The long-rumored and long-reported departure of Orlando City central midfielder Cesar Araujo is officially here. The Uruguayan announced his departure late Friday afternoon on Instagram after finishing the season out of contract — a fact that in itself didn’t prove he was leaving but made it likely.

The translation of Araujo’s message into English (per Google Translate) is as follows:

Dear Orlando,

After these four wonderful years, our paths diverge today. I arrived in this beautiful city and at this club at 20 years old, with many dreams and a huge challenge ahead: taking my first professional step away from my beloved Wanderers.

From the first day I arrived, my teammates, technical staff, club personnel and the fans made me feel like one of them.

I enjoyed every game and every training session like no other, and I always gave my all. I was able to become a champion, an achievement I will remember forever and carry in my heart. My wife and I had the joy of our daughter Isabella being born here. It will be an eternal memory of this beautiful city.

Today I must say goodbye to face new challenges in my sports career.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Lions.

Cesar Araujo

Araujo signed with Orlando City as an MLS U22 Initative player on Jan. 7, 2022, as the club’s first player to occupy a slot in that league development mechanism and spent four outstanding seasons as the Lions’ primary midfield stopper. He became a starter in the midfield almost immediately, prompting the departure of former starter Sebas Mendez, who transferred to LAFC in July of that season. Araujo’s initial deal was through 2024 with a 2025 option year, and he moved off his MLS U22 Initiative slot in 2024. His 2025 option year was triggered automatically through performance metrics during the 2024 season.

During his four seasons in Orlando, Araujo solidified the Lions’ midfield, with a gift for putting opposing attackers in his pocket, giving coverage to the back line, drawing tons of fouls to win free kicks and relieve pressure, and racking up yellow cards like they were collectors’ items. That is, after all, the hallmark of a good, physical central midfielder.

This season, Araujo played his fewest games and minutes since joining the club due to injuries — most notably a back issue late in the year. He appeared in just 22 matches (20 starts) after reaching or surpassing 30 (and at least 28 starts) in each of the previous three years for a total of 1,801 minutes — his lowest season total in Orlando by more than 600 minutes. However, he ironically had his best offensive season as a Lion, scoring a career-high two goals and adding three assists. His five goal contributions matched his 2023 total (one goal, four assists), but all of his 2025 assists were primary assists, while his four 2023 assists were split evenly between two primary and two secondary helpers.

Araujo departs having appeared in 115 regular-season matches (106 starts), having scored four goals in MLS play and adding nine assists in 9,330 minutes played. His passing was excellent, as he connected on 89.8% of his attempts over his four seasons in Major League Soccer with 64 key passes, and he put 17 of his 82 shots on target. He committed 167 fouls, but drew 298 on the competition, and was shown 33 yellow cards and two red cards in his time with the Lions during the regular season. Defensively, Araujo racked up 233 tackles, 92 interceptions, 100 clearances, and 29 blocks.

In the playoffs, Araujo started all 10 of Orlando City’s postseason games over the past four seasons, playing 910 of 930 available minutes. The midfielder did not contribute a playoff goal, but he provided two postseason assists. He didn’t put any of his nine playoff shots on target. Araujo completed 90.1% of his postseason passes and created chances with five key passes. On the defensive end, the midfielder compiled 16 tackles, one interception, 10 clearances, and three blocks. He picked up 10 fouls, drew 19 on his opponents, and earned three yellow cards in the playoffs.

Araujo was instrumental in helping the Lions win the 2022 U.S. Open Cup championship — the “becoming a champion” he referenced in his goodbye post — by scoring his first two goals as a Lion in a 5-1 semifinal rout of the New York Red Bulls on July 27, 2022. In all, Araujo appeared in nine games (eight starts) in the competition, playing 688 minutes. He scored two goals but did not register an assist, attempting four shots and putting two on frame. He passed at an 88% success rate with four key passes in the midseason tournament. On the defensive side, some of the stats tracked are a bit spotty, but Araujo recorded six tackles and nine interceptions. He committed 13 fouls while drawing 25 on his opponents and earned three yellow cards.

