Can Orlando City ride its outsider status all the way to the MLS Cup?
Quick: Who do you think is capable of winning the MLS Cup?
Plenty of teams have come up this season as a strong answer. Cincinnati FC is a high-flying attacking outfit capable of beating anyone; LAFC is MLS's galactico side, featuring stars like Denis Bouanga and Riqui Puig. Inter Miami, after its signing of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, has recently joined the conversation as well.
One team no one mentions is Orlando City SC, and that's a real shame. The Florida team has quietly revamped its season since the summer break, moving from mid-table also-rans to genuine challengers for the MLS Cup. In a league known for its parity, Orlando is a true underdog; it's a franchise few consider but one that's more than capable of causing a few upsets.
It's also the only Florida team to have already qualified for the MLS Playoffs--take that, Inter Miami.
In many ways, Orlando City SC is a quintessential MLS success story. It's a big city with a diverse population that has long been overlooked by many professional sports leagues. When Orlando City opened its doors in 2015 it did so with lots of local buzz and positivity--and it brought a few famous faces to the party, too. Brazilian World Cup winner Kaká joined as the franchise's first designated player, while Canadian star Cyle Larin arrived as its first draft pick.
Orlando has not been the most eye-catching team in MLS during its run, but it has been consistent; this is the team's fourth straight appearance in the MLS playoffs. It's made a name for itself as a direct, old-school attacking team that never knows when it's beaten. No one is better than Orlando at coming back from losing positions--it's done it six times this season.
Orlando's most promising player is Uruguayan winger Facundo Torres. At just 23 years old, he's got plenty of good years in front of him, and he's caught the eye of everyone from MLS scouts to Uruguayan national team coach Marcelo Bielsa. Like Miguel Almiron and Jhon Duran before him, Torres is proof that MLS isn't just a retirement league for legends like Messi; it's a feeder league capable of developing fearsomely gifted young players, too.
While Orlando's playoff spot is secure, it must continue winning in order to ensure a top seed. Its next challenge just might be its biggest: an all-Florida clash against rising Inter Miami. Messi won't play due to his ongoing muscular fatigue, but it shouldn't matter; Miami's supporting cast is strong and will be hungry to get one over its Floridian rivals.
Orlando isn't bothered. After stellar recent performances like its 4-3 comeback victory against Columbus, it believes it's capable of greatness.
"[That win] was another demonstration of the character of this group," Orlando coach Oscar Pareja said. "I want to honor that responsibility and that desire to overcome.
"We're still a team who can compete in the playoffs for big things. We know who we are."
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