Connect with us

Orlando City

2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Ramiro Enrique

The Argentine forward leveled up in his development in his second season with Orlando.

Published

2 years ago

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City signed Argentine forward Ramiro Enrique on Jan. 26, 2023, from Club Atletico Banfield. The then-21-year-old attacker was signed as part of the MLS U22 initiative. Enrique had a decent initial year with the Lions, but there was some concern whether his size would prohibit his effectiveness in the league. He put those concerns to bed in his second season, doubling his goal output and seizing the starting spot at the top of Oscar Pareja’s formation while Duncan McGuire was away at the Olympics and never relinquishing it through the rest of the year. The highlight was his six-match scoring streak across all competitions from July 6 to Aug. 4, breaking Daryl Dike’s club record for consecutive games with a goal.

Let’s take a look at Enrique’s second season with Orlando City.

Statistical Breakdown

Enrique appeared in fewer matches in 2024 than he did in his first season with the club, falling 10 games shy of the 30 appearances he made a year ago, owing to an ankle injury that kept him out of action for a good chunk of time in March, April, and May. He also missed a few games dealing with a personal matter in June. The native of Burzaco, Argentina, made 20 appearances, starting 12 and playing 1,082 minutes. Those were career bests in starts and minutes in his first two seasons in Orlando. He scored eight goals — compared to four last year — in league play, and equaled last season’s output of two assists. He fired 37 shots, putting 17 on target, and improved his passing from 72.9% to 78% with 16 key passes and two successful crosses but no completed long balls. Defensively, he recorded five tackles, three interceptions, 15 clearances, and one block. Enrique committed 14 fouls, suffered 20, and picked up four yellow cards on the year without being sent off.

The Argentine started all five of Orlando’s playoff games, playing 312 minutes and scoring one goal but not recording an assist, and he did not participate in either of Orlando’s penalty shootouts in the first round against Charlotte FC. He attempted 12 shots but put just three on target. Enrique passed at an 82.2% rate with four key passes and a successful cross. On the defensive end, Enrique chipped in four tackles, an interception and three clearances. He committed four fouls, suffered seven, and picked up a pair of postseason yellow cards, but those were not both shown in the same game.

Enrique played in all four of Orlando City’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting once and playing 165 minutes. He contributed one goal and one assist — both in the Cavalry FC series — firing nine shots with five on target. He completed 85.4% of his 48 passes in the competition with one key pass but no successful crosses on two attempts. Defensively, Enrique managed three tackles, one interception, and one clearance. He committed two fouls, suffered five, and was not booked in the tournament.

Starting all three of Orlando City’s Leagues Cup games, Enrique played 232 minutes, scoring two goals and adding an assist. He was subbed off each game, so he did not participate in either of the shootouts against Mexican sides Atletico San Luis or Cruz Azul. He attempted nine shots, putting five on target. Enrique completed 79.6% of his 49 passes with four key passes, without attempting a cross. On the defensive end, Enrique logged four tackles, one interception, and four clearances. He committed three fouls, suffered three, and was not booked.

Best Game

Enrique made a big impact in several games this season, including his performance in Orlando City’s Leagues Cup opener against CF Montreal — a 4-1 home win on July 26. Enrique and the rest of the Lions ran over Montreal, posting three first-half goals in what turned out to be an easy win. Enrique contributed to the offensive explosion with a goal and an assist on a season-high six shot attempts. As impressive as his performance was that night, I’m going with his big night against FC Cincinnati in a 3-1 win on Oct. 5 — the team’s final road match of the regular season. The Argentine striker figured in all three goals, scoring two of them himself, as the Lions set a new club record for goals in a season, surpassing the old mark of 55 by scoring the 56th, 57th, and 58th goals of the year.

The striker got the game off to a great start just 10 minutes in, timing his run perfectly to get onto a gorgeous, curling cross from Kyle Smith and getting his right foot onto it to push it past Roman Celentano and open the scoring. It wasn’t an easy goal on the volley, but Enrique made it look that way.

Luciano Acosta tied the match just before halftime, which could have given the hosts momentum, but the Lions held firm. Enrique helped Orlando seize the momentum back in the 66th minute by setting up the eventual game-winning goal. Smith sent another good cross into the area. Enrique had his back to goal, with a much bigger defender on him. Rather than bring the ball in and try to turn on his defender, Enrique laid off his first touch for Angulo, who didn’t get all of it on his shot, but it somehow squirted through Celentano and in to make it 2-1. Even though Angulo’s placement and power weren’t what he’d likely envisioned, the soccer gods rewarded Enrique, as the layoff was worthy of an assist.

