KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Last Saturday at Inter.co Stadium featured a day full of unforgettable moments.
A sold-out crowd was on hand to witness Antoine Griezmann make his home debut, and the night was capped off with a Tyrese Spicer winner in a 1-0 win over the current top team in MLS, Nashville SC. But the match also marked a milestone moment in the career of Orlando's own Bernardo Rhein.
One of the longest-tenured players to come through the Orlando City academy signed his MLS contract on the day of the match, where he was also named as a starter.Â
"It's been exciting. Everything went by so fast," Rhein said at Orlando Health Training Ground at Osceola Heritage Park on Wednesday. "I found out on Friday the contract came through, and then Saturday was already game night, so I got to start. But it's a dream come true. Coming from the Academy, training over there my whole entire life, and now being over here with all these great players, the fans, the atmosphere, it was fantastic."
It's been a steady progression for Rhein through the ranks. After playing with Orlando City Academy almost since they joined MLS, he moved up to Orlando City B in 2025, inking his first pro deal alongside Justin Ellis. From there, he's continued to impress the coaching staff, often training with the first team over the past two seasons.Â
"Starting off in the Academy over there on field three on the turf, you get that pathway where you see everyone training over here," he said. "It's that drive and that motivation you get from seeing the big players. All the academy kids that came up with me too, the players that came and the ones that left, it's just inspiring. Just to kind of want that motivation to come up here and then be in the locker room with them is just great."
Making his first MLS start at home was a surreal moment for the 18-year-old. Playing at Inter.co Stadium, a place he frequented as a fan when it opened, was a special moment for the Orlando native.
"I had goosebumps at first because of the stadium and everything in that tunnel," Rhein said. "We were in there for a couple minutes, so I was just letting everything sink in before we went out. I tried to hide my emotions as best I could. But yeah, I just tried doing the simple stuff at first to build my confidence up in the game, and then as that's going on, as our team's building up confidence, we're getting the ball. We had the ball a lot. So, then I just hit a flow state, from there."
Now, the team heads back on the road for one last match before Leagues Cup kicks off next Wednesday, marking the first of three straight midweek matches.
Interim head coach MartÃn Perelman acknowledged the Lions' hectic upcoming fixtures, but just like they did back in May, the team is prepared to handle it.
"Well, it was something we knew from the beginning. Of course, we planned," Perelman said. "We knew that we were going to prepare during the training period, the team, and then the competition, like almost like we did the last semester. It's gonna be a lot of training and the video room and then recovery room."
The opponent Saturday is a Red Bull New York side sitting eighth in the Eastern Conference with 22 points, just two points ahead of Orlando in the standings. Three points this weekend against the Michael Bradley-led side could see the Lions back into the playoff picture just as Leagues Cup play begins.
"They are an intense team, and we know them," Perelman said of the Red Bulls. "It's always hard to go on the road, and we're gonna prepare ourselves the best as possible to compete. We will try to win the game, because at the end of the day, it's what we look for."
Kickoff at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, is set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the match on Apple TV.
