Orlando City
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Rodrigo Schlegel
The Argentine center back showed Papi that he could do that for a fifth consecutive season, refusing to relinquish a starting spot in the second half of the year.

Orlando City originally signed center back Rodrigo Schlegel on loan from Racing Club on Dec. 30, 2019. The Argentine defender signed him to a new permanent deal on Jan. 19, 2022 and then re-signed him again a year later on Jan. 25, 2023 on a deal through that season with option years for 2024 and 2025. City picked up his 2024 option and the 27-year-old native of Remedios de Escalada, Argentina ended up a regular in the starting XI during the team’s strong playoff push in the second half of the season.
Let’s take a look at one of the best seasons yet, and possibly the best season, for the man they call Godrigo.
Statistical Breakdown
Schlegel started a career-high 26 times among his 28 appearances (second-most in his career) this season, logging a total of 2,297 minutes — another career high. He scored one goal — his second career regular-season goal — in 2024 but did not register an assist. The defender attempted 14 shots, putting just four on target. Both of those shots numbers are career highs, with the latter equaling the four shots on goal he fired during the 2021 campaign. You want some more career highs? OK, he set new career marks in pass attempts (1,284) and passing accuracy (90.7%). His four key passes did not set a new career mark, as he eclipsed that mark in 2022, with six. Schlegel did not attempt a cross, but he completed 46 long balls. On the defensive end, Schlegel recorded 41 tackles, 46 clearances, 26 interceptions, 61 aerial duels won, and 10 blocks. He committed 27 fouls, suffered 13, and was shown four yellow cards and one red card.
In the playoffs, Schlegel started all five matches Orlando City played, racking up 449 postseason minutes — just one minute short of the available time the Lions officially played. The defender did not provide a goal contribution but managed to get two of his three shot attempts on target — both numbers are also career highs. He improved his passing rate from the regular season to 91.5%, including a key pass and three successful long balls. Defensively, Schlegel chipped in two tackles, three interceptions, 15 clearances, and two blocks. He committed six postseason fouls, drawing five, and received a pair of yellow cards.
Schlegel appeared in two Concacaf Champions Cup matches (both starts), playing 180 minutes. He didn’t score or assist on a goal, attempting one off-target shot. He completed 90.9% of his 99 passes without a key pass or a cross. Defensively, he chipped in five clearances. The defender committed three fouls, drew one, and wasn’t booked.
In Leagues Cup play, Schlegel made one appearance off the bench, playing just 45 minutes against Atletico San Luis. He did not contribute to a goal, attempting one off-target shot. Schlegel completed nine of his 11 passes (81.8%) on his 22 touches without a key pass or cross. He recorded no defensive stats, committed two fouls in the game, did not draw one, and wasn’t booked.
Best Game
Schlegel was strong defensively in a number of games, including early season narrow losses to the New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew and the playoff win over Atlanta United. However, I’m going to go with a match in which he helped at both ends of the pitch — Orlando City’s 3-1 road win at FC Dallas. Schlegel started and went the full 90 minutes, scoring a goal on two shots, putting just the one that went in on target, as the Lions got their first-ever win on the road against Dallas. His 93.2% passing rate was on point, although there wasn’t a completed cross or key pass among his 59 attempts. Schlegel contributed three tackles, an interception, and two clearances on the defensive end. He committed two fouls, drew one, and wasn’t booked.
Schlegel’s goal was a great effort on a corner kick taken by Martin Ojeda in the 51st minute, with the Lions up 1-0. Ojeda made a good delivery to an onrushing Schlegel, who came running up from a deeper position than usual. Schlegel made good contact with the cross and guided his header into the upper right corner to make it 2-0, providing some breathing room early in the second half.
Schlegel wasn’t at fault for the Dallas goal, as that came from the penalty spot after a foul by Nico Lodeiro. It was a great night at both ends for the defender.
Although he didn’t win Man of the Match from our own Andrew DeSalvo (that went to Ramiro Enrique), Andrew gave Schlegel an 8 out of 10 and said this about his performance:
Schlegel was everywhere during this match, and a serious contender for Man of the Match. His bullet header that doubled the lead for the Lions will be what is remembered most, but he also had three tackles, two clearances, and one interception, and his partnership with Jansson was excellent in keeping FC Dallas’ pairing of Jesus Ferreira and Petar Musa off the scoresheet. I thought Schlegel was excellent throughout the match, and his right side pairing with Kyle Smith was effective in limiting Dallas’ attacks down their left channel.
In fairness to Andrew, Dave and I didn’t give him MotM either, and maybe all of us should have.
2024 Final Grade
The Mane Land awarded Schlegel a composite score of 7 out of 10 for the 2024 season. This is the same score he received last year, but it looked like a better year on the pitch, and he set a number of career highs, so maybe we just graded too leniently last year or were tougher on him this year than was warranted. Either way, it was a solid year for the veteran defender, and based on his game-by-game match grades, our 7 seems pretty good. He received a 6.5 both in 2022 and in 2021 after earning a 6 out of 10 in 2020 — his first season with the club.
2025 Outlook
Schlegel entered the off-season as the favorite to start alongside captain Robin Jansson in 2025, but he’ll likely get a strong push in preseason by Slovenian international David Brekalo, who did not get to go through a full preseason camp with the Lions in 2024. The Argentine has had a habit throughout his career of playing well for stretches before something derailing it — a random red card or second yellow card, conceding a penalty, or just having a howler of a game where he can’t seem to get himself into the correct position. Many of these are momentary lapses of composure or an act of over-aggressiveness. The 2023However, he mostly played under control throughout the 2024 season, which is a big part of why he managed to hang onto the starting job in the second half of the year.
There is a lot to like about the way Schlegel plays. He isn’t always the best defender on the field, or the most attentive, but he never lacks for effort, plays with an edge to his game that can ruin an opponent’s night, has decent pace to be able to play at this level, and is beloved by his teammates. Obviously, there are center backs who are better in the air or more physically capable of handling the league’s bigger forwards, and his lack of ability to finish on the number of set piece crosses he gets his head onto can be maddening for fans, but he is a solid player. If he’s your third-best center back (in a standard, four-man back line, anyway), you’re thrilled. If he’s your second-best, you might want to upgrade the position.
Time will tell if Brekalo can displace him or if the Lions ever decide to bring in a fourth capable center back rather than relying on Homegrowns in case of emergency. But with Schlegel, you get a solid, if unspectacular, center back option who can either start regularly or spell the starter with quality minutes.
Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

