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Antoine Griezmann has accumulated numerous honors throughout his illustrious career with Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and France, but the 2018 World Cup winner isn't scaling back his ambitions as he joins Orlando City in MLS for the second half of the 2026 season.
"Here I am, very motivated, and my goal is to win silverware and bring joy to the entire city," Griezmann told reporters this week, having spent much of the past month in the United States, adjusting to life as he prepares to return to competitive soccer, while also taking some time to enjoy the 2026 World Cup and France's campaign.
"The squad is fantastic. Players with tremendous quality and heart, and they've welcomed me in an amazing way, and I already feel right at home. It feels like I've been here for months in the dressing room, and that's all down to them."
It will have been 59 days since Griezmann last featured for Atlético Madrid by the time he reaches his potential MLS debut, but he has wasted no time getting up to speed with the Lions. He's already netted in a summer friendly against USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies and is set to make his official debut on July 22 against Timo Werner's San Jose Earthquakes.
GUESS WHO 😉
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After flirting with an MLS switch for years, Griezmann finally made it official in March, arranging his transfer after concluding the 2025–26 season with Atlético Madrid, where he contributed seven goals and four assists across 34 appearances, as the club finished fourth in La Liga and were eliminated in the Champions League semifinals.
Securing Griezmann's signature was no straightforward task for Ricardo Moreira, Orlando City's general manager and sporting director, who made the trip to Madrid to personally pitch the decorated forward on a potential move to the United States.
"Ricardo's journey to Madrid—eight or nine hours of travel—just knowing that meant the world to me," Griezmann said. "It was a wonderful moment where I initially invited him just for coffee and water. A few hours passed, and it went brilliantly. We talked at length, and by the end, I knew everything about the team, the club and its culture."
Moreira added at the unveiling ceremony: "A signing like this doesn't happen by accident ... It came together through a couple of trips to Madrid. Antoine's family opened the doors of their home to me, and I got to spend a little time with the Griezmann family there in Madrid. I think the personal connection was established right then, and from that point on, I was confident that we would eventually get him signed."
A Dream Come True: Playing in the U.S.
While Griezmann is far from the first seasoned European star to make his way to Major League Soccer, he's among the few who have already become a recognizable figure in the North American sports scene, regularly attending NBA games and various events across the U.S.
Now, he gets the opportunity to fully embrace it all firsthand, in a move he describes as his "dream and ambition" since he was "18 years old"—a timeline that predates Orlando City's MLS existence by six years.
"Since I was 18 years old, my dream was to play in Major League Soccer," Griezmann said. "It was important for me to arrive in good physical and mental shape, and that's why I made this move ... I came to visit the city, and we fell in love with it. The kids loved it too. It's incredible how warmly we've been welcomed by everyone, and I hope I can give that love back."
Already this summer, the 35-year-old, his wife Erika and their four children have settled into the Orlando suburbs, while he has been spotted at World Cup matches, including France's quarterfinal victory over Morocco in Boston.
"The kids are falling in love with the city; everyone who has welcomed us here—it's been incredible, not only at their school, but also for our family and for me," Griezmann added. "We're very happy, and I hope I can give that love back to all of you."
Making a Late MLS Cup Playoff Push
Griezmann brings renewed optimism to Orlando City, though the Lions find themselves in a comparable situation to their rivals Inter Miami back in 2023, when they brought Lionel Messi to MLS. At that time, Miami were languishing near the foot of the Eastern Conference and were largely out of playoff contention—much as Orlando City are now.
Through 15 of 34 matches, Orlando City sit 12th in the Eastern Conference, four points behind D.C. United for the ninth and final postseason berth. Nevertheless, by adding one of the finest attackers of his generation, there's optimism not only for this season but also for a stronger start next year, with Griezmann contracted through 2028.
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One of the key priorities now that Griezmann has arrived will be resolving the managerial situation, with Martín Perelman currently serving as interim boss after the club parted ways with experienced head coach Óscar Pareja following a poor start to the season.
"We want to build a championship-caliber club, a world-class organization, and with this signing, we're truly where we need to be," majority owner Mark Wilf said. "There's a lot of excitement and a lot of pride—the entire organization and the whole city—all the support to make this happen, and it came together so beautifully, and we're just thrilled and proud."