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Orlando City Signs Atletico Madrid Legend Antoine Griezmann

The Lions land Antoine Griezmann, but the French superstar won’t join the club until summer.

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2 months ago

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Image of Antoine Griezmann posing with his Orlando City kit alongside Ricardo Moreira and Mark Wilf.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Although Orlando City fans will have to wait a while longer to see Antoine Griezmann don the purple kit and become a Lion, at least the ambiguity is over. The Wilf family, Ricardo Moreira, and Orlando City have their man, as the club announced today it has signed the French international and Atletico Madrid star forward/attacking midfielder through 2027-2028 with an option year for 2028-2029. The announcement ends weeks of speculation, conflicting reports, and rumors, as the talented attacker will join the Lions during the summer window as the team’s third Designated Player for an undisclosed club-record fee.

Griezmann will wear his familiar No. 7 jersey with Orlando and will join the Lions in July.

“Bringing Antoine to Orlando is a landmark moment not only for our club, but for our city, our supporters and for Major League Soccer,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “He is one of the most gifted, accomplished and influential players of his generation, and his decision to choose Orlando City reflects the mission and culture of our club. Our focus is on consistently building a championship-caliber roster every year, and adding a world-class player like Antoine reinforces that commitment and our belief in what the club can achieve.”

“Antoine is a complete footballer—creative, intelligent, clinical—and he is a proven winner on the biggest stages of the game,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in the club’s release. “Beyond his talent, he brings leadership, a relentless drive and a championship mentality that will elevate everyone around him. This is a statement signing for our club and ownership group, and we are thrilled to welcome Antoine and his family to Orlando.”

The native of Mâcon, France, who turned 35 on Saturday, will become a Lion this summer after staying on with Atleti through the 2025-2026 season  in an attempt to win both UEFA Champions League and the Copa Del Rey with the club he has played for since returning in 2021 after a previous stint with the Colchoneros from 2014 to 2019.

During his storied career in Spain, Griezmann has appeared in 792 matches with Atlético de Madrid, Barcelona and Real Sociedad scoring 298 goals and adding 132 assists.

“I am very excited to begin this next chapter of my career with Orlando City,” Griezmann said in the release. “From my first conversations with the club, I could feel a strong ambition and a clear vision for the future, and that really spoke to me. I look forward to making Orlando my new home, meeting the supporters, feeling the energy at Inter&Co Stadium, and giving everything I have to help the team achieve great things.”

Griezmann played youth soccer in France before impressing Real Sociedad in his early teens and joining the Spanish club’s academy. After four years in the club’s youth setup, Griezmann broke into the first team in 2009 as an 18-year old. He made 180 appearances in five seasons in San Sebastian, where he scored 46 goals, before Atletico Madrid paid his buyout and signed him on July 28, 2014. During his first stint with Atleti, Griezmann appeared in 180 matches and scored 94 goals across five seasons. In Griezmann’s first five seasons with Atletico Madrid, the club won the 2014 Supercopa de Espana, the 2017-2018 UEFA Europa League, and the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, and helped Atleti finish second in the 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League.

Following the 2018-2019 La Liga season, Barcelona activated the Frenchman’s €120 million buyout clause and signed him, although Atletico Madrid disputed the amount of the buyout clause at the time. The deal was ultimately upheld. Griezmann scored 22 goals across 74 matches with Barcelona. While with Barcelona, he helped the team win the 2020-2021 Copa del Rey.

He was loaned back to Atletico Madrid for a season in 2021 and the club extended that loan but limited Griezmann’s playing time to avoid triggering the automatic purchase clause in the loan contract. Eventually, Atleti made a permanent purchase of Griezmann’s rights. In his second stint with the club, Griezmann has racked up another 43 goals in 126 appearances thus far and led La Liga in assists in 2022-2023.

On the international level, Griezmann has represented France at the U-19, U-20, U-21, and senior levels. He helped France win the UEFA U-19 European Championship in 2010 and was named to the all-tournament team. For the senior team, he’s bagged 44 goals in 137 appearances, helped France win the 2018 FIFA World Cup and finish second in 2022 – leading all players in assists in the competition both years and winning the FIFA Bronze Ball and FIFA Silver Boot in 2018 – and was also involved in his country’s 2020-2021 UEFA Nations League title and second-place finish in the 2016 UEFA European Championship.

Griezmann has twice finished third in Ballon d’Or voting (2016, 2018), was named La Liga Best Player in 2015-2016, is an eight-time winner of La Liga Player of the Month, and made the La Liga Team of the Season five times.

