Antoine Griezmann faces a tough challenge in his American adventure
Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 10:56 PM
The unknown adventure across the Atlantic for Antoine Griezmann does not look easy. He will need to work hard on the field to make Orlando shine. Antoine Griezmann may be living his American dream, but has he truly considered the football aspect? Local colleagues from ESPN warn about the challenging situation that the best scorer in the history of Atletico Madrid could find in Florida, within a struggling franchise. After five matches, Orlando currently sits in thirteenth place in their Eastern Conference, out of fifteen teams, with the worst goal difference in the entire Major League Soccer (-12). They also hold another unfortunate record, having conceded 40 shots on target. Their most recent match ended in a 5-0 loss to Nashville.
“I perceived a strong ambition and a clear vision of the future, it really appealed to me”
Coach Oscar Pareja was fired after just three matches, following the departure of four key players: goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, forward Luis Muriel (formerly of Udinese, Sampdoria, Sevilla, and Atalanta), central defender Rodrigo Schlegel, and right-back Alex Freeman. This made room for Antoine Griezmann’s salary, but at what cost… “Excited to start this new chapter”, Antoine Griezmann is playing it corporate for now: “From my first interactions with the club, I perceived a strong ambition and a clear vision of the future, and it really appealed to me.” The immediate future, the one he will encounter upon arriving mid-season, may not necessarily involve playoff ambitions… Unless they can find additional reinforcements that, in four months, will be enough to boost this squad. While Heung-Min Son and Thomas Muller have joined Los Angeles FC and Vancouver as icing on the cake, this is not the case for Antoine Griezmann, seen as the cornerstone of a new project. But at 35 years old, does he have the time and desire for it?
