17 years old and featured in Orlando’s friendly against CF Montreal on Feb. 8. Ellis appeared in 18 matches and scored two goals for OCB last season, while Rhein (who you may remember as Bernardo Goncalves) came off the bench six times for some valuable minutes. With Jack Lynn retired and Shak Mohammed possibly giving the first team some depth due to Duncan McGuire’s injury, Ellis should be an interesting player to keep an eye on this season. It’s great to see young players take the next step from the academy, and hopefully they can make the most of their playing time in 2025.
OCSC Showcasing Its Youth This Preseason
Ellis and Rhein aren’t the only academy players who have been taking the field for the Lions this preseason, as the club has used these matches to give opportunities to the club’s youth. Winger Gustavo Caraballo, who is just 16 years old, started in the club’s friendly against Atletico Mineiro last month in a special moment for both him and his family. The academy has grown in recent years and other players like Colin Guske and Alex Freeman could contribute to the first team this year. Orlando City Academy Director Javier Carillo spoke on the impact of the club’s pathway for young players to develop.
“We’re exposing players to individual fundamental skills to help them to compete and then to learn how to win games, and I think the fact that we have this clear pathway between first team, second team and Academy is allowing us to promote players and expose players at an early age to new challenges, where the players continue to reach new heights. And I think that’s what’s really making the big difference for us.”
USL Plans First Division League in 2027
The United Soccer League announced that it will launch a first division league in the U.S. that would operate separately from MLS. It plans to make the most of the sport’s growth in the U.S. due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with this new league of 12 or 14 teams intended to start in 2027. If this ends up happening and the league gets division one sanctioning from U.S. Soccer, it would give the USL a three-tier pyramid of soccer. USL President Paul McDonough, who was Orlando City’s general manager during the club’s transition from the USL to MLS, talked about this next step for the league.
“It’s a key moment for soccer in this country, and as we see where this game is going, we want to be a part of it,” McDonough said in an exclusive interview with The Athletic. “Taking this big initiative allows for the growth of the game throughout the country.”
I think it will be most interesting to see which existing USL teams would initially join this new league, and if promotion and relegation will actually happen. All of this coming on the heels of the antitrust lawsuit filed by the North American Soccer League is also intriguing. We’ll see how the USL’s quest for sanctioning goes.
Free Kicks
- Marta made it clear that she’s staying well hydrated. I’m now wanting a version of Space Jam but with Marta and her bottle of secret stuff.
- More MLS jerseys were unveiled and I really like the colors that the LA Galaxy opted for with their new secondary kit. The Seattle Sounders’ new kit also looks great and was designed in collaboration with native tribes. Real Salt Lake’s new look reminds me of Croatia, but it totally works in my opinion as well.
- In the Europa League knockout phase playoffs, AZ Alkmaar, Fenerbahce, and Ajax enjoyed solid victories. AS Roma was reduced to 10 men but held on for a 1-1 draw against Porto, while Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored in stoppage time to give Twente a 2-1 win over Bodo/Glimt.
- Kai Havertz is out for the rest of Arsenal’s season due to a hamstring injury sustained during the club’s training camp in Dubai.
- Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list of the world’s highest-paid athletes with his $260 million income last year. The list includes athletes from eight different sports and 27 countries, but no women.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a lovely Valentine’s Day and rest of your weekend!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/13/25
Orlando City unveils 2025 primary kit, Orlando Pride sign two players to short-term contracts, FC Dallas signs Luciano Acosta, and more.

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a fairly busy week for me, but it’s at least made the week fly by as we get another day closer to the return of Orlando soccer. In the meantime, I’m knocking out some more books for my reading goal this year and have a bachelor party of all things to attend this Valentine’s Day weekend. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!