Orlando City dropped the newest home kit yesterday. As such, I thought it appropriate to rank all of the MLS-era home kits for the Lions to see how the new “Perfect Storm” kit stacks up against those from the past. I will be the first to admit I’m no fashion guru, but I do know what I like.
We all get to have our own opinions on this type of thing, but since I’m writing the article, I get final say. Let’s rank Orlando City’s home kits.
Sixth Place

The 2019-2020 “Bring the Noise” kit starts things off in sixth place. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this kit, but it is pretty plain for it’s moniker. The shoulder stripes don’t stand out because they are black, the pattern is…fine, and it’s the first to sport the new Orlando Health logo. Putting it in sixth doesn’t mean I don’t like it or that there’s something wrong about it. It just means I like the other kits better.
Fifth Place

The 2015-2016 inaugural home kit — known as the “City Kit” — comes in at the fifth spot on the list. Consideration was given for it being the original kit of the MLS era, though that isn’t all it has going for it. The old school Orlando Health logo with the swirly circle,and the gold overlap collar contrasted with the white Adidas stripes…love it. You never forget your first, and this kit is no exception.
Fourth Place

The new 2025-2026 “Perfect Storm” debuts in fourth place on our list. To be fair, I have not yet seen it in person, but I’m comfortable with the assessment. There are some things to like on the kit. I like the idea of each kit being unique because the pattern is random. That means your kit is really your kit. There’s a throwback element with the gold on the collar while using white trim for the logos and the shoulder stripes. The pattern is a little busy for me, but I get what they are going for with it. Not a bad addition for anyone’s collection.
Third Place

