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Orlando City

Orlando City Trades Goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake

The Homegrown goalkeeper and longest-tenured Lion is on his way to Utah in exchange for some GAM.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well, this wasn’t the transfer news we were looking for out of Orlando City. The club announced today that Homegrown goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar is on his way to Real Salt Lake in exchange for $50,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM). RSL is also sending Orlando City its natural second-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft in the deal. If Stajduhar meets certain performance metrics, the deal could bring in up to $150,000 in additional GAM. Stajduhar’s trade to Real Salt Lake ends the longest continuous career in Orlando City’s history.

“Mason has been a part of this club since the early days and, like our club, has grown greatly over those years,” said Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “We want to thank him for his dedication over these last 10 years and, more importantly, for his trust in us and in the development pathway that we have here in Orlando. We wish him the best moving forward in his career.”

Stajduhar, 27, was signed as the club’s fourth-ever Homegrown Player on Nov. 9, 2015, joining the first team right after the team’s inaugural MLS season out of the U.S. Soccer Development Program. He had previously appeared with the club’s U-16, U-18 and U-23 academy teams over two seasons prior to signing his Homegrown Player contract. He was named to the U-18 USSDA Best XI team by U.S. Soccer for his 2015 season. The club initially declined Stajduhar’s option after the 2019 season but signed a new one-year deal on Nov. 27, 2019, ahead of 2020. The deal included options for additional seasons. He was then loaned to New York City FC as an emergency backup for the 2020 Concacaf Champions League game at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, dressing as the backup to Luis Barraza in a 4-0 loss to Tigres out of Liga MX.

Following the 2021 season, in which he saw his role as the primary backup to Pedro Gallese begin to develop, Stajduhar had his contract option exercised to keep him on the roster through 2022. He then inked a new three-year contract with the club in June of that year designed to keep him in purple and gold through at least 2025, with a club option for 2026. 

Stajduhar did not appear in an MLS match until the 2021 season after loan stints to Louisville City (during which he did not play) and the Tulsa Roughnecks, with whom he made his professional debut on March 29, 2019 in a 2-1 win over the Rio Grande Valley Toros. The delay in his debut was due in large part to his 2017 cancer diagnosis. Stajduhar underwent treatment for Localized Ewing Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, which put his soccer career on hold through the 2018 season.

His first start and MLS debut came in a 3-2 comeback home win over Atlanta United on July 30, 2021. Stajduhar could hardly be blamed for the Lions falling behind 1-0 just 47 seconds into the game on a cannon shot by Josef Martinez off the right post and in or the Marcelino Moreno Goal of the Week candidate-type shot in the 66th minute. Nani’s 87th-minute goal gave Stajduhar his first win six seasons into his pro career.

The native of Salem, MA, finishes his Orlando City career with 22 starts, 65 saves, nine wins, and three shutouts. He also became the first goalkeeper for the Lions to record an assist, notching a helper with a well-placed long ball to set up Duncan McGuire’s wondergoal on the road against Toronto on Oct. 21, 2023. It was the game-winning goal as the Lions claimed a 2-0 victory at BMO Field.

Stajduhar is coming off a productive season, tying his career highs in appearances (5) and starts (5) in 2024, but a short outing in the last of those five resulted in his second-most minutes in regular-season play (389). He made a career-high 21 saves and went 2-2-1 with a clean sheet and a 1.60 goals-against average. He was playing some of his best soccer as a professional, but his final season in purple came to an end due to a nasty injury he sustained on June 28, 2024 at New York City FC in a 4-2 loss, although the score was secondary to what happened in the 17th minute.

On an obviously offside play, the assistant referee kept his flag down, as is customary in the age of video review. However, because the play was still live, Stajduhar came charging out to try to prevent a breakaway by Malachi Jones. The two players collided heavily as they met at the ball. Both had their season end in that moment, requiring surgery to repair the broken tibias and fibulas of both men. Stajduhar took the loss, although the score was only 1-0 at the time he departed and was replaced by Javier Otero, who made his MLS debut.

For his 2024 season, The Mane Land staff gave Stajduhar a 7 out of 10 rating — his highest end-of-season grade in his time in Orlando.

The goalkeeper leaves after making a total of 22 starts for the Lions (16 in the regular season), making 65 saves, winning nine matches in all competitions, and keeping three clean sheets.

What It Means for Orlando City

Stajduhar’s departure opens the door for fellow Homegrown Player Otero to become the primary backup. Otero, 22, signed as a Homegrown Player on July 10, 2023, after starring in MLS NEXT Pro for OCB. The Venezuelan international, who has been called up by his national team for Saturday’s friendly against the United States, dressed every game for Orlando City following Stajduhar’s season-ending injury, backing up Pedro Gallese.

Unless Orlando brings in a new goalkeeper, Otero will be Gallese’s primary backup in 2025. Depth behind Otero is a bit thin. After last season, the club parted ways with Carlos Mercado, who was the primary starter for Orlando City B in 2024. It seems likely that Orlando City will add a goalkeeper, but whether that player is in front of or behind Otero in the pecking order remains to be seen, and that battle will likely have to take place in training.

The loss of Stajduhar will no doubt be a blow to fans who have become fond of the Homegrown over the years, as he has managed to stick around through multiple coaches. He has provided some great moments for the club — including winning a penalty shootout against Inter Miami with a save against Bryce Duke as part of the club’s 2022 U.S. Open Cup championship run — overcame a deadly disease, grew up from a teenager into a young man before our eyes, and even proposed to his girlfriend (now wife) on the pitch after helping Orlando City beat the Philadelphia 2-1 at home in U.S. Open Cup play on May 10, 2022.

Photo of Mason Stajduhar in uniform, proposing to his girlfriend on the pitch at Exploria Stadium.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The sentimental attachment aside, the move simply means Orlando City will need a depth goalkeeper — one the club trusts to go out and win a game (or games) when Gallese isn’t available. Whether that’s Otero or someone else remains to be determined.

With Stajduhar’s departure, Kyle Smith takes over as the longest tenured Orlando City player, having joined the club in December of 2018.

Orlando City

Ranking Orlando City’s Home Kits

Where does the new Perfect Storm kit rank all time?

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Photo Courtesy of Orlando City / Mark Thor

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

Photo of Chris Mueller wearing the Bring the Noise kit.

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

Kaka wearing the City Kit.

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

A close-up photo of the Perfect Storm kit.

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

Benji Michel and friends wearing the Thick 'N Thin kit.

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

Kyle Smith photo in "The Wall" kit.

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

Kaka posing with an award while wearing the collared jersey from 2017 and 2018.

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!

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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.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

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!

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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.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

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:

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