MLS side Orlando City confirmed the signing of French soccer star Antoine Griezmann on Tuesday.
Griezmann, 35, joins the American club from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid on a two-season deal, including an additional one-year option, as a designated player.
The Frenchman will remain with Atletico Madrid until the end of the European season, which still includes a Champions League quarterfinal tie against Barcelona. He will officially join Orlando City in July.
He still has one year remaining on his current deal with Atletico, but longtime manager Diego Simeone has previously given his blessing to a potential move, repeatedly saying that he would support any decision made by the veteran.
‘I am very excited to begin this next chapter of my career with Orlando City,’ Griezmann said in a statement.
‘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.’
Atletico Madrid star and World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann is joining Orlando City
During his time in the Spanish capital, the forward has established himself as Atletico’s record scorer, currently sitting on 211 goals from 488 games.
After winning the World Cup with France in 2018, Griezmann retired from international duty in 2024.
During his glittering career, he also spent two seasons at Barcelona, where he played alongside legend Lionel Messi.
Now, however, Griezmann will be facing off against his former Blaugrana teammate, who made the move to MLS and Inter Miami in 2023.
The French star’s move to MLS comes as no surprise. He has made no secret of his desire to ply his trade Stateside.
Back in 2023, Griezmann admitted that he desired to one day make the move to play across the Atlantic Ocean.
Asked by Spanish newspaper AS at the time whether he would consider extending his contract at Atletico, Griezmann said: ‘I know that the club is in favor of being able to make an effort and we will talk about it.
‘Beyond Europe, what I would like later is the MLS. I have always recognized that.
The Frenchman will remain with Atletico Madrid until the end of the European season
The 35-year-old joins a host of European talent in MLS, including Lionel Messi (left)
‘But Atletico will be almost one hundred percent my last club in Europe.
‘It’s where I want to be, where I see myself happiest and here I am at home.’
Griezmann has not hidden his love of American sporting culture, either. He frequently vacations in the United States and has been spotted at a number of NBA and NFL games over the years.
A big fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, Griezmann met their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes during an NFL international game in Germany in November, 2023, when they exchanged jerseys.
Most recently, he featured on the official broadcast of the Miami Dolphins’ game against the Washington Commanders at local rivals Real Madrid’s home, the Santiago Bernabeu last season, which marked the first-ever NFL game to be hosted in Spain.
MLS has welcomed a wave of European talent in recent years with Griezmann just the latest big name in soccer to make the switch to the States.
The numbers include compatriots Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud, who both left European leagues to wind down their careers on the US’s west coast with Los Angeles FC. The latter has since returned to Europe with French side Lille.
Meanwhile, Messi and Luis Suarez are both still playing for David Beckham’s Inter Miami. Their fellow former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba also played for the South Florida side before both retired at the end of the 2025 MLS season.
