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Griezmann scores first goal for Orlando City in dominant friendly victory

A few weeks after joining MLS, Antoine Griezmann found the back of the net with Orlando City in a friendly match against Tampa Bay Rowdies (6-0), a second-division American team.

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Griezmann scores first goal for Orlando City in dominant friendly victory
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Antoine Griezmann scored his first goal in an Orlando City shirt during a friendly match against Tampa Bay Rowdies, which ended 6-0, just weeks after his arrival in Florida.

The French striker, former Atlético de Madrid player and 2018 World Cup champion, joined the Florida franchise during the break linked to the World Cup. The MLS season is expected to resume at the end of July. In the meantime, Griezmann had the chance to get match fit against a USL team, the equivalent of the American second division.

During his first public remarks since arriving, the Frenchman displayed clear ambitions. “Here I am, full of enthusiasm, and my objective is to win a trophy and make the whole city happy,” he said in Spanish. “I will give my best, 100%, for this team, for these colours, and ultimately, the ball comes before everything.”

Griezmann also mentioned a long-standing attachment to American culture. “Since I was 18 years old, my dream and ambition were to come and play in MLS. American culture has always fascinated me; I made 24-hour trips just to attend NFL or NBA games.” He specified that he wanted to “arrive in peak physical and mental condition” to “contribute to the team’s progress”.

Orlando City, which occupies a precarious position in the MLS standings, hopes that the arrival of the French international will allow it to turn things around in the second half of the season.

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