Griezmann to Orlando: A Potential "Fiasco" Far From the "American Dream"

At 35, Antoine Griezmann is set to join Major League Soccer, fulfilling a long-held dream for the twilight of his career. This coming June, he will become a player for the Florida-based Orlando City franchise. However, this decision has raised eyebrows among North American soccer specialists. The choice of a city described as 'insecure,' lacking the glamour of New York or Miami, and, crucially, a team languishing at the bottom of the MLS standings, suggests a union that 'smells of fiasco' – even if the arrival of a World Cup winner remains a significant event for soccer enthusiasts.

"Grizou's signing in Florida is fantastic for Orlando City's branding! To develop the brand worldwide, signing a world champion is an excellent idea," observes Doug Roberson, an Atlanta-based American journalist who runs his own site, 'It's Soccer with Doug.' On this point, there's broad agreement. Thibaut Astier, a French agent working in the U.S. for 15 years, concurs: "It's a huge spotlight on the league just before the World Cup. It's not at the level of David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, or Leo Messi, of course. But if they're 5-star players, Griezmann is 4 stars! Here, we see it as a real asset."

The announcement of his arrival in Orlando on Tuesday was a front-page story on ESPN, the reference sports website, for several hours. Griezmann will become the sixth French World Cup winner in MLS history, following Djorkaeff, Henry, Matuidi, Lloris, and Giroud.

Orlando: "Nothing to Do," Far From the "American Dream"

A keen fan of the NBA and American football, Atlético Madrid's all-time leading scorer has always expressed a desire to end his career in the United States. However, the choice of Orlando, a mid-sized city of 330,000 inhabitants in the heart of Florida, raises questions.

Maxime Chanot, a Luxembourgish defender with nearly 200 MLS appearances for New York City and Los Angeles FC, almost signed with Orlando upon his arrival in America. He remarks: "The club is pretty cool, but the city is peculiar, insecure, with many homeless people downtown. Even if Griezmann will surely find a nice place to live, there's nothing to do besides Disney and Universal parks. The Magic's basketball arena is opposite the soccer stadium, but still… Even Miami is a three-hour drive away. We are far from the American dream."

Agent Thibaut Astier attempts to temper these comments: "It's an average market, an expansion franchise dating back to 2015, but it can suit a family lifestyle. It's a club with a Latino culture, much like Florida itself, so Antoine Griezmann won't feel completely out of place."

No Room in Los Angeles or New York

Griezmann's signing with a smaller franchise is largely attributed to the American "Designated Player" (DP) system. Each MLS franchise is permitted to sign only three DPs, whose contracts are exempt from the league's salary cap.

Maxime Chanot paints a current picture of the league: "When you're European and you talk about MLS, you think of New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Either those franchises already have their maximum number of DPs – like LA Galaxy with Riqui Puig, Pec, and Paintsil, or LAFC with Heung-Min Son and Denis Bouanga in attack, not to mention Miami (Messi, Alba, Busquets) – or the New York clubs aren't heavily invested in the DP policy, preferring to focus on player trading. They're no longer interested in players nearing retirement. Chicago could have been an option, but as the schedule will align with Europe's, playing almost all winter in -40°C doesn't sound appealing." Thus, Griezmann didn't have the luxury of choosing among the top-tier destinations.

Griezmann: Successor to Kaká, "One of the Worst DPs in MLS History"?

Another worrying factor for Griezmann's success in MLS is Orlando City's sporting level. In early March, coach Oscar Pareja was fired due to poor results. The franchise currently sits 13th in the Eastern Conference with 1 win and 4 losses. U.S. journalist Doug Roberson strongly doubts the French player's impact in the Floridian context: "At his age, even with his physical capabilities, I'm curious to see how he'll adapt to Florida's humid and oppressive heat, the continuous long travels. And above all, he has never had technically weaker teammates, whether in the French national team or in Madrid."

Roberson draws a comparison between Griezmann's arrival and that of Kaká. From Orlando City's inception in 2015, the 2007 Brazilian Ballon d'Or winner put the club on the map, but "it yielded no results on the field, making him one of the worst DPs in MLS history."

Two Years Plus an Option

"It's a move that unfortunately smells of fiasco, of pre-retirement," laments Chanot. "Orlando right now is extremely shaky. Griezmann is a very good player, but he needs a collective to thrive. And for someone accustomed to the highest level in Europe, in this context, you can quickly crumble. Life is cool, nobody puts pressure on you. If you don't qualify for the play-offs, they pat you on the shoulder with a smile and tell you 'see you next year'."

Antoine Griezmann will aim to perform better than Olivier Giroud or Blaise Matuidi, whose MLS stints did not leave an indelible mark on American fans. The future ex-Madrilène has signed a contract until 2028, with an additional year option.