ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2021) - Orlando City SC has signed 31-year-old forward Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva, commonly known as Alexandre Pato, to a one-year deal as a free agent, it was announced today. Pato will join the Lions pending the receipt of his P-1 Visa and ITC.
“We are very excited to welcome Pato to Orlando. He’s a veteran player who has featured at some of the top clubs around the world and has a proven track record at the international level. The experience that Pato brings with him will be invaluable to the Club,” said Orlando City EVP of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi. “Pato is a high-calibre player and we’re excited to add another great target up top.”
Pato started out his professional career at Sport Club Internacional of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Brazil’s top-flight, moving from the club’s U20 squad to the First Team in January of 2006. Since then, the experienced center forward has featured for numerous top clubs, including Serie A’s AC Milan, English Premier League’s Chelsea FC and Brazil’s Sport Club Corinthians Paulista and São Paulo FC.
The 31-year-old has won five club trophies so far in his career, including the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2007 Recopa Sudamericana with Internacional, the Italian Scudetto and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2011 with AC Milan, and a second Recopa Sudamericana in 2013 with Corinthians. Pato has totaled 398 appearances, scored 160 goals and provided 48 assists, to date, across all competitions with his previous clubs.
On Mar. 26, 2008, the Pato Branco, Brazil, native made his senior international debut for his home country in an international friendly against Sweden. Pato entered the match as a second-half substitute and scored the lone goal in the contest just 14 minutes after entering the field of play. To date, the 31-year-old has made 27 appearances for Seleção Canarinho.
Before featuring for the senior national team, Pato played 12 games and scored eight goals for the nation’s U20 side, as well as 10 appearances and two goals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games with the U23 team. The center forward added two more trophies to his case on the international stage, winning the 2009 Confederations Cup and the U20 South American Championship.
TRANSACTION: Orlando City signs forward Alexandre Pato to a one-year deal as a free agent pending the receipt of his P-1 Visa and ITC.
Name: Alexandre Pato
Position: Forward
Height: 5-9
Born: Sept. 2, 1989 in Pato Branco, Brazil
Hometown: Pato Branco, Brazil
Citizenship: Brazil
