Happy Friday! While it feels a little wrong to complain about cold weather here in Florida while other people are shoveling snow up north, I sure can’t wait for things to warm up. I plan on hunkering down with blankets and books over the next few days while putting the candle warmer I got for Christmas through its paces. It was a busy week for Orlando soccer news, so let’s dive right into the links!

Martin Ojeda Re-Signs With Orlando City

The Lions re-signed Designated Player Martin Ojeda to a new contract that will last through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for the 2029-2030 season. Orlando just exercised the option on Ojeda’s previous contract following the 2025 season, but wasted no time securing his services for the foreseeable future. The Argentine attacker is the club’s all-time leader when it comes to goal contributions, recording 33 goals and 42 assists in 130 appearances across all competitions in the time since joining Orlando before the 2023 season. He was phenomenal last season in particular, providing 31 goal contributions as the team’s best player. This decision comes amid buzz that European and Brazilian clubs were interested in signing him, so it’s nice to see Orlando was able to get a deal done.

Luis Muriel Transferred to Atletico Junior

Orlando City transferred forward Luis Muriel to Atletico Junior in Colombia’s top flight officially on Thursday, opening up a Designated Player slot in the process. This move has been reported on throughout the off-season and seems to be positive for all parties involved. Muriel joined Orlando ahead of the 2024 season and scored 17 goals and provided 18 assists in 84 appearances across all competitions. While his time as a Lion may be looked back at as underwhelming given his Designated Player status, his performance last August when he scored a hat trick against Necaxa in the Leagues Cup and then a brace against rival Inter Miami will be hard to forget. The Lions now get the chance to reload their Designated Player slot with someone who can bring a more consistent impact to the team.

Orlando Pride 2026 Schedule Unveiled

The 2025 NWSL season schedule is out and the Orlando Pride will open their season at home against the Seattle Reign on March 15. The Pride will play 30 games over the course of the longest regular season in league history, playing the other 15 teams twice as part of a balanced schedule. Following their season opener, the Pride will host Denver Summit FC on March 20 in the club’s first-ever match against the expansion side. Orlando’s first match against the other expansion club, Boston Legacy FC, will be on the road on May 12, with Boston playing in Orlando for the first time on July 15. The Pride’s final game of the regular season will be on Nov. 1 against the Reign.

A notable new addition this season is Victory+, a free streaming service that has partnered with the league and will broadcast many games this year. The Pride will have nine games streamed on Victory+, including the first four games of their season.

Benjamin Cremaschi Named U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year

Florida native Benjamin Cremaschi was voted as the 2025 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year. The 20-year-old captained the U.S. at last year’s U-20 World Cup in Chile, scoring five goals in the tournament to win the Golden Boot. He started in all five U.S. matches, helping the team win 3-0 against both France and Italy before falling in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion, Morocco. At the club level, Cremaschi was loaned from Inter Miami to Parma in September and has made three appearances there.

Free Kicks

• Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda and Zambia were drawn into a star-studded group alongside Nigeria, Malawi, and Egypt in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in March. The four semifinalists of the tournament will earn qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
• Sporting Kansas City signed forward Calvin Harris as a free agent, with the contract lasting through June of 2027. Harris was drafted second overall by FC Cincinnati in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft and has spent the past three years with the Colorado Rapids.
• Brazilian club Vasco da Gama has reportedly signed Brenner from Udinese. The 26-year-old spent half of last year on loan with FC Cincinnati, and Cincy was in talks with him following the expiration of the loan regarding his return to the club.

• Speaking of FC Cincinnati, it signed winger Bryan Ramirez from LDU Quito in Ecuador’s top flight. The 25-year-old is under contract through the 2028-2029 season with an option for the 2029-2030 season.
• Both the Seattle Sounders and Seattle Reign will play some of their home games this season in Spokane due to World Cup preparations at Lumen Field.

That’s all I have for you this time around. Make sure to stay nice and warm out there and I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

I don’t know about all of you, but I’m craving some Orlando soccer. There’s still a little over a month to go before Orlando City’s season opener on Feb. 21, but the preseason is here, and it’s nice to see Lions on grass again. The Orlando Pride’s schedule should also be revealed today, and seeing more Pride games in person this year is a resolution I’m eager to fulfill. Let’s get to the links!

Caitlin Carducci’s Plans for the Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci spoke on the state of the team as she heads into her first year in the City Beautiful after two years with the Kansas City Current.

“I’m not stepping into a rebuild; nothing needs to be torn down to be built back up,” she said. “We’re looking at refining the amazing foundation that’s in place. And I’m really looking forward to getting out onto the field, seeing how everyone’s working, seeing what our coaches can do with this roster, and then as we need to make adjustments going forward, we’re able to do so.”

The Pride’s preseason begins next week and it should allow Carducci to get a better understanding of the roster so that she can work with the coaching staff on elevating the team to the next level. Carducci also discussed her desire to win, the leadership model she wishes to cultivate in Orlando, and the value of the relationships she has within the league.

