Lion Links: 8/8/25

Happy Friday! The weekend is upon us, and with it comes plenty of Orlando soccer to enjoy as all three teams are in action once again. Hopefully we’ll have some good results to celebrate over the next couple of days. Let’s get this Friday started with today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Signs Adrian Marin

A new left back has landed in the City Beautiful, with Orlando City signing Spanish defender Adrian Marin from Braga in Portugal’s top flight. Marin joins on a contract through 2026, with an option for 2027. He appeared in 10 matches for Braga this past season and also has experience in La Liga under his belt. The 28-year-old provides some needed relief at left back for the Lions and is versatile enough to play at center back. I’m excited to see how he fits into Oscar Pareja’s plans as the Lions hunt for one of the top four spots in the Eastern Conference.

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

It’s becoming impossible to ignore how impressive Martin Ojeda has been for the Lions this year. Former Lion Sacha Kljestan placed Ojeda fourth in his MVP power rankings that also include stars like Evander and Anders Dreyer. Ojeda has recorded 16 goals and 16 assists across all competitions for Orlando this season, recently scoring twice against Necaxa in the Leagues Cup. He’s been on fire for the Lions and I think he could make a serious run at MVP if his form continues.

Orlando Pride Players Nominated for Ballon d’Or

The nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or were unveiled and the Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda and Marta were both listed. This is Marta’s third Ballon d’or nomination, while it’s Banda’s second. Marta captained the Pride to both NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship victories, helped Brazil win Olympic silver last summer, and performed well at the Copa America Femenina. After scoring 13 goals in the regular season, Banda scored in each of the Pride’s playoff games last season and was named NWSL Championship MVP.

The Orlando Pride were also nominated for Women’s Club of the Year and are the only team outside of Europe up for the award. The Pride set league records in points, wins, and clean sheets last year, putting together a 24-game unbeaten streak in the process. It’s still admittedly surreal that the Pride are in contention for the title of Club of the Year considering where the club was just a few years ago.

Orlando Pride Prepare for Racing Louisville

The Orlando Pride are back in action on Saturday with a home game against Racing Louisville. These two teams last squared off in Louisville on June 20, with Orlando falling 2-0. While the Pride are coming off of an underwhelming draw against the Utah Royals, Louisville enters this match after a 2-0 loss on the road to the Kansas City Current. Louisville has conceded 24 goals this season, so hopefully Orlando’s attack can get back on track. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team will need to be better in the first 20 minutes of the match compared to last week, as well as the team’s preparations against a solid Louisville side.

Free Kicks

• Orlando right back Alex Freeman was predicted to miss out on making the World Cup roster by ESPN. A strong finish to the season by the 20-year-old may keep him in the conversation for depth behind Sergino Dest though.
• Toronto FC officially traded for midfielder Djordje Mihailovic, sending $8 million to the Colorado Rapids in exchange. Another $1 million could head Colorado’s way if conditions are met, and the Rapids retain a sell-on percentage as well. Mihailovic will be a Designated Player for Toronto and signed a contract through 2028, with an option for 2029.
• The San Jose Earthquakes added defensive midfielder Ronaldo Vieira from Sampdoria in Italy’s Serie B.
• MLS released the schedule for playoff games this year, with the wild card matches taking place on Oct. 22 and the MLS Cup final set for Dec. 6
• The Current loaned 18-year-old defender Katie Scott to Louisville for the remainder of the 2025 season.
• The United States fell to second in FIFA’s latest women’s world rankings, with Spain moving to the top by a slim margin. Many European teams benefitted greatly from the Euros, while Brazil fell three spots to seventh despite winning the Copa America Femenina.
• Tottenham midfielder James Maddison will undergo surgery for a ruptured ACL, meaning he will miss a large chunk of the upcoming season.

That’s all I have for you for today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!