The Uruguayan’s career in Orlando was not coincidentally linked to the club’s first appearances in the Concacaf Champions League/Cup, as the Lions’ midfield play was instrumental in helping Orlando City qualify. Araujo helped the Lions qualify for the tournament in 2023 and 2024 and appeared in five of the club’s six matches during those seasons, starting five and playing 389 minutes without a goal contribution. Araujo attempted seven shots, putting just one on target and adding two key passes. He was booked twice but was not sent off.

Finally, in Leagues Cup play, Araujo started all 12 of Orlando City’s matches in the competition over the past three seasons, compiling 1,080 minutes. He scored one goal and added an assist, putting three of his eight shots on target, although he failed to score on his penalty attempt in the shootout loss to Pumas in 2025. Araujo completed his passes at just under 90% and recorded 12 key passes in the international competition, helping the Lions finish fourth in 2025 — the team’s deepest run in the tournament to date. Defensively, the Uruguayan logged 10 tackles, 10 interceptions, five clearances, and four blocks, committing 11 fouls, drawing 31 on his opponents, and earning two yellow cards.

The writing was on the wall for Araujo’s departure as instead of rumblings of a new contract during the 2025 season, there were reports that he was close to an exit in the summer transfer window. That never materialized, but the more time that went by without a new contract being announced, the more likely it became that the Uruguayan would seek to maximize his options by leaving on a free this off-season.

What It Means for Orlando City

It will not be easy to replace Araujo, who formed one of the best central midfield partnerships in Major League Soccer with Wilder Cartagena prior to the Peruvian’s season-ending Achilles injury just before the 2025 season. The Lions re-signed Cartagena through 2026 with an option for 2027 earlier this week, but it remains to be seen how the 31-year-old will return from a serious injury. Cartagena would pair with Eduard Atuesta in Orlando City’s central midfield double pivot if he can regain his form, but Atuesta isn’t as physical at the No. 8 and isn’t a like-for-like for Araujo, who could swap the No. 6 and No. 8 spots with Cartagena at will without any notable difference in performance.

Behind those two is Homegrown Colin Guske and 2025 MLS SuperDraft selection Joran Gerbet, who saw his rookie season cut short late in the year with a major knee injury. Gerbet’s return will take awhile, so it seems logical for the Lions to invest in some insurance at the position, given the questions about Cartagena and Gerbet and Guske’s inexperience.

Meanwhile, Araujo, 24, leaves the club coming off his most difficult season with the Lions but just entering the prime of his career. He’ll help his new team wherever he goes, and leaving on a free gives him the option of finding the best landing spot for he and his family. Orlando City fans will miss his steady play in the middle and hope that Ricardo Moreira can shore up that roster position. While a Cartagena-Atuesta pairing is intriguing, there would be risk entering 2026 with that as the primary plan, despite having Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (more akin to a replacement for Atuesta than Araujo) under contract. If re-signed, Kyle Smith can help provide depth at the No. 6 spot (and everywhere else, as usual), but he doesn’t have Araujo’s mobility or bite.

Orlando City signed Martin Ojeda to a three-year deal with two additional option years on Jan. 9, 2023. In each of the past three seasons he has been one of the team’s three Designated Players — this year with Luis Muriel and Marco Pasalic. The Argentinean midfielder earned the starting role in 2024 but raised his game to another level in 2025, flirting with becoming an MLS MVP finalist for much of the year.

Let’s take a look back at Ojeda’s third season with Orlando City.

Statistical Breakdown

Ojeda played in all four competitions with the Lions in 2025 — the regular season, playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup. He appeared in 33 of Orlando City’s 34 games during the regular season (30 starts), playing 2,687 minutes, which was the most of any outfield player. He scored 16 goals and added 15 assists, leading Orlando City in both categories and finishing one goal off the team’s single-season record of 17 set by Cyle Larin in 2015. His combined goals and assists were the most in one season by any player in Orlando’s MLS history. Ojeda attempted 103 shots, putting 40 on frame. He passed at a strong 83.7% rate and provided 101 key passes, 61 crosses, 59 free kicks, and 45 accurate long balls. In his own end, he contributed 27 tackles, 11 interceptions, and seven clearances. He committed 18 fouls, drew 26 on the opposition, and did not earn any yellow or red cards.

