KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- This past weekend, Orlando City did something that no other team in MLS history has done.
As the Starting XI was announced prior to their eventual 2-1 win over Minnesota United on Saturday, the Lions became the first team in league history to field 10 South American players to start a game.
It's a unique stat for a league that has existed since 1996 and for this to be the first time in over 25 years that it has happened, speaks to the growth of the league since that time. Not just in the grand scheme of the footballing world, but for the league to become a destination for young players looking to take the next step in their careers.
"It's incredible," Lions forward Ramiro Enrique said, "especially for a new player coming into this team ... to be able to be a part of that is fantastic. Having 10, that's crazy, but it was great to be a part of it."
Lions head coach Oscar Pareja has been at the forefront of that. After coming to MLS back in 1998 from Colombia, Pareja has played and coached in the league since, seeing the growth of the South American contingent firsthand.
"I have a big respect for the integration that they have," he said, "I have big respect for the players who came from other countries and help this league to grow. I have a big respect as well for Americans that are taking us to the next next level in the world. And this mix is probably the best value that this country has. This diversity and how can we embrace them all and how can we develop the league together.
"Many of those guys have chosen to come here and they give priority to the league, to our community, and to our team here. Instead of just going directly to Europe to bigger leagues in the paper, that's already a big thing for our league. Many of these guys have been wanted by big clubs in Europe and they're happy here."
The market of South American soccer has been progressively booming for MLS, with many players in the league that come from there moving on to other teams in Europe. It's one of the top places that the Lions' scouting department has highlighted to be able to bring in players striving to play in the top divisions of world soccer.
"I think it's clear that those markets are markets that we know well we have good connections with," Orlando City EVP of soccer operations and general manager Luiz Muzzi said. "We understand how those players work, what they want and how they want to progress in their careers. So there's a great opportunity for us to get good players that are hungry and that understand that MLS has been growing a lot.
"This is a great place for them to play, and they can go on from here to continue growing their careers."
Thirteen players on the Lions roster hail from South America, mixed in with 12 that come from North America. It's a healthy balance of different soccer cultures that, when blended together, can help both sides improve and grow their games. Considering many of the young Orlando homegrowns are still starting out in their careers, training and playing with peers that have different experiences in the game can only help their professional growth.
"South America is our bread and butter because we understand a lot of the players coming from there, but we are also very high on the American player," Muzzi said, "We don't want to forget about those players because we really value and trust the American players and the growth of our academies. We hope that more and more players are going to make that transition from the Academy into the first team and beyond.
"The players we bring in from abroad have helped in that growth for those players, and the results of that growth of the Academy will be seen very soon."
