Antonio Carlos has played in nine matches wearing the Lion’s crest in the current MLS season.
Antonio Carlos joined Orlando City from Brazilian powerhouse Palmeiras before the start of the 2021 season. In his third season with the Florida franchise in Major League Soccer, the 30-year-old center-back has naturally become one of the leaders of Óscar Pareja’s roster, helping other players, orienting them on the field, and setting an example in the locker room.
After playing a full match against the New York Red Bulls at the Red Bull Arena, the Brazilian spoke gently with Território MLS about the 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls and his future with Orlando City.
“I knew it was going to be a difficult match. We have played against New York many times, and we knew they would make it hard for us, especially by playing at their home. We knew their impetus on the high press, and we had a little problem with it. We scored one-nil in the first half and came back from halftime, and they had a player getting the red card, which made it a bit easier for us. They started coming at us even with one man down, and we had some difficulties with it, which is normal. We scored the second goal, then three, but we knew it would be a tough game. We know their qualities, but thank God we had a good game to come up with the win”, says the center-back.
Orlando City had three more Brazilian players last season besides Antonio Carlos in its roster: Alexandre Pato, whose contract expired at the end of 2023, and the club decided not to extend it; Junior Urso, who used personal reasons to jointly terminate his contract with Orlando and return to Brazil, where he currently plays for Coritiba; and left-back Ruan, who found a new home for himself with DC United in the US capital.
With his fellow compatriots going different paths, Antonio Carlos initially thought about returning to Brazil. However, having one more year with Orlando, the center-back will stick until the end of the season and then decide what’s next for him.
“The idea (of going back to Brazil) shook me, but I have honored my contracts with all the clubs I played for. I’m thrilled here, but like I said in all my interviews, the future belongs to God. So I’ll see. My current contract expires at the end of the year. We will talk with Orlando City. I’ll listen to them first, but I’ll keep my focus here until my last day”, ends Antonio Carlos.
(Cover: Twitter/Orlando City)