What It Means for Orlando City

The Lions get one of the best players in the European leagues, who can not only score goals himself but also set them up for others. His attacking quality, soccer IQ, and ability to read the game are unquestionable strengths that can help Orlando City, and he plays defense like it’s his primary job, tracking much deeper than most offensive stars (I saw him block a cross at his own end line on Sunday against Real Madrid). This is a big investment for a player north of age 35, but Griezmann has been instrumental in his team’s run in Champions League. Atletico Madrid made the knockout round after going 4-3-1 in the league phase to qualify. He’s helped his side reach the quarterfinals of the competition against La Liga rival Barcelona starting April 8. On April 18, he’ll lead his team in the Copa Del Rey final against Real Sociedad. Those are the primary reasons he didn’t sign with Orlando City in time for the MLS primary transfer window.

Orlando City will need to utilize Griezmann’s unique skillsets the right way. This is not a player you stick over at left wing and expect to succeed. His game requires freedom and movement, changing places with other players, and going where he needs to go. He had that at Atletico Madrid but not at Barcelona, which is why he was more successful with Atleti. He and Messi often tried to occupy the same areas when they played together with Barcelona, much like how Martin Ojeda and Facu Torres sometimes got in each other’s way when the former first arrived in Orlando.

While the way the team has been playing isn’t making fans optimistic that Griezmann can make a difference in a 2026 playoff berth at the moment, it’s a long season and evaluations are ongoing both of the current roster and the coaching situation. As bleak as things look at the moment, there’s no telling what the situation will look like when Griezmann gets to Orlando. However, he will bring world-class experience, a lot of talent, and the ability to make players around him better. The team will need that, of course, but it will make little difference if the back end of the team doesn’t get better – at least for this season. Moving forward, having a player like Griezmann in the team is a great recruiting tool for bringing other quality players to the club.

If nothing else, this shows the club and its ownership group have ambition. This is not the move of a team looking to pinch pennies or cut corners. This is a major piece that can push a team over the top, although (again) that depends a lot on shoring up the defense. 

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions return home looking to bounce back from a poor performance in Montreal.

Published

3 hours ago

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May 13, 2026

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Image of Joran Gerbet playing against the Union.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a midweek matchup between Orlando City (3-8-1, 10 points) and the Philadelphia Union (1-8-3, 6 points) at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the Eastern Conference clubs in 2026, with the Lions scheduled to make the return trip to Philadelphia on Sept. 26.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

Orlando City is 7-8-7 in the 22 MLS meetings with the Union since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2015, and 8-9-8 in all competitions. The Lions are 3-3-4 against the Union at home in league play, 4-3-4 in their home stadium against Philadelphia in all competitions, and 4-3-5 in the greater Orlando area against the Union, having drawn against Philly in the MLS is Back Tournament.

The two sides last met on April 5, 2025 in Philadelphia and played to a scoreless draw. These two teams also kicked off the 2025 season against each other in Orlando on Feb. 22, with the Union stunning the Lions by scoring on all four of the team’s shots on target, taking advantage of individual mistakes in a 4-2 win. Marco Pasalic scored his first two goals as a Lion in his first OCSC appearance that night, but Tai Baribo scored a brace, with Daniel Gazdag and Mikael Uhre also scoring for Philadelphia. The Lions dominated open play but could not pay off their chances while the Union were lethal. It was Orlando’s first loss on opening day in its MLS existence.

The met in 2024 for the final time on Oct. 2, when the Lions won 2-1 at home. Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire pushed Orlando out to a 2-0 lead. Luis Muriel assisted on both goals. Quinn Sullivan pulled one back but the Lions hung on. The teams met for the first time that year on May 11, with the Lions snatching a 3-2 road win at Subaru Park. Muriel scored his first two MLS goals, McGuire added a strike, and Nico Lodeiro assisted on all three tallies for the Lions to offset an early goal by Uhre and a penalty by Gazdag.

The last meeting of 2023 took place in Orlando on June 21, with the Lions blowing a two-goal lead in a controversial 2-2 draw. McGuire and Martin Ojeda scored early in each half, only to see Jack McGlynn score on a cross into the box that missed everyone and got past Mason Stajduhar at the far post, followed by a rocket shot by Jose Martinez from distance. Ivan Angulo’s would-be game winner was chalked off after a questionable foul call in the buildup against Ercan Kara.

