Orlando City has secured central midfielder Eduard Atuesta with a contract extension that runs through the 2028-2029 season and includes a club option for 2029-2030. The 28-year-old Colombian, who will turn 29 in June, is now under contract to stay at the club until he is at least 32 years old. This new deal affirms Orlando City’s intention to keep Atuesta as a core player moving forward, highlighting his importance to the team’s midfield structure.
Club Leadership Praises Atuesta’s Role and Impact
Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira emphasized the significance of this agreement for the club’s long-term plans. In a statement, he remarked,
“This is an important move for our club as we continue shaping a squad built for sustained success,”
and added,
“Eduard brings a level of intelligence, composure, and leadership that defines how we want to play. His professionalism and influence on the group, both tactically and in the locker room, have been exceptional. We’re proud of the impact he’s made here in Orlando, and we look forward to him continuing to anchor our midfield for years to come.”
Moreira’s comments highlight how Atuesta’s presence extends beyond the pitch, influencing the team’s culture and strategic play.
Atuesta’s Journey to Orlando City and Previous Experiences
Eduard Atuesta joined Orlando City on February 10, 2025, arriving from Palmeiras, a Brazilian Serie A club. Initially signed with a contract covering the 2025 season and a club option for 2026, Orlando City exercised that option after his first year. The negotiation process proved challenging, with uncertainties about whether the transfer would be permanent or a loan, details about salary contributions from Palmeiras, and debates over the transfer fee. Orlando’s limited salary cap flexibility due to its full Designated Player slots complicated matters, but they ultimately secured the transfer.
Before coming to Orlando, Atuesta began his professional career with Independiente Medellín in Colombia. He progressed through their youth academy and debuted with the senior team in 2016. In 2018, he was loaned to LAFC, marking his MLS debut, and signed permanently with LAFC in 2019. Atuesta stayed in Los Angeles through the 2021 season, before transferring to Palmeiras at the end of that year. After a 2024 loan back to LAFC, he returned briefly to Palmeiras before moving to Orlando City.
Performance Overview in Orlando City’s 2025 Season
In his inaugural Orlando season, Atuesta featured in three of the four competitions the club took part in, including MLS regular season, playoffs, and the Leagues Cup, but he missed the U.S. Open Cup. He played 28 regular-season MLS matches, starting 25 and accumulating 2,271 minutes on the field. While he did not score any goals, Atuesta provided seven assists. His offensive involvement included 28 shots, with seven on target. Passing accuracy was high, completing 88% of his passes, ranking second on the team with 57 key passes.
Defensively, he recorded 39 tackles, 22 interceptions, 31 clearances, and six blocks. Atuesta also led the team in fouls committed with 52 and suffered 42 fouls himself. Over the season, he was cautioned six times with yellow cards but did not receive any red cards. In the Eastern Conference wild card match, Atuesta played the entire 90 minutes, maintaining an 88% pass completion rate and contributing defensively with two tackles and one interception, though he also received a yellow card.
Contributions During the Leagues Cup Campaign
Atuesta did not appear in two of Orlando’s Leagues Cup group stage matches but participated in the other four games, all as a starter, totaling 327 minutes. Although he did not register goals or assists, he attempted one shot off target and missed a penalty attempt against Pumas. His passing accuracy remained steady at 88%, including four key passes. Defensively, he was active with seven tackles, eight interceptions, two clearances, and two blocks. He committed and suffered eight fouls during the tournament and received three yellow cards, demonstrating his ongoing vigorous involvement in midfield battles.
Professional Career Highlights and Achievements
Beyond Orlando City, Atuesta’s career includes impressive milestones. Over five seasons with LAFC, he appeared in 124 games (109 starts), scoring 11 goals and assisting 29 times while accumulating 9,790 minutes. His passing average there was 85.9%, with 155 key passes, 172 shots taken, and notable disciplinary records, including 27 yellow cards and one red card in MLS play. He was instrumental in LAFC’s 2019 Supporters’ Shield win and the 2024 U.S. Open Cup trophy.
During his stint in Colombia, Atuesta won a league title with Independiente Medellín in the 2015-2016 season. At Palmeiras, his Brazilian club, he contributed to back-to-back league championships in 2022 and 2023, the 2023 Supercopa do Brasil, and the 2022 Recopa Sudamericana.
Internationally, Atuesta has donned the Colombia jersey across several levels—from U-20 and U-23 squads to the senior national team—earning two senior caps since 2022 and a total of 17 appearances across all age groups.
Implications of Atuesta’s Extended Commitment to Orlando City
Locking Atuesta into a long-term contract removes immediate uncertainties for both player and club, as his previous deal would have expired after 2026, allowing free agency. This extension offers Orlando City security and potential asset protection, ensuring they retain value should Atuesta transfer to another club. Despite his primary role as a No. 8 midfielder rather than a more defensive No. 6, which at times challenged Orlando’s midfield balance in 2025, Atuesta’s high football IQ and passing vision clearly stand out.
His ability to identify passing lanes and initiate swift transitions from defense to attack makes him a valuable playmaker capable of threading through balls that few others can spot. The team’s reliance on Atuesta’s leadership has grown, especially as Orlando City’s roster has become younger in 2026. Head coach Oscar Pareja identified Atuesta as a candidate for game captaincy in Robin Jansson’s absence, alongside Martin Ojeda and Wilder Cartagena.
Overall, this signing signals Orlando City’s trust in Atuesta’s continued development and influence, suggesting that he will be a pivotal figure in their midfield strategy during the coming seasons and a cornerstone of leadership in the locker room.