In the only Orlando City playoff game of 2025, Ojeda started and played all 90 minutes without a goal contribution and only two shot attempts, putting neither on target. He completed 81% of his 32 passes without a key pass, no successful crosses on three attempts, and three completed long balls on five attempts. Ojeda contributed one interception and one clearance against the Chicago Fire that night. He committed and suffered no fouls and was not booked.

Ojeda also participated in both of Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup matches in 2025 (both starts) and played 150 minutes in the competition. He did not score a goal but notched an assist, putting only one of his three shot attempts on goal. Ojeda completed 32 of his 37 passes for a stellar 86% completion rate with five key passes, one complete long ball on two attempts (50%), and three successful crosses on 13 attempts. The Designated Player logged one tackle, committed one foul, suffered none, and was not booked in either match.

In 2025 Leagues Cup play, Ojeda started all six matches and played all but one available minute for a total of 539 minutes. He scored four goals and added three assists in the competition, taking 20 shots and putting nine on target. The attacker completed 150 of his 184 passes for an 81.5% success rate with 84% accuracy on long balls, 15 key passes, and 15 successful crosses in the tournament. Defensively, Ojeda contributed three tackles, two interceptions, and three clearances. He committed one foul, drew six on his opponents, and received one yellow card but was not sent off.

Best Game

Ojeda was named Man of the Match six times in our Player Grades posts. He was named Man of the Match a combined total of 14 times between Michael Citro and myself on The Mane Land PawedCast. There were five matches in which he was a unanimous pick. One of those matches was his brace against Nashville SC on September 20. Here’s a reminder of that lovely first goal.

It was a great performance and I was there to see it in person, but I still can’t pick it as his best game since he scored a hat trick against the New England Revolution on May 10. That match ended in a draw, but it was the first Orlando City hat trick since 2015, making it Ojeda’s best match. The first goal of the day was an absolute banger.

His second goal came on a breakaway set up by a nice pass from Rodrigo Schlegel. Ojeda split the defenders and the keeper to get the brace.

The third goal came on a well-taken penalty kick.

Ojeda completed  84% of his 25 passes including two key passes. He completed two of his five crosses but didn’t connect on his only long ball. He took a team-high seven shots, with the three on target finding the back of the net. Defensively, he contributed an interception. He was the Man of the Match in our Player Grades, and on The Mane Land PawedCast.

2025 Final Grade

The Argentine attacker received a composite rating of 8 out of 10 from The Mane Land staff for his season-long performance. That is up from the 7 out of 10 he received last year, which is fair considering how much his minutes and production increased in 2025. If his goal contributions hadn’t fallen off near the end of the season, he might have scored higher, been in the MLS Best XI, and taken Orlando City deeper into the playoffs. Regardless, it was a banner year for Ojeda.

2026 Outlook

Ojeda’s contract is up at the end of 2025, but he has two option years through 2027. Ricardo Moreira will certainly be willing to pick up his 2026 option based on Ojeda’s 2025 performance, but it may also be time to work on a new contract entirely. There will be interest from other leagues in Ojeda’s services after a season like he just had. Ojeda started finding his footing in 2024 and really poured it on in 2025. He will continue to command respect from the opposition as he leads Orlando City’s attack. If he can improve just a little on this season, then the accolades should follow.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Colin Guske (10/25/25)
• Joan Gerbet (10/26/25)
• Zakaria Taifi (10/27/25)
• Gustavo Caraballo (10/28/25)
• Javier Otero (10/29/25)
• Shakur Mohammed (10/30/25)
• Thomas Williams (10/31/25)
• Adrian Marin (11/1/25)
• David Brekalo (11/2/25)
• Tyrese Spicer (11/3/25)
• Kyle Smith (11/4/25)
• Nico Rodriguez (11/5/25)
• Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (11/6/25)
• Ivan Angulo (11/6/25)
• Duncan McGuire (11/7/25)
• Luis Muriel (11/8/25)
• Cesar Araujo (11/9/25)
• Alex Freeman (11/10/25)
• Rodrigo Schlegel (11/11/25)
• Eduard Atuesta (11/12/25)
• Robin Jansson (11/13/25)
• Marco Pasalic (11/14/25)

This concludes our 2025 Orlando City player-by-player Season in Review series. We hope you’ve enjoyed looking back on the Lions’ performances from the past year as we move closer toward seeing what lies ahead in 2026.