The 2021-2022 “Thick N Thin” kit has a lot going for it at the third spot on the list. I like the dark purple at the top, and the two-button collar is very cool. I like the consistency of the white trim around the sleeves with the white logos and shoulder stripes. There’s also the fact that this is the kit Orlando City wore when the Lions lifted the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy. Throw in a cowboy hat and it’s a classic.
Second Place

The 2023-2024 “The Wall” kit is absolutely outstanding. The bricks in the wall pattern representing the supporters’ section at Inter&Co Stadium (Exploria at the time) is a great tribute. The all-gold trim pieces on the shoulder stripes, the collar, the Adidas logo, and the sleeves look amazing. This kit is refined with a royal look. Like Kyle Smith, I give this kit two thumbs up. That’s why it’s number two on our list.
First Place

The 2017-2018 home kit was so cool that they didn’t even need to give it a nickname. Whenever I want to let someone know which one I’m talking about I say it’s the one with the collar. This was the first kit to use gold on the shoulder stripes. The heathered material is different than any other kit, and the fact that it has a collar means you can wear it to work without getting in trouble.
It was also the first kit in the — at that time — Orlando City Stadium which is why it has the longitude and latitude coordinates for the stadium on the sleeve. This is one of the best kits ever produced for any club in my opinion. That is why it tops off our list in the number one spot.
There you have it. In case you’re wondering I will most likely be getting the new Perfect Storm kit for myself. As for the rankings, that’s just one man’s opinion on the topic, and I’d love to hear how you rank them in the comments below. For now, you can select the spot where you’d place the Perfect Storm kit in the poll below. Vamos Orlando!
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!
Orlando City
Orlando City Unveils New Perfect Storm Kit Ahead of 2025 MLS Season
The Lions’ new kits are meant to represent the uniqueness and intensity of the Central Florida weather.

Orlando City unveiled the club’s new home “Perfect Storm” kit today. The new home purple kit is meant to evoke the intensity of the Central Florida weather, and features a lightning bolt (called a “thunderbolt” by the club) made out of the Orlando area code, 407, on the back of the neck and a jocktag with a doppler radar storm icon. Per the club, no two kits will have the exact same pattern.
The Perfect Storm kit will be available on MLSStore.com and on OCMobileShop.com, with pick-up at The Den at Inter&Co Stadium starting Thursday during regular business hours.
“This kit is a tribute to our fans who have supported us day in and day out, through everything, rain or shine,” said Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo in a club press release. “It is also inspired by our players’ ability to thrive in adverse weather conditions, and a reminder that Inter&Co Stadium is one of the toughest environments in Major League Soccer for visiting teams to compete in.”
The Perfect Storm Kit will be first available to fans at the club’s official jersey launch tonight at 6 p.m. at Canvas (1401 Florida Mall Ave.). Fans can purchase the new shirt and have it customized. The first 200 fans in attendance to purchase the new kit will receive an exclusive CITYiD patch
The Lions will first wear the new kit at their home opener against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Here are some shots of the new kit:

















-
Opinion2 weeks ago
Orlando City’s Lack of Off-Season Signings Starting to Become a Concern
-
Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
Orlando Pride Transfer Adriana to Saudi Side Al Qadsiah FC
-
Orlando City5 days ago
Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 2-1 as Wasteful Lions Suffer First Preseason Loss
-
Orlando City1 week ago
Orlando City Signs Croation Winger Marco Pasalić as a Designated Player
-
Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
Orlando Pride Sign Zambian Forward Prisca Chilufya
-
Orlando City B2 weeks ago
Orlando City Signs Goalkeeper Carlos Mercado to a New Contract
-
Opinion6 days ago
Likes and Dislikes from this Week of Orlando City’s Preseason
-
Orlando Pride1 week ago
Seb Hines Has Decisions To Make For Orlando Pride’s Back Line