Orlando Pride Sign Midfielder Jordyn Listro

The Orlando Pride announced today the signing of midfielder Jordyn Listro to a one-year contract with an additional option year. Listro signed a short-term contract with the Pride in 2020 and participated in the NWSL Fall Series with the club and has now earned her way onto the team.

The Pride also announced that the Toronto native has obtained her green card and therefore will not require an international spot on the roster. Listro is the second player on a short-term contract in 2020 to be signed to a full-time deal for 2021, joining defender Carrie Lawrence, who signed 10 days ago on Jan. 5.

“We first saw Jordyn when she attended our open tryouts last year,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner said in a club press release. “Throughout the year we have seen a big development in her understanding of game situations and she has brought forth her qualities for all to see. She played a big part in the Fall Series and is extremely dedicated to the sport. The staff and I are looking forward to working with Jordyn and continuing to build on the skill set and mindset she already possesses. Her energy is infectious and this will be a great factor in her future development.”

Listro, 25, made three appearances in the Fall Series (all starts), playing 262 minutes. She did not score or assist on a goal in her three games. The Pride’s press release indicates Listro took one shot on goal, but the NWSL website shows no shot attempts (“excluding blocked shots”) on her stats page, so she either had one that was blocked or none. There are also discrepancies in passing percentage, with the NWSL site listing her at 79.5% (completing 70 of 88 attempts) and the Pride stating 80.5%, which is a negligible difference. Listro averaged one successful cross per match and created one scoring chance in 2020. She committed eight fouls, drawing five from the opposition, and was booked three times — once per game.

Before she joined Orlando, Listro spent a year in the Primera División in Spain with UD Granadilla Tenerife, making five appearances in 2017. Listro played college soccer for the University of South Florida, where she appeared in 82 games — a school record. However, again there is a statistical discrepancy, as USF shows her as having 81 matches in her four seasons (19 in 2013, 21 in 2014, 22 in 2015, and 19 in 2016) but also states that her 82 appearances are a record. She started 75 matches and while she did not score a goal, she did register five assists. She attempted 59 shots, putting six on target, with all six coming her senior season.

She was part of Canada’s U-17 World Cup Team in 2012.

What it Means for the Pride

Skinner continues strengthening his midfield in preparation for the 2021 season. With a midfield-heavy draft earlier this week, it’s clear where the team wants to build organically, while indications from Skinner on draft night were that other positions of need — the team still has only three center backs, for example — may be better addressed through recruitment of established players.

There have been rumblings that NWSL roster sizes might be slightly larger in 2021, which would be a smart move given the fact that a pandemic continues to rage around us every day. So, it makes sense to add another midfielder who is familiar with Skinner’s system and has played it in competitive games.

The fact that Listro has her green card is crucial.

Viviana Villacorta, the team’s top draft pick, is set to finish her senior season this spring and it’s likely the Pride’s other draft picks will do the same, so they won’t be able to help the team immediately. Signing Listro provides some cover until the Pride’s new midfielders can arrive and get up to speed in training. It will also create more competition in training — always a good thing — and add depth, which has been lacking on the team in the past.