Orlando City signed winger Marco Pasalic to a Designated Player contract on Feb. 5, just weeks ahead of the 2025 season. The Lions needed to try to replace the considerable production of their all-time leading scorer, Facundo Torres, who transferred to Brazilian side Palmeiras in the off-season. The 25-year-old Uruguayan had not only been a fan favorite, but he’d been the club’s most dangerous attacking threat.

It was difficult to lose a young player to a club that wasn’t in one of the world’s big four leagues, but Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira did well to locate his replacement in Croatia. Pasalic hit the ground running, scoring a brace in the first match of the season and making an instant impact. Throughout his first season in Orlando, Pasalic did everything in his power to ease the sting Orlando City fans were experiencing after losing Torres to Palmeiras.

Let’s look back to see how the Croatian international performed during his first season in the City Beautiful.

Statistical Breakdown

Pasalic played in all four competitions in which the Lions took part in 2025 — MLS regular season, MLS playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup.

The winger showed good durability, appearing in 33 of Orlando City’s 34 regular-season matches, starting 32 and playing 2,593 minutes, which placed him fifth on the club behind only goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, forward Martin Ojeda, and the starting center back duo of Rodrigo Schlegel and Robin Jansson. He scored 12 goals — second on the team only to Ojeda’s 16 — and added five assists (fifth most on the club). Pasalic put 41 of his 103 shots on target, surprisingly attempting only one headed shot all season, with 93 shots taken with his “weapon” of a left foot and eight shots with his right. The Croatian connected on 80% of his passes with 44 key passes, eight successful crosses, and 56 accurate long balls. Pasalic recorded 25 tackles, 15 interceptions, and 22 clearances on the defensive end, but did not block a shot. He committed 20 fouls, drew 19 on the competition, and was shown three yellow cards.

In Orlando City’s lone playoff game, Pasalic started and played 69 minutes without a goal contribution, putting his only shot attempt on target. It wasn’t a great passing night for Pasalic, who only connected on 75% of his 16 attempts, although he created two chances with key passes and was accurate on two of his three long balls. He was, however, unsuccessful at finding the target on any of his four crosses. He contributed a tackle and a clearance on the defensive end, did not commit a foul, drew one foul on the opposition, and was not booked.

In the U.S. Open Cup, Pasalic made one appearance — a start on May 21 against Nashville — and played all 90 minutes, scoring the opening goal of the game in the 17th minute. It was a screamer.

Pasalic also set up Ramiro Enrique’s goal to add an assist to go with his goal. He put one of his three shots on target in the match and his assist was one of his three key passes in the game. He missed the mark on both of his crosses but completed both of his long balls en route to a 91% passing rate on 33 attempts. Defensively, Pasalic registered just two ball recoveries but no other stats. He did not commit a foul, but he drew one on Nashville, and he was not booked.

In Leagues Cup play, Pasalic appeared in all six of Orlando City’s matches in 2025, starting five, and playing 420 minutes and contributing two goals but no assists. He put seven of his 14 shots on target and completed 79.6% of his 147 passes including three key passes. His two crosses were both unsuccessful, but he connected on 15 of his 18 long balls (83.3%). Defensively, Pasalic contributed three tackles and nine clearances but no interceptions or blocks. He committed two fouls and drew three on his opponents, and he was not booked in the competition.

Best Game

Pasalic had several great games throughout his first season in Orlando, with his brace in the opener, a strong overall performance in the aforementioned U.S. Open Cup match, and a great night with a goal and an assist against Atlanta United in Orlando’s 3-0 home win on April 26. But his best overall match probably occurred when the Lions beat St. Louis City SC 4-2 on June 25. Pasalic notched a brace to help Orlando City get the win and was selected our Man of the Match with a season-high match rating of 8.5 out of 10.