Meet Orlando City’s Perfect Storm Kit
We now know the new primary jersey Orlando City will wear for the 2025 season, as the club revealed the “Perfect Storm” kit. The most notable feature is that each jersey will have a unique design of the purple storm pattern meant to reflect Central Florida weather. It also features Orlando’s area code on the back of the neck arranged to look like a lightning bolt, which is a nice touch. Ultimately, I think I like the previous The Wall kit a bit more, but I do like the colors and how easily you can tell the difference between each jersey. It’s available now online and you can also head to Inter&Co Stadium to pick it up in person.
Orlando Pride Sign Two Non-Roster Invitees
The Orlando Pride signed midfielder Aryssa Mahrt and goalkeeper DeAira Jackson to short-term contracts ahead of the 2025 season. Both were non-roster invitees at Orlando’s preseason camp this year and fill a couple of active roster spots for the time being. Mahrt joins the Pride after recording 21 goals and 15 assists across 62 matches at the University of Wisconsin, leading the Badgers with 10 goals last year. As for Jackson, she had nine shutouts last year with Grand Canyon University and was named 2024 WAC Goalkeeper of the Year. She had a total of 16 clean sheets during her two seasons at Grand Canyon, breaking the school record.
Luciano Acosta Heads to FC Dallas
Midfielder Luciano Acosta was officially traded by FC Cincinnati to FC Dallas in exchange for just $5 million and up to another $1 million if performance-based metrics are reached. Cincinnati will also retain a percentage if Acosta is traded within MLS for cash in the future. The 30-year-old is one of the best playmakers in the league and had 14 goals and 19 assists last season. He now joins a Dallas team that missed the playoffs last year and bid farewell to Jesus Ferreira, Alan Velasco, and Paul Arriola in the time since.
As for Cincinnati, it will reportedly replace Acosta with Portland Timbers star Evander for $12 million, along with add-ons. Evander’s 19 assists last season was tied with Acosta for the league’s most, and he had a whopping 15 goals as well. The dominos continue to fall from there, as the Timbers are reportedly close to signing David da Costa from RC Lens for a $6 million transfer fee. Gosh, if only Orlando City had a major sale this winter so that it could get in on this kind of spending as well.
More MLS 2025 Kits Revealed
Orlando City isn’t the only club showcasing its new kit this week, as several clubs across the league shared new looks. My favorite of the bunch belongs to Portland, which celebrated its 50th anniversary with a green and gold design using a tree ring pattern to literally show the club’s age. I also like the Columbus Crew’s oozing “Goosebumps” kit designed by Columbus native R.L. Stine that has a slime pattern when under UV light.
The New England Revolution’s new secondary kit looks nice but feels like something plucked from Nigeria’s cutting room floor. LAFC’s 2025 kit is as blindingly white and gold as expected, and FC Dallas’ lacks red for something called “The Inferno” kit, apart from a hellish version of its badge that I do like. While the shades of pink in Inter Miami’s new primary reminds me of someone mixing red into a load of white laundry, my least favorite kit so far belongs to the Philadelphia Union. The yellow meant to represent electricity just isn’t bold enough in my opinion. I’ve seen some people say it looks like streaks of urine in snow and it’s difficult to see anything else after that.
Free Kicks
- Retired defensive midfielders Dax McCarty and Osvaldo Alonso are two of the five new faces joining the MLS Season Pass broadcasting team for 2025. Former Lion Miguel Gallardo will remain part of the Spanish language coverage as an analyst.
- The LA Galaxy officially acquired Christian Ramirez from the Crew in exchange for up to $500,000 in General Allocation Money. The 33-year-old has scored eight goals in the past two seasons.
- Christian Pulisic stated he’s focused on his play on the field amid reports that AC Milan is nearing a contract extension with him through 2028 that would include a hefty pay raise.
- In the UEFA Champions League, Club Brugge beat Atalanta 2-1, thanks to a penalty kick in stoppage time; Benfica won 1-0 against Monaco; Bayern Munich beat Celtic 2-1; and Feyenoord managed to win 1-0 over AC Milan in the rain in Rotterdam.
