Orlando City SC completed the long-anticipated signing of Atlético Madrid superstar Antoine Griezmann on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old French attacker is signed from July 2026 through the 2027-28 season with an option for 2028-29. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“Bringing Antoine to Orlando is a landmark moment not only for our club, but for our city, our supporters and for Major League Soccer,” team owner and chair Mark Wilf said. “He is one of the most gifted, accomplished and influential players of his generation, and his decision to choose Orlando City reflects the mission and culture of our club. 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.“
Griezmann joins an Orlando City team that enjoys an intra-state and increasingly-heated rivalry with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. However, the Lions have suffered to start the 2026 season, with four losses in their opening five games leading to head coach Óscar Pareja’s sacking in March.
Griezmann will join the Lions as a designated player when the MLS secondary transfer window opens in July, pending medical clearance and receipt of his international paperwork.
“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.”
Griezmann has recorded 13 goals and four assists across all competitions with the La Liga side this season.
The 2018 Fifa World Cup winner spent 10 seasons at Atlético Madrid, where he is the club’s all-time leader with 211 goals across all competitions from 2014-19 and 2021-26. He was the La Liga Player of the Year in 2015-16 and placed third in the Ballon d’Or voting in 2016 and 2018. His 488 games are the fourth-most in Atletico’s history.
He has won three trophies with Atlético: 2014 Spanish Super Cup, 2018 Europa League and 2018 Uefa Super Cup. Atlético has the Copa del Rey final next month and is up against Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals. Griezmann has also played for Real Sociedad and Barcelona.
“Let’s leave the future in the future because I’m not leaving yet,” Griezmann said in comments provided by Atlético. “I still have months left in this shirt, months to give my life on the pitch, both at our stadium and away, to lift that Copa del Rey and to dream of going as far as possible in the Champions League.”
“Antoine is a complete footballer – creative, intelligent, clinical – and he is a proven winner on the biggest stages of the game,” Orlando City general manager Ricardo Moreira said. “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.“
Griezmann has tallied 298 goals and 132 assists across 792 professional appearances in Spain. He had 44 goals in 137 caps for France before retiring from international competition in 2024.
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