Enrique provided an insurance goal six minutes later, as Angulo returned the favor for the Argentine’s assist. The Colombian turned on the jets to beat Celentano to a soft back pass from Luca Orellano and calmly poked it to Enrique on his right with the goal wide open. The striker knew he had time and space, took a calming touch, and gently tucked the ball home to make it 3-1, completing his brace.

The hosts scrapped to try to get back into the game, ultimately firing 19 shots to Orlando’s six, but City’s defense held firm, and thanks in large part to Enrique’s goal contributions, won the game at TQL Stadium.

Aside from his goal contributions, Enrique fired four shots, putting three of them (75%) on target. He connected on 71% of his passes, including the key pass that turned into Angulo’s goal. He won three of his six aerials, chipped in a recovery on the defensive end, committed a foul, drew a foul, and was not shown a card. It was a strong outing.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land awarded Enrique a composite rating of 7 out of 10 for his second season in the City Beautiful. This was a big improvement over the 5.5 we gave the young striker a year ago. In last year’s grade, we cited his inconsistency as an issue. Enrique was much more consistent in his second year, as shown by his six-game goal-scoring streak and ability to hold onto the starting striker spot after McGuire returned from international duty. While some of that inconsistency returned in the postseason — in which he fired eight shots and scored a goal in Orlando’s three wins and failed to attempt a single shot in the two postseason losses — you have to credit two exceptional defensive teams (Charlotte FC and the New York Red Bulls) for some of the latter, while giving Enrique props for being effective against Charlotte twice and scoring the winner against Atlanta in a tightly contested match. Enrique was a bit streaky, which isn’t unusual for a striker, he remained dangerous once he became a starter.

2025 Outlook

Signed through 2025 with two additional option years, the 23-year-old should continue to develop his game with the Lions next season. In fact, due to McGuire’s shoulder surgery this month, Enrique figures to begin the season as the first-choice striker unless the Lions add an important piece in that position group. If he can avoid the injury bug, Enrique showed this year that he is capable of double-digit goals. He had 10 regular-season goal contributions in less than two-thirds of a season in 2024, and he started only a third of Orlando’s MLS games. While his effectiveness is still questionable against certain types of opposing defensive clubs, and his finishing can sometimes let him down on big chances, Enrique’s knack for getting himself into dangerous areas and his quick counter-pressing skills are developing nicely. It will be interesting to see if he can take another step forward as he starts to enter the prime years of his professional career.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/16/26

Orlando City wins friendly, Orlando Pride beaten at home, MLS season returns tonight, and much more.

Published

7 minutes ago

on

July 16, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann and Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal during Orlando City's 2-1 friendly win at FC Dallas.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

How’s it going, Mane Landers? For those of us in Florida, it looks like some storms could be heading our way this week. While that can be a bit annoying if you have outdoor plans, hopefully it will make some of this oppressive heat a bit more bearable. Both the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B are on the road on Saturday, so we may get to dodge some dreaded weather delays as well. But for now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Wins Friendly at FC Dallas

The Lions went to Texas for a friendly against FC Dallas and won 2-1 at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium — home of North Texas SC, FC Dallas’ MLS NEXT Pro side. Antoine Griezmann seems to be settling in nicely with the club, scoring yet again in this friendly after doing so a week ago against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Martin Ojeda also got on the scoresheet in the first half and you can check out both finishes below.

While I don’t put too much stock in friendlies, it sure does feel better to be on the winning side of them. This was the final tune-up for Orlando before the Lions hit the road for a match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday in their first league game since May.

Orlando Pride Shut Out At Home

The Orlando Pride hosted the Boston Legacy and weren’t able to get a result in a 1-0 loss at Inter&Co Stadium. Barbara Olivieri scored the game’s only goal in the 17th minute to give Boston the lead. Orlando had its chances to equalize but couldn’t manage to put together a finished product in the end. This was Orlando’s third loss to an expansion side this season (0-3-1) as the Pride picked up only one point out of 12 in four matches against Boston and Denver. It’s been a season of inconsistency for the Pride, but hopefully that means they’ll come back stronger in Saturday’s road match against the Utah Royals.