- Here’s what to watch for in today’s slate of Europa League action. The first leg between Porto and Roma should be a close affair in Portugal, while Galatasaray will be without suspended forward Victor Osimhen when it takes on AZ Alkmaar.
- Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom revealed that alcohol will not be sold at the 2034 World Cup, including at hotels.
- The final Merseyside derby match at Goodison Park was a memorable one for the home fans, as Everton’s James Tarkowski scored a late equalizer to draw 2-2 against Liverpool. After the final whistle, four people were sent off, including Liverpool manager Arne Slot.
- The U-17 USMNT took care of St. Kitts & Nevis 7-0 and has now outscored its opposition 29-0 through two matches. The Baby Nats will face Cuba Saturday. The U.S. would win the group with a draw or better.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/12/25
Leagues Cup Schedule released, Sams and Moorhouse called up, Champions League results, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! It’s new home kit reveal day, so get ready to potentially spend some money. I may end up getting one regardless of how it looks. I’ve lost some weight, and while that is good, none of my jerseys fit anymore. I hope it’s a good one.
We want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Jhon Solis. Additionally, I want to wish my son Chris a very happy birthday. Now, let’s get to the links.
Orlando City’s Leagues Cup Fixtures Revealed
The official Leagues Cup 2025 Phase One schedule dropped Tuesday, meaning we now know Orlando City’s first three matches of the competition. All three matches will be played at Inter&Co Stadium against Liga MX squads. The Lions will face Pumas UNAM in the first match on July 30, followed by Atlas FC on Aug. 2, and then Necaxa on Aug. 6. Phase One of the competition is effectively a group stage. If Orlando City can advance out of Phase One, the Lions will head to the knockout rounds.
Pride International Call Ups
The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams and Anna Moorhouse received call-ups for the USWNT and the England Women’s National Team, respectively. USWNT Coach Emma Hayes included Sams on her 23-player roster for the 2025 SheBelieves Cup later this month. The U.S. will play matches against Japan, Australia, and Colombia.
Moorhouse was selected by Lioness coach Sarina Wiegman for the UEFA Women’s Nations League. England’s first two matches are against Portugal on Feb. 21 and against Spain on Feb. 26. After that, the competition continues in April.
MLS Transfer Round Up
With Orlando City finally signing some new players, other MLS clubs continue to make moves in the off-season. Former Orlando City midfielder Junior Urso signed with the Houston Dynamo through 2025 with an option for 2026. Houston is the Bear’s third MLS club.
French second-division side Amiens SC is in a selling mood. The club sent defender Osaze Urhoghide to FC Dallas. Minnesota United FC signed midfielder Owen Gene from Amiens SC to an MLS U22 Initiative contract.
Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Union signed Homegrown forward Eddy Davis III, and D.C. United signed midfielder Brandon Servania. Out west, the San Jose Earthquakes have signed goalkeeper Daniel to a contract extension, and Nashville SC signed midfielder Matthew Corcoran from USL Championship side Birmingham Legion FC.
Champions League Results
UEFA Champions League continued Tuesday, with Paris Saint-Germain getting things going with a 3-0 win over Brest. Ousmane Dembélé scored a brace in the match to cement the victory. Borussia Dortmund also managed a 3-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon. All three goals came in the second half, including Serhou Guirassy’s 10th in the competition to equal Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.
Real Madrid scored two goals to come from behind and defeat Manchester City 3-2. Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal in second-half stoppage time. Weston McKennie got things going for Juventus in its 2-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven. Samuel Mbangula scored the winning goal.
Free Kicks
- Sam Kerr has been found not guilty of causing racially aggravated harassment in an incident with a Metropolitan Police officer in London on Jan. 30, 2023.
- Lucho Acosta is reportedly headed to FC Dallas. Would have been cooler if he went to Orlando City, but whatever.
- It seems that Lionel Messi will stop ducking Orlando City — at least in the preseason.
That will do it for today. Check back later today for our coverage of the new kit. Vamos Orlando!
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