On Jan. 9, 2015, Orlando City signed Colombians Carlos Rivas and Cristian Higuita from Deportivo Cali. The signings were a part of Adrian Heath and Paul McDonough’s plan to build long-term, sustained success through a combination of young, developing talent and veterans. However, only one of those players seemed to be working out for the Lions.
While Higuita was a star defensive midfielder coveted by Italian giants Internazionale, Rivas was a top striker for the Colombian side, scoring 13 goals in 36 first-team appearances. His strike rate was key in the club capturing the 2014 Superliga Colombiana.
Due to his transfer fee, Rivas came into Orlando as one of the club’s three Designated Players, alongside Brazilian superstar Kaká and Honduran striker Bryan Rochez.