ORLANDO – There was some apprehension on the part of Rafael Ramos and Estrela when it came to leaving the comfort of Portugal’s Benfica for the unknown in Orlando. But it did not take long for the close friends to feel at home in Florida upon their arrival late in the summer.
After signing Major League Soccer contracts with Orlando City in August, each earned valuable minutes during the final portion of the USL PRO season as the Lions finished with the league’s best record.
“It was really difficult at first, because I’ve been used to always being with my family,” Ramos told MLSSocccer.com. “But this is my life. This is what I want for my future – playing football – and I’m happy being here now. It made it much easier having a friend here.”
Ramos, 19, finished the 2014 season with a goal and an assist in 360 minutes of work at right back. Estrela, also 19, logged 450 minutes and scored a goal from his defensive midfield position.
Although both are seemingly a world away from family and friends, they are being watched from afar by aspiring players back home who are just now realizing the opportunities that exist professionally in MLS.
“The interesting thing is that when Raf and Estrela first came here, they weren’t real excited about it,” said Orlando City general manager Paul McDonough, who returned from a trip to Benfica earlier this month. “They were like, ‘Well, I don’t know about America, so why do it?’ but they came and they loved it, and now when they go back home, there’s a bunch of other kids there thinking this is something they could also try.”
Orlando City forged a partnership with the Portuguese side in June. The primary benefit between the clubs included the sharing of evaluations of pro and youth players, among other arrangements. Lion defenders Tommy Redding and Tyler Turner will train with Benfica following their stint with the US U-20 national team in Spain, where they are taking part in three matches ahead of CONCACAF's January qualifying tournament for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, to be played in New Zealand.
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Ramos and Estrela are currently training with Portugal’s U-20 team in Coimbra, Portugal in hopes of making their first international appearances in Monday’s friendly against England. But it will not be long before both return to Orlando to prepare for their first MLS season and welcome a new group of teammates to the fold, just as they were greeted by last season’s version of the Lions three short months ago.
“It was a hard decision to leave my family and to live so far away from them, but it was a decision we made together,” Estrela said. “This is a good opportunity for my future, and knowing that Rafael was coming here made the decision a lot easier. I’m grateful for how they received us to the team. The face of the team is going to change when we get new players, and it’ll be our job to receive those new players in the same way.”