The teams met in Philadelphia on March 25, 2023 with the Lions jumping out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Angulo and Ojeda. Former Lion Andres Perea pulled one back, but the Lions held on for a 2-1 road win. The victory snapped Philadelphia’s 24-match home unbeaten streak.

The Union put the Lions to the sword in the last meeting of 2022, a dominant 5-1 win by Philadelphia on Sept. 10 of that year. That was Orlando’s first match since winning the U.S. Open Cup title three days earlier. Joao Moutinho’s own goal started the scoring and the Union got goals from Uhre, Gazdag (penalty), Alejandro Bedoya, and Jack Elliott. Perea, who was then still a Lion, scored for Orlando, but the team was trailing by 4-0 at the time.

The Eastern Conference foes met on July 23, 2022 at Exploria Stadium. Two controversial video review decisions went against Orlando that night and the Lions were wasteful with their chances in an evenly matched 1-0 Philadelphia win. Gazdag scored the game’s only goal off a set piece.

The teams also met in U.S. Open Cup play on May 10, 2022, with the Lions winning 2-1 at home. Kara and Perea hoisted Orlando to a 2-0 lead. Stuart Findlay pulled one back late, but the Lions saw it out and advanced.

On Sept. 19, 2021 the Union prevailed 3-1 at Subaru Park, largely due to a brace by Kacper Przybylko after he got away with what appeared to be a clear elbow to the face of Rodrigo Schlegel. Instead of being sent off and/or conceding a free kick to Orlando City, the Union scored on the ensuing play and went on to win the match. The teams met in Orlando on July 22, 2021 and the Lions got goals by Benji Michel and Perea on the team’s only two shots on target to win 2-1. Przybylko pulled one back for the visitors but the Lions hung on.

The teams faced each other in the group stage of the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020 in the only meeting to date that did not take place in either side’s home stadium. The game ended in a 1-1 draw after a Mauricio Pereyra goal canceled out a strike by Ilsinho. That draw allowed the Lions to win Group A in the competition and they went on to reach the final.

The Lions and Union tangled in what was then known as Talen Energy Stadium on July 7, 2019, drawing, 2-2. Dom Dwyer and Santiago Patino brought Orlando back from 1-0 down but Przybylko poached a goal in the 90th to capture a share of the points for the Union.

The two teams had met just a few days earlier on July 3, ending in Orlando’s 3-1 home loss to the Union. Chris Mueller and Przybylko swapped goals in the first half before Robin Jansson was sent off just prior to the break. Afterwards, the 10-man Lions gave up two more goals — to Przybylko and Fafa Picault — and then went down another man with Sacha Kljestan seeing red.

In 2018, the teams drew 2-2 on Sept. 1 in Orlando. The Lions prevailed over the Union in Philadelphia on April 13, 2018 by a 2-0 score. Orlando and Philadelphia also met that season in U.S. Open Cup play, with the Union capturing a 1-0 home win back on July 18, 2018 on a goal by Bedoya.

The teams split their two matches in 2017, with the home side prevailing both times. The Lions won 2-1 at Orlando City Stadium on March 18. The rematch was an ugly 6-1 Philadelphia win in the season finale for both teams.

The Lions were 1-1-1 against Philadelphia in 2016. The team’s first road victory in the series came on Oct. 16, 2016, as the Lions roared, 2-0. The teams played to a 2-2 draw on May 25 in Orlando. Tranquillo Barnetta’s free kick gave Philly a 2-1 win.

Orlando drew 0-0 at home and lost on the road, 1-0 (on a penalty kick), against Philadelphia in 2015.

Overview

Orlando City is coming off a 2-0 loss at CF Montreal Saturday afternoon. The Lions were outplayed for most of the match but were still only moments away from a crucial road point when the roof caved in. Jansson committed a foul in the box, allowing Daniel Rios to give the hosts a late lead. Former Lion Dagur Dan Thorhallsson added the…well, the dagger. Orlando City could not afford to come away without points in the match after a poor start to the season, but that’s exactly what happened.

The same, however, is true for tonight. Philadelphia is the only team below Orlando in the Eastern Conference table. With a 2-3-0 mark at home (which is much better than the Lions’ 1-5-1 away record), nothing but a win will suffice if Orlando City is going to maintain any semblance of contact with the teams circling the final playoff places.

