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Atlético Madrid Star Antoine Griezmann Signs with Orlando City

The 2018 World Cup winner penned the deal on Tuesday morning local time.
Sophia Vesely|
Antoine Griezmann signed a contract with Orlando City on Tuesday.
Antoine Griezmann signed a contract with Orlando City on Tuesday. | Courtesy of Orlando City

It’s official. Orlando City signed Atlético Madrid star Antoine Griezmann on Tuesday morning local time, making the 2018 World Cup winner the latest superstar to join MLS.

Griezmann flew to Florida on Sunday following Atléti’s 3–2 loss to Real Madrid to confirm the details of his contract, which is set to take effect during MLS’s summer transfer window after the 2026 World Cup.

The French striker, who will see out the remainder of Atléti’s season, could don the purple and gold in the U.S.’s top flight as soon as July 22, when the Lions travel to the San Jose Earthquakes.

“I am very excited to begin this next chapter of my career with Orlando City,” Griezmann said. “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.”

Antoine Griezmann’s MLS Contract Details

Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann will be the club’s newest Designated Player. | Courtesy of Orlando City

The 35-year-old signed a contract through the 2027–2028 season—during which he will be 37 years old—with an option for 2028–29. Griezmann will be Orlando City’s newest Designated Player, meaning his “total compensation and acquisition costs exceed the Maximum Salary Budget Charge,” according to MLS. For Griezmann, that is a budget of $401,562.50, given he is joining the club in the secondary transfer window.

Each MLS club is allotted a maximum of three Designated Player spots on its roster, and the Lions already hold three: Argentine star midfielder Martín Ojeda, who signed a contract extension in January through the 2028–29 season; Paraguayan midfielder Braian Ojeda, who was acquired in January and on a new contract through the 2028–29 season; and Croatian winger Marco Pašalić, who was acquired in Feb. 2025 and is contracted through 2027.

One of the Lions’ three Designated Players will need to have their salaries “bought down” using Targeted Allocation Money or traded to make way for Griezmann. It is unclear which player that will be.

What Griezmann Brings to Orlando City

The 2018 World Cup winner has a lot to offer Orlando City, who currently sit 13th in the Eastern Conference with just a single win in the opening five games of league play. The Lions desperately need a goalscorer, averaging one goal per game thus far—a stark contrast to their 17 total goals conceded.

“Antoine is a complete footballer—creative, intelligent, clinical—and he is a proven winner on the biggest stages of the game,” said Ricardo Moreira, Orlando City SC General Manager & Sporting Director. “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 star striker is ending an over 15-year tenure in La Liga—with stints at Real Sociedad, FC Barcelona and Atléti—during which he notched 298 goals and 132 assists across 792 appearances. He recorded 44 goals and 38 assists with the French national team before retiring from international play in 2024. Griezmann’s most famous performance came in France’s 2018 World Cup final win, when he scored a penalty and provided an assist to earn Player of the Match and the Silver Boot.

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Sophia Vesely
SOPHIA VESELY

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