Chris Richards Named U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year

Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards was voted 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year after a stellar year for club and country. The 25-year-old started in 11 matches for the United States Men’s National Team and scored twice in the Gold Cup, earning a spot on the tournament’s Best XI. He also helped Crystal Palace win both the FA Cup and Community Shield last year. Not only is it Richards’ first time winning the award, but it was his first nomination for it as well. He claimed 48.6% of the total vote, while Orlando City defender Alex Freeman finished third in voting with 13%.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

San Diego FC and winger Anders Dreyer agreed to a contract extension through the 2028-2029 season, with an option for an additional year. Dreyer was a force to be reckoned with last season, recording 23 goals and 22 assists to earn the title of MLS Newcomer of the Year.

Somehow, Hector Herrera returned. The Dynamo signed their former captain to a contract through 2026, with an option for 2027. The Chicago Fire and Kellyn Acosta agreed to mutually terminate his contract, allowing him to reportedly join Pogon Szczecin in Poland. LAFC claimed winger Tyler Boyd off waivers as well.

Africa Cup of Nations Final Set

Senegal prevailed over Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations yet again, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal in the 78th minute from Sadio Mane and booking a spot in the final. It was a rematch of the 2021 final between the two nations and another fun duel between former Liverpool teammates Mane and Mo Salah. Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly will miss Sunday’s final due to yellow card accumulation.

Senegal will be joined in the final by Morocco, which beat Nigeria in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 draw. Yassine Bounou came up with two saves in the shootout to help Morocco come out on top, and the home crowd was a factor in the result as well according to Head Coach Walid Regragui. It should be a great final to cap off what has been an entertaining tournament so far.

Free Kicks

• This year’s NWSL Challenge Cup between the Kansas City Current and NJ/NY Gotham FC will reportedly take place in June at a neutral site.
• Real Madrid was eliminated from the Copa del Rey in the round of 16 after a 3-2 loss to Albacete of Spain’s second division. It’s not a great start for new manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso.
• The Bundesliga season has reached its midpoint, and Bayern Munich remains undefeated after a 3-1 win over Cologne. Vincent Kompany’s team has scored a whopping 66 goals, a league record at the halfway point of the season.
• Burkina Faso sacked head coach Brama Traore and his assistant coaches following the nation’s performance at the Africa Cup of Nations. Burkina Faso fell in the round of 16 to the Ivory Coast and didn’t qualify for this year’s World Cup.
• Cameroonian Football Federation President Samuel Eto’o was suspended for four games and fined $20,000 for alleged misconduct during Cameroon’s loss to Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations.

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It has felt like the off-season has been in slow motion despite several signings. Recent developments make it feel like things are going to start speeding up. So keep your head up as the preseason is underway, and the season is just around the corner. For now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando Pride Name Caitlin Carducci VP & GM

The Orlando Pride hired Caitlin Carducci as the club’s new vice president of soccer operations and general manager. Carducci was most recently the general manager for the Kansas City Current. Like the recently departed Haley Carter, Carducci is proven commodity, having built trophy-winning teams. She has an impressive resume, having worked at multiple levels of soccer including with U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and as an attorney and former compliance officer. This is a move that proves the commitment of the Wilf family regarding the Orlando Pride.

Muriel Exit Rumors Heat Up

It’s one of those things where everyone knows something is coming, but we still have to wait for it to actually happen (see Carlos Coronel). It’s a known secret that Orlando City and Luis Muriel want to mutually move on from each other, and now it looks like it might be happening. Of course, we don’t have anything confirmed by the club yet, but when Tom Bogert posts something like this, it’s usually a good indication.

USMNT News

Josh Sargent has been doing very well with Norwich City scoring 13, 16, and 15 goals for the Canaries in the last few seasons. Now, he may be on his way to MLS as Toronto FC is trying to bring him to North America for an $18 million fee. In other news, Timothy Weah spoke out about the costs of World Cup tickets being too high. It’s not exactly a hot take, but good on him for addressing the issue.

NWSL Notes

Now that the Orlando Pride have a new general manager, we eagerly await the new player signings. Until then, let’s check out other NWSL happenings. Seattle Reign FC signed head coach Laura Harvey to a new contract through the 2028 season. Angel City decided that having Emily Sams wasn’t enough, so the club signed rookie forward Riley Tiernan to a contract extension through the 2028 season. The disturbing trend of Brazilian players signing with clubs other than Orlando City continued, as Ludmila was traded by Chicago to the San Diego Wave for $800,000 in transfer fee funds and up to an additional $200,000 in conditional transfer fee. She signed a three-year contract with the club.

Free Kicks

• I think we may get the 2026 NWSL season schedule on Thursday, but I’m just speculating.

• Manchester United has signed former player Michael Carrick as interim head coach until the end of the season.
• FC Cincinnati signed forward Kristian Fletcher through the 2026 season with options through the 2027-2028 MLS season.
• If you’re feeling bad about what Orlando City is or is not doing this off-season, at least the Lions haven’t messed up like this:

• It’s called the City Beautiful for a reason.

• Orlando City had a special guest at training, as Brazilian legend Zico stopped by to visit.

That will do it for today. Check back with The Mane Land as there’s going to be plenty of news as the new seasons for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride get closer. Vamos Orlando!