The Croatian didn’t get the scoring party started, but he did double the lead to 2-0 just two minutes after Ramiro Enrique’s opening goal. Pasalic brought the ball forward down the middle of the pitch with speed. He made a sick move to lose Akil Watts and created space for himself to fire a shot from outside the box that tucked just inside the right post beyond the diving save attempt by Roman Burki in the ninth minute.

Despite the dream start, St. Louis City cut what had been a 3-0 lead to just a one-goal advantage with two goals in the final minutes of the first half, giving the Lions plenty to do on the road in the second half. The game remained 3-2 until the 82nd minute, when Eduard Atuesta brought the ball forward in transition. The midfielder dished it to Pasalic on the right, and the Croatian cut inside, used Jayden Reid as a screen, and blasted a shot past Burki to give the Lions some insurance with his second goal of the night.

In addition to Pasalic’s two goals, the Croatian was simply a threat every time he touched the ball. He fired four shots, putting three on target, and was successful in all three of his dribble attempts, leaving St. Louis City players in his wake. He completed 40 passes at an 83.3% success rate, delivering three key passes and connecting on three of his four long balls. He didn’t have a successful cross, but he tried three of them, which is a higher-than-usual number for the shoot-first winger. Pasalic had four loose-ball recoveries on the defensive end, won four of his seven ground duels (57%), did not commit a foul, and drew one on St. Louis. It was a big performance from the Croatian.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land awarded Pasalic a solid composite rating of 7.5 out of 10 for his first season in Orlando. Unlike the talented Torres, Pasalic started scoring early in the season and had it not been for a team-wide power outage down the stretch, he likely would have surpassed Torres’ 2024 totals in the MLS regular season. As it was, he came within two goals and one assist of there being no dropoff from the Uruguayan’s offensive output, and unlike Torres, he was not the club’s primary (or even secondary) penalty taker. In short, Pasalic may not have made Orlando City fans forget the popular Torres, but he provided similar numbers and a more even distribution of his goal contributions. And, while both players are exceedingly one-footed, Pasalic has found workarounds that allow him to use his magical left foot in traffic a bit better than Torres did during his stay in Orlando by way of outside-foot passes that curl like a right-footed pass and an uncanny ability to nutmeg defenders on the sideline to get past.

2026 Outlook

Pasalic is under contract through 2027, but news that German clubs are interested in his services are concerning. If Borussia Monchengladbach or another Bundesliga club makes a serious offer, it’s unlikely that Orlando City can keep the Croatian. While the grass isn’t always greener, and he might not be guaranteed as much playing time, he’d be moving to a more high-profile league, showing what he can do against better competition, and he’d be much closer to home, making for much easier travel for those international call-ups. It really comes down to what kinds of offers come in for the left-footed wonder.

If Orlando City does not get a satisfactory offer, and Pasalic returns for 2026, he will be the starter at right wing. He’ll no doubt see additional adjustments from opposing defenses, but it’s not likely anything he hasn’t seen already. Teams will overplay him to cut inside on his left foot, which is sometimes easier said than done, and they’ll try to pick him up further out from goal, knowing the danger he poses even from 30 yards. However, he’d also be settled into the league after a year of adjustment. He’d know what to expect from the travel, different climates, the culture, and he’ll have a much better understanding of those tasked with marking him. It’s not unreasonable to expect an increase in production.

But the Lions will need to keep the poachers at bay first.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Colin Guske (10/25/25)
• Joan Gerbet (10/26/25)
• Zakaria Taifi (10/27/25)
• Gustavo Caraballo (10/28/25)
• Javier Otero (10/29/25)
• Shakur Mohammed (10/30/25)
• Thomas Williams (10/31/25)
• Adrian Marin (11/1/25)
• David Brekalo (11/2/25)
• Tyrese Spicer (11/3/25)
• Kyle Smith (11/4/25)
• Nico Rodriguez (11/5/25)
• Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (11/6/25)
• Ivan Angulo (11/6/25)
• Duncan McGuire (11/7/25)
• Luis Muriel (11/8/25)

• Cesar Araujo (11/9/25)
• Alex Freeman (11/10/25)
• Rodrigo Schlegel (11/11/25)
• Eduard Atuesta (11/12/25)
• Robin Jansson (11/13/25)