Orlando City Announces Signing of Antoine Griezmann
Orlando City announced the signing of Atlético Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann on Tuesday morning.
The 35-year-old is set to join the club in July following the conclusion of his season with Atlético Madrid. He will remain with Orlando through the 2027–28 season, with an option for an additional year.
He was signed to a Designated Player contract, meaning his salary will exceed MLS’s salary cap. Griezmann joins the club’s three other designated players: Marco Pašalić, Braian Ojeda and Martín Ojeda.
The French native has extensive experience at the highest level of professional soccer. Griezmann helped lead the French national team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup title, where he was named Man of the Match in the final.
He also played for France in the 2022 World Cup, where the team reached the final before falling to Argentina.
Griezmann began his professional career with Spanish club Real Sociedad before joining Atlético Madrid in 2014, where he earned several honors, including LaLiga Player of the Year in 2016.
He transferred to FC Barcelona for a reported 120 million euros in 2019. During his time with Barcelona, he won the Copa del Rey before returning to Atlético in 2021. His contract with Atlético Madrid was set to expire next summer.
Griezmann has scored 298 goals in his club career.
Atlético Madrid remains in contention for multiple titles this season, including the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League. Griezmann wrote about his hopes for the rest of the season in an Instagram post announcing his departure Tuesday.
Griezmann has expressed interest in finishing his career in MLS for several years. He spoke about his excitement to join Orlando in a statement released by the club Tuesday.
“I am very excited to begin this next chapter of my career with Orlando City,” Griezmann said. “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.”
The signing comes after Orlando City parted ways with longtime head coach Óscar Pareja, saying the club wanted to move in a new direction.
Griezmann is a valuable addition to a roster that has struggled with consistency this season. Orlando City currently sits 13th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 1-0-4 record.
“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,” Orlando City owner Mark Wilf said in the statement.
Category: MLS, Orlando City SC, Soccer