The Union are better on the road than at home, but that’s not saying much, because Philadelphia is 1-5-1 in away matches, earning four of its six points on the road. Philly is 0-2-3 in its last five games, but one of those draws came against Eastern Conference power Nashville. Milan Iloski and Danley Jean Jacques are the Union’s leading goal scorers with just two apiece, while 39-year-old Bedoya leads Philadelphia in assists with three.

Tonight’s game pits two of the league’s worst teams against each other and both will be hungry to try to add points to their total in an attempt to turn around their early season fortunes with the World Cup break quickly approaching. This match kicks off a stretch of three matches in seven days for Orlando City, so the Lions will be especially eager to rebound from the late meltdown in Montreal and start this final stretch out on the right foot.

“This is a process, and I think we have been able to compete better and prepare ourselves better. Now what comes next is consistency in a positive way in terms of results,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “I have no doubt that consistency will come. We are working for that and are proud of the effort from the players and the entire club. We have been working really hard and will continue to do so, so hopefully soon we can find that consistency not only in performance but also in results.” 

Orlando City will be without Joran Gerbet (knee), while Pasalic (thigh) is listed as questionable. Philadelphia will be without Jesus Bueno (ankle), Eddy Davis III (hamstring), Jephet Sery Larsen (shoulder), Quinn Sullivan (knee), and Frankie Westfield (hip), while Andre Blake (knee) is questionable.

Match Content

Projected Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2),

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Adrian Marin, Robin Jansson, Iago, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Braian Ojeda, Eduard Atuesta, Tiago.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Justin Ellis.

Philadelphia Union (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Andre Blake.

Defenders: Nathan Harriel, Olwethu Makhanya, Geiner Martinez, Olivier Mbaizo.

Midfielders: Cavan Sullivan, Danley Jean Jacques, Jovan Lukic, Indiana Vassilev.

Forwards: Ezekiel Alladoh, Milan Iloski.

Referees:

REF: Sergii Boiko.
AR1: Corey Rockwell.
AR2: Adam Wienckowski.
4TH: Elvis Osmanovic.
VAR: Joe Dickerson.
AVAR: Craig Lowry.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or Orlando City’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/13/26

Orlando City hosts the Philadelphia Union tonight, Orlando Pride defeated on the road, MLS player salary information released, and more.

Published

6 hours ago

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May 13, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Not only have we made it to the middle of the week, but we have Orlando City soccer waiting for us tonight. It’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster of ups and downs this year when it comes to supporting our favorite players in purple, but I’m still excited for some midweek soccer. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Hosts the Philadelphia Union Tonight

After a loss on the road to CF Montreal on Saturday, Orlando City will aim to bounce back when it plays the Philadelphia Union tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. Both teams have struggled mightily this year and Philadelphia sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with just one win from 12 games. While the Union have only scored a measly 10 goals this season, the Lions have conceded a whopping 34 times. It’s the age-old battle between a movable object and a stoppable force. Tonight’s match will be the first of three consecutive home games across all competitions for the Lions, so hopefully they can start this homestand off with a win.

Orlando Pride Lose Late to Boston Legacy FC

The Orlando Pride don’t have anything to show from a frustrating 2-1 loss on the road to the Boston Legacy. The Pride struck first from the penalty spot and carried that lead into halftime, but Boston equalized in the second half and then scored a penalty kick of its own in stoppage time to win it late. It’s a brutal loss for an Orlando team that has struggled with consistency and has yet to win twice in a row this season. There’s not much time for the Pride to regroup before their next match, as they’re set to take on the Denver Summit on the road on Saturday.

MLSPA Releases Player Salary Information

The Major League Soccer Players Association shared the salary information for players under contract as of April 16. Designated Players Martin Ojeda and Marco Pasalic are the only Lions with base salaries over $1 million, with each having a salary of $1.6 million. As for some of the new faces in the City Beautiful this year, Braian Ojeda’s salary is $725,000, Maxime Crepeau’s is $600,000, and Tiago’s is $500,000.

There’s no prize for guessing which player has the highest salary in the league, with Lionel Messi’s $25 million salary at more than double that of Son Heung-Min’s $10.3 million. In third is another Miami player, with Rodrigo De Paul’s base salary listed as $7.5 million. It at least makes Orlando’s recent win in Miami feel a bit sweeter.