MLS Season Returns Tonight

MLS is back! While the Lions aren’t in action until Wednesday, the season resumes tonight with an exciting slate of games. Many eyes will be on the match between the Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps, as it could include Robert Lewandowski’s MLS debut. While it’s a brand new team and league for the forward, he’d be going up against a familiar face in former Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Muller, who has helped Vancouver climb to the top of the Western Conference. Other intriguing matchups tonight include a Canadian clash between CF Montreal and Toronto FC and a rivalry game between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers. On Friday, Nashville will host Atlanta United before the LA Galaxy and LAFC square off in the latest edition of El Trafico.

Argentina Will Face Spain in World Cup Final

Argentina orchestrated yet another dramatic victory this World Cup, beating England 2-1 to advance to the World Cup final to face Spain. After a scoreless first half, Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the 55th minute with his first goal of the tournament. England shifted gears and parked the bus to defend its lead, but Enzo Fernandez scored an equalizer in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martinez gave Argentina its winner in stoppage time. Lionel Messi assisted on both goals, and Argentina is now just one game away from winning its second consecutive World Cup. Sunday’s final should be a great match pitting Argentina’s potent offense up against a Spanish defense that has only conceded once all tournament.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Alex Freeman was noted as one of many players whose stock likely went up due to their World Cup performance. Hopefully, a solid summer translates to more playing time with Villarreal and an eventual transfer for Orlando City to benefit from due to the sell-on percentage.
  • Duncan McGuire wasted no time scoring for his new team, putting the ball in the back of the net early on in the Houston Dynamo’s 2-1 friendly win against America de Cali.
  • The Galaxy added Finnish forward Robert Taylor as a free agent, signing him to a contract through the end of the year with an option for all of 2027 as well.
  • The Philadelphia Union are reportedly finalizing the return of Kai Wagner, who only just left the Union for Birmingham City in January.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to signing Australian forward Luka Jovanovic, who scored 11 goals last season for Adelaide United.

🇦🇺 Sources: San Jose Earthquakes are finalizing a deal to sign Australia youth int'l forward Luka Jovanovic from Adelaide UnitedJovanovic, 21, was co-Golden Boot winner of the A-League with 11g/3a in 1,639 mins last season. Joins on a U-22 initiative deal.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-15T16:58:50.262Z

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/15/26

Daryl Dike’s potential return, Orlando Pride prepare for Boston, World Cup news, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

July 15, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Oh boy, do we have some news for you today. Between the Orlando Pride match tonight, the World Cup this afternoon, and some potential big signings, we have a lot to get to. We also want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City B goalkeeper Tristan Himes. Now, let’s get to the links.

The Return of Dike(?)

Forget “It’s coming home,” rather he’s coming home! Per Tom Bogert, Daryl Dike is set to return to Orlando City after his multi-year stint with West Bromwich Albion. Dike had a rough go of it in England, mainly due to injuries he sustained. I figure he just needs some Florida sunshine and the team at Orlando Health to help find the form that made him a terror to Orlando City’s opponents.

It also seems that the departure of Marco Pasalic is not a done deal. There has not been an official bid as of yet, and if Orlando City’s valuation isn’t met, then he may be staying. If he stays, he bolsters the attack. If not, well that’s what Dike is coming back to do and it would supply the Lions with plenty of coin to bolster the roster.

Orlando Pride Set for Boston Legacy

The Orlando Pride host expansion side Boston Legacy FC at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The Pride will look to avenge a 2-1 loss earlier this season in Boston. After defeating the Kansas City Current over the weekend, Seb Hines’ squad will want to keep the home winning streak going. This may be Barbra Banda’s last match before heading out for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament later this month, so take the opportunity to head to the match if you are in the Orlando area.

World Cup News

France was unable to keep things going as Spain defeated Les Bleus 2-0 on Bastille Day. La Roja now wait to see whether Argentina or England will be the opponent in the final. As they have done so many times this World Cup, the Spanish did not allow a goal and did enough offensively to advance. Lamine Yamal earned a penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal slotted home to give Spain a lead in the 22nd minute. Pedro Porro added another in the second half and France was unable to muster any magic.

Later today, England and Argentina square off to see which team will play the Spaniards. The amount of history between these teams at World Cups is enough to make most watch the match. I think the bigger question is which team does Gianni Infantino want to win, and will we see the same shenanigans we’ve seen in previous matches featuring these two teams? Don’t worry, England. I’m sure it’ll be fine.

