Inter Miami and Orlando City are two of the clubs with the most Latinos ahead of the start of the MLS season that kicks off next week.
Beyond sharing the state of Florida, Friday’s match between Inter Miami and Orlando City promises to bring an even stronger Latino atmosphere than usual. The two clubs boast the highest number of South American players in Major League Soccer, a distinction that sets them apart from the rest of the league.
Between them, the teams have 28 South American players – 14 on each squad – more than any of the other 30 MLS teams.
Of Miami’s 14 South American players, 10 hold Argentine nationality, including Benjamin Cremaschi and Santiago Morales, who represent the United States, as well as Héctor David Martínez, who plays for Paraguay.
Colombia leads the way in Orlando City
Orlando City has a more balanced mix of nationalities, but Colombian representation stands out the most – especially considering that their head coach is Óscar Pareja.
Orlando currently has four Colombian players, including recent signings Eduard Atuesta, who arrived from LAFC, and 20-year-old Nicolás Rodríguez, who joined from Fortaleza in Colombia.
“Profe Pareja has done a great job since arriving, and every year this team improves. Last year, we were one game away from the final, losing in the conference championship. Eduard (Atuesta) knows this league very well, so adapting here has been easy for him, especially in a team with so many Latinos. Iván (Angulo) is in his fourth year at the club, and the fans love him - he’s eager to do well. Then there’s Nicolás (Rodríguez). We’re five Colombian players plus the coach. We’re proud to represent Colombia and take our flag as high as possible,” said Colombian forward Luis Muriel in a press conference.
Miami-Orlando: a budding rivalry in Florida
Despite Inter Miami’s short history in the MLS, the two clubs are developing a rivalry based on their shared home state. “It’s like any derby, a match of its own. The tension rises, and you don’t prepare for it the same way as you do for other opponents. From the moment I arrived, I was made aware of its importance, and I’ve taken it as seriously as the biggest derbies I’ve played in,” Muriel added.
Inter Miami and Orlando City will face off on Friday, February 14, at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT and 4:30 p.m. PT) at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in a preseason clash ahead of next week’s MLS kickoff. There will be little love lost this Valentine’s Day in Florida.
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cetdklmory
1
Sorry, near retiring players might be invading the MLS but not global football fans who would rather watch Euro, South American, Saudi, Asian or African football !
SGTSingam
2
we've got to watch The Goat in action
gigi07
0
Football goes beyond language, creeds, colors, nationality,football is a religion on its own, football penetrating America with Messi leading, Messi is a pure gift from heaven to mankind, Messi is the definition and pure demonstration of God's perfection and awesomeness awareness! Unfortunately, Messi does not know he is Messi. I had a friend in school who is first and only person to ever scored 95% in the most difficult subject that we have, so the subject teacher couldn't believe he didn't cheat and that he did alone, so he took him to a private room and set another exam more difficult for him and stood alone with him with cameras everywhere to watch all his moves but at the end my friend scored 99% because the external marker said he can't give him 100%. Those who talk about Fifa script, given not earned, fraud, robbery, rigged blah blah blah are just being childish and you see why Messi never responded to anything because he knows what he is able and capable of doing. Messi ability and capabilities makes other best players look like a joke, they feel like Messi is cheating or someone is helping him some how instead of them to accept Messi's supremacy. Pelu and Maradona are sọ so lucky and must be thanking their stars for not being born in same era with Messi, but the greatest mistakes of Cristiano is being born in the same era with Messi, Cristiano is so unlucky and that you see him organizing interviews and granting interviews to talk about Messi everyday.
eeeih
putimopruy
4
Football goes beyond language, creeds, colors, nationality,football is a religion on its own, football penetrating America with Messi leading, Messi is a pure gift from heaven to mankind, Messi is the definition and pure demonstration of God's perfection and awesomeness awareness! Unfortunately, Messi does not know he is Messi. I had a friend in school who is first and only person to ever scored 95% in the most difficult subject that we have, so the subject teacher couldn't believe he didn't cheat and that he did alone, so he took him to a private room and set another exam more difficult for him and stood alone with him with cameras everywhere to watch all his moves but at the end my friend scored 99% because the external marker said he can't give him 100%. Those who talk about Fifa script, given not earned, fraud, robbery, rigged blah blah blah are just being childish and you see why Messi never responded to anything because he knows what he is able and capable of doing. Messi ability and capabilities makes other best players look like a joke, they feel like Messi is cheating or someone is helping him some how instead of them to accept Messi's supremacy. Pelu and Maradona are sọ so lucky and must be thanking their stars for not being born in same era with Messi, but the greatest mistakes of Cristiano is being born in the same era with Messi, Cristiano is so unlucky and that you see him organizing interviews and granting interviews to talk about Messi everyday.
seseimpy
1
the GOAT