Team, captain Pereyra agree to part ways

Midfielder has been with Orlando City for nearly 5 seasons

The Orlando City Soccer Club and Mauricio Pereyra have agreed to terminate the midfielder’s contract, the club announced today. The agreement was a mutual decision to allow the Lions’ captain to explore new opportunities.

“Mauricio has embodied Orlando City since the moment he arrived to the Club, and we’re very thankful for everything he has given to us, our fans and the community,” said Luiz Muzzi, Orlando City EVP of soccer operations and general manager, via a news release. “His contributions and impact to our organization will be felt for years to come, and we wish him and his family the best of luck in this next chapter of their lives.”

Pereyra expressed his thanks to Orlando City fans and supporters in the same press release.

“Thank you to everyone for these four years together. It was a pleasure to belong to this family and I am so thankful to every person that works for this Club and that has helped this team grow and win titles from their place,” Pereyra said. “I was honored and proud to be given the Captain’s armband and, of course, thanks to the technical staff and my teammates who helped me to become better as a player, but more so made me feel loved and made me a better person. I’ll miss you, but from this next season and beyond you’ll have one more fan that will wish nothing but the best for you. I love you and thank you.”

The 33-year-old midfielder appeared in 38 matches for the Lions this past season, tying his single-season club record for assists with 12 across all competitions, which he previously set in 2022. Pereyra is the lone player in club history to tally doubledigit assists in three consecutive campaigns after posting 11 in 2021 and 12 in both 2022 and 2023.

In nearly five seasons as a Lion, the Montevideo, Uruguay, native has appeared in 135 matches across all competitions with 121 starts, sitting first in club history in assists at 47, while finding the back of the net seven times throughout his tenure.

Pereyra captained the Lions throughout some of their most important moments over the last two years, including the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship run, wearing the armband and lifting the club’s first trophy in its MLS era. Pereyra also scored the eventual game-winner in the semifinal round of that trophy run against the New York Red Bulls, as well as scoring an incredible goal from outside the box in the Club’s Leagues Cup 2023 win over Santos Laguna.