USMNT Reflections

There’s been a bit of space and time for all of us to process the USMNT’s performance at the World Cup and it isn’t all doom and gloom. None other than Carli Lloyd said that despite the way it ended, it was a successful outing for the U.S. Matt Freese is trying to see the positives even though he made a costly mistake that gave up a goal to Belgium. Folarin Balogun said what I was thinking in that a certain phone call about his red card did affect the USMNT’s nerves heading into the match against Belgium. Lastly, the future could be bright thanks to these five USMNT prospects.

Free Kicks

🇨🇱 Atlanta United has signed Chile int'l defedner Paulo Diaz. Versatile but likely to play center back.Joins on a free transfer after spending years at River Plate. Diaz, 31, has 56 caps for Chile.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-14T14:06:23.290Z

That will do it for today. Check back later for our coverage of the Orlando Pride’s match against Boston Legacy FC. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for updates. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/14/26

Marco Pasalic transfer rumor, Marta up for weekly award, MLS transfer roundup, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

July 14, 2026

By

Image of Marta looking for an outlet in action against Kansas City.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. I write to you from Texas, specifically Dallas, as I was in Austin to see friends over the weekend and decided to pop up the road to take in the energy of the World Cup semifinal that will be played in the city later today. I won’t be attending the game, since I don’t wish to sell one of my kidneys but am looking forward to mingling with some of the fans who have traveled here for it. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Marco Pasalic Transfer Rumor

There have been some quiet rumblings for awhile now that Marco Pasalic may leave Orlando City during the summer transfer window. We now have a more concrete report regarding a potential departure, as the streets are saying that the winger is set to sign for newly promoted Hull City, with a price tag of at least €7 million.

If the move does come to pass, it would reunite him with manager Sergej Jakirovic, who he briefly played for during his time at HNK Rijeka. Jakirovic also stated in a recent interview that he wants to sign Pasalic, so this is a rumor that could have some legs.

Marta Up for Weekly Honors

The Orlando Pride picked up an excellent win on Friday by knocking off the Kansas City Current 3-0, and Marta has been rewarded for her efforts in the victory with a nomination for the NWSL Player of the Week. The Brazilian legend bagged the team’s first goal shortly after halftime, when she found herself in space well outside the box and unleashed a low left-footed drive into the bottom corner for her 50th goal as a Pride player. For some reason, she was snubbed in the Goal of the Week voting despite her impressive strike, so make sure you go vote for her for Player of the Week!

MLS Transfer Roundup

With the MLS summer transfer window opening on Monday, we’ve got a slew of moves to get caught up on. We begin with confirmation of an item that we covered in Monday’s Links, as Nathan Ordaz has officially moved to D.C. United in exchange for up to $2.875 million. The New England Revolution have extended Matt Turner’s loan from Lyon, with the new deal lasting through December. It also has an option to extend the loan again until December 2027, after which the Revs have a purchase option. Atlanta United has signed Paraguayan center back Junior Alonso on a free transfer, with his deal running through the 2028-2029 season. Finally, Charlotte FC has announced the signing of forward Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. He will occupy the DP slot vacated by Wilfried Zaha.

USWNT Announces Fall Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team has announced that it will play a pair of October friendlies against Spain in a matchup of the reigning World Cup champions against the reigning Olympic champions. The USWNT will face the top-ranked team in the world on Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C., and again on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. The Oct. 10 match will also have a pregame retirement celebration for USWNT defender Crystal Dunn. This will be just the fourth time that the two teams have faced each other, with the U.S. winning two of the three previous meetings. The two friendlies will be the last games that the USWNT plays before beginning World Cup qualifying.

Previewing France vs. Spain

The World Cup semifinals begin today, with France and Spain set to throw down in Dallas. For France, the stars are too many to count, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise all taking turns lighting up both the field and the scoreboard for the team that has made back-to-back appearances in the final. As far as Spain goes, all the focus is on Lamine Yamal, as the young winger has been key to Spain’s success despite scoring just one goal. If Nico Williams is able to start on the opposite wing, the French won’t be able to key so heavily on Yamal, and it could open up more space for him in which to operate. The matchup between the youngster and Lucas Digne will be key, as will the ability of either Mikel Oyarzabal or Ferran Torres to be effective up top for Spain.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Daryl Dike is leaving West Bromwich Albion. We know a team that just traded a striker.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending