While the Lions take a break from league play ahead of the 2023 MLS Decision Day, let’s take a look at the Orlando City SC players who have been called up to represent their respective national teams.
With six athletes representing five countries taking part, there’s a lot to catch up on during this international break, including two first-time call-ups for Duncan McGuire (US Olympic Team) and Abdi Salim (Somalia) .
Facundo Torres and Uruguay currently sit in fourth place in the CONMEBOL qualifiers with two games remaining and are aiming to return to the 2026 World Cup. During this period, they will first play away against Colombia, then play Brazil at home to finish the week.
Pedro Gallese, Wilder Cartagena and Peru are hoping to get back on the world stage in 2022, where they fell just short. They finished seventh in the qualifying round and qualified for the inter-federation playoffs, and will play away to Chile before hosting the tournament. Argentina wins the World Cup.
Wilfredo Rivera and Puerto Rico return to Nations League B action in a doubleheader against Guyana. Rivera’s Huracán Azul will be hoping to repeat their previous two wins and put some distance between themselves and Guyana in their quest for promotion to League A.
McGuire burst onto the scene this year, earning a call-up to the USYNT U-23 team (also known as the U.S. Olympic Team). The young team will play two friendlies in the sweltering Phoenix heat as they aim for gold medals next in Paris. summer.
Salim is lending his talents to Somalia for two friendlies against Niger and Sierra Leone in mid-November, ahead of the first match day of the Confederation of African Football World Cup qualifiers.