Orlando City unveil Antoine Griezmann: "My goal is to win a trophy" | OneFootball

By Charles Boehm

He might just be the club’s biggest signing ever – and certainly the biggest since Kaká arrived to launch the Lions into MLS in 2015 – and his introduction reflected as such.

Orlando City officially welcomed Antoine Griezmann on Tuesday with a lavish showcase event attended by media, supporters and club owner and chairman Mark Wilf, underlining both the French legend’s talents and the club’s ambitions to make him the cornerstone of a title contender.

“Here I am, very eager, and my goal is to win a trophy and make the whole city happy,” said the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, who dyed his hair OCSC purple as part of the hype campaign, in Spanish.

I will give my absolute best, my 1000%, for this team, for these colors, and in the end the ball comes first.”

MLS dreams realized

Earlier this year, Griezmann dropped the curtain on a glittering decade-plus at Atlético Madrid, in which he helped the Spanish powerhouse win UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup titles and reach the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey finals, departing as the club’s all-time leading scorer. 

At the international level, he anchored one of the most successful eras in France’s history, helping Les Bleus reach the 2022 World Cup and 2016 Euro finals, in addition to their 2018 World Cup triumph, and finishing as the program’s all-time leader in assists.

On Tuesday, he revealed that he’s had MLS on his mind the entire time, and at age 35, he arrives with plenty left in the tank.

“Since I was 18, my dream and ambition was to come here to MLS,” said the versatile attacker, whose love of North American sports and culture has been well established by his many Stateside visits over the years.

 “American culture has always drawn me in; I’ve made 24-hour trips just to watch NFL or NBA games. I wanted to arrive in good physical and mental shape, and I think I'm in perfect condition to perform, which is what I wanted: to help the team grow.”

New chapter

Explaining why he chose Orlando, Griezmann spoke warmly of Lions general manager and sporting director Ricardo Moreira and his extensive recruitment efforts.

“The fact that he traveled all the way to my house in Madrid really touched me,” he said of Moreira, calling the club’s push for his signature “a big gamble” and “an incredible effort” that fuels his motivation that much further. “We had a great conversation; he’s someone who gives his all for his club, works hard every day, and always gives 100%. He’s so humble.

“It was a wonderful surprise for me. I think that’s where it all started – after that talk and getting to know him. That’s when my affection for Orlando and my desire to come here really grew. The very next day, I told my sister I wanted to do whatever it took to come to the United States, to MLS.”

Griezmann, his wife Erika Choperena and their four young children have already settled into a large lakefront home in the Orlando suburbs, and he’s been training with his new teammates in hopes of making a fast start to his MLS career.

“I connected very well with the club, I loved the city and my children are delighted,” said Griezmann. “It has been incredible and unexpected for my family and me, and hopefully we can give that affection back.

“The level of what I saw technically was quite, very good,” he said of his early training sessions under Lions interim head coach Martín Perelman. “I'll have to see how it goes in the matches, but I'm very, very happy with the level we're showing this week that I've been training, and I'm sure we'll keep improving.”

Long-term mindset

There’s ample work to do in central Florida. With 44 goals conceded in their first 15 league matches, Orlando have been by far MLS’s leakiest defense in the first half of the season and at present they sit four points below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference in 12th place (4W-9L-2D).

While Griezmann aims to make an immediate impact, Moreira also emphasizes that he’s a signature signing with a long-term mindset. His two-and-a-half-year Designated Player contract runs through the 2027-28 season with a club option for 2028-29.

“He can be the face of this club for hopefully many years,” said the Brazilian CSO.

The Lions will make a cross-country trip to San Jose to face the Earthquakes at PayPal Park for their first league match after the World Cup break on July 22 (10:30 pm ET | Apple TV), followed by his home debut at Inter&Co Stadium three days later vs. Nashville SC (8:30 pm ET | Apple TV).

Griezmann issued a rallying cry to the hardcore Lions faithful who prowl The Wall, the stadium’s steeply canted supporters’ section at the venue’s north end.

“Just keep doing what you've been doing for years, pushing the team forward,” he said. “I hope I can score many goals in that side of the stadium. Let's enjoy it together, let's be a nightmare for the opponent.

“Surely, if we go hand in hand, we'll win the trophy.”