Orlando City B Makes MLS NEXT Pro Power Rankings

In the latest MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, which only list the top 10 teams in the league, Orlando City B placed eighth. This comes following a 2-0 win over Atlanta United 2 as OCB extended its unbeaten run to four games. Harvey Sarajian and Gustavo Caraballo have led OCB’s attack so far this season, while Issah Haruna has now scored in two consecutive games as well. Goalkeeper Luca Maxim was also stellar between the sticks for his first professional clean sheet in that win against Atlanta. It’s nice to see the Young Lions receive some recognition and they will have a chance to keep their streak going when they play New England Revolution II on the road on Sunday.

Free Kicks

  • San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Niko Tsakiris underwent successful groin surgery and is expected to miss three or four months. The 20-year-old has been great this season, recording three goals and seven assists while leading the league with 34 created chances.
  • American midfielder Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough were beaten 2-1 by Southampton in the playoffs for promotion to the English Premier League. Shea Charles scored in extra time to book Southampton’s ticket to the final against Hull City at Wembley Stadium.
  • The United States Men’s National Team’s roster for the World Cup is released later this month and Giovanni Reyna is one of the biggest names on the bubble. A goal for Borussia Monchengladbach this past Saturday likely didn’t hurt his chances.
  • Cristo Fernandez, who you may know as Dani Rojas from Ted Lasso, has signed a contract to play for El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship after a trial with the team. El Paso is life?
  • Arsenal defender Ben White will miss the remainder of the season due to MCL damage and won’t be available for England for the World Cup either.
  • Slavia Prague was handed a 3-0 forfeit loss after its fans invaded the pitch in stoppage time against rival Sparta Prague. The club was also fined and will play its next four home games without fans.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. Go Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/12/26

Barbra Banda up for weekly honors, Johnny Cardoso to have surgery, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B both picked up victories, while Orlando City lost. There’s no rest for the wicked though, because the Pride take on Boston Legacy on the road tonight, while the Lions will host the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Barbra Banda up for Weekly Honors

Barbra Banda’s game-winning strike over the North Carolina Courage has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. Banda cut across her marker in the 87th minute with the match tied 0-0 and curled a great strike inside the far post to give the Pride a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished. The victory got Orlando back on track after dropping two games in a row, and the goal was Banda’s league-leading eighth strike of the year. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Surgery for Johnny Cardoso

Atletico Madrid announced on Monday that midfielder Johnny Cardoso will have surgery to repair an injury to his right ankle. Cardoso was hurt during a training session, with Atletico classifying the injury as a “high-grade sprain involving joint damage.” The club’s statement did not specify a timeline for his return to the field and U.S. Soccer has not made any statement besides wishing Cardoso a speedy recovery. That said, with this summer’s World Cup less than a month away, its tough to imagine that he’ll be healed up and ready to be part of the United States Men’s National Team roster. If that’s the case, it’ll be a bitter blow for both the USMNT and a midfielder that looked like a sure bet to be on the squad.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s make sure we’ve got everything on the schedule. Things got started on Monday when Brenden Aaronson played 63 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Action continues today when Aidan Morris and Middlesborough face Southampton in the second leg of an EFL Championship playoff promotion semifinal. Wednesday sees Auston Trusty and Celtic take on Motherwell in a game with massive ramifications on the title race in the Scottish Premier League. Wednesday also has Alex Freeman and Villarreal hosting Sevilla in La Liga play, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will try to play spoiler against Manchester City.

MLS Matchday 12 Lessons

Matchday 12 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, Jack McGlynn was imperious in his second game back from injury, as his brace helped the Houston Dynamo knock off LAFC on the road while USMNT assistant Jesus Perez was watching from the stands. The New England Revolution are now unbeaten in the club’s last seven league games, and Carles Gil was a big reason why, as he nabbed a goal and an assist in the Revs’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. He’s got four goals and four assists so far, and the Revs are sitting pretty at second in the Eastern Conference.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

European seasons aren’t quite wrapped up yet, but that isn’t stopping transfer rumors from flying thick and fast. We start with the Premier League, where Manchester City is reportedly prepared to trigger the release clause of 16-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, before immediately sending the player on loan to continue his development. Elsewhere in England, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all said to be interested in signing Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso. Switching lanes to the managerial side of things, Chelsea has reportedly identified Xabi Alonso as the leading candidate to become the next manager of the team, with the Spaniard said to be open to taking the job. Finally, Jose Mourinho is said to be open to taking the Real Madrid job, although he reportedly has a couple conditions that he wants met first.

Free Kicks

  • Kickoff times have been set for Orlando City’s three group stages matches in this year’s Leagues Cup.
  • The Lions will be launching a new merch collection Friday at The Final Whistle.

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

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