Miami FC's Riccardo Silva Hails Perfect Partner Paolo Maldini And League Structure

All over the country, there was a level of buzz around the 2014 FIFA World Cup that was more palpable than ever. With soccer’s growth showing no signs of slowing down, investors are looking at the U.S. as a true land of opportunity.

For Riccardo Silva, one of the owners of the NASL’s newest club, Miami FC, investing in soccer in the U.S. is more than just a good opportunity – it’s a borderline no-brainer.

“We really believe in the growth of soccer in the U.S., and we believe the NASL is the perfect platform,” he told NASL.com. “We like the league from a personal and business perspective.

“From a personal perspective, it’s a perfect environment to have a business and there is very good collaboration between the teams, which we really appreciated. I found the teams very united, and there’s very good cooperation between them.”

On the business side, Silva noted that the independence and flexibility that the NASL offers its clubs are two of the reasons he wanted to start Miami FC, which will be co-owned by AC Milan and Italian giant Paolo Maldini.

Silva said of the former defender, who won five European Cups, “Maldini is essential. We know he is one of the greatest players of all-time, and he’s an example of always being professional, very committed, and very humble. He’s really the perfect partner.”

The four-time World Cup veteran will help build the technical side of the club, and he’ll offer the knowledge that he gained during his vast playing career.

Putting the NASL’s newest club in Miami was also personal for Silva and Maldini, who each reside in the city.

“He’s the co-owner, and he has also been the owner of a house in Miami for 15 years,” Silva said of Maldini. “In all this time, Miami has been his second home. He spends all the time he can in Miami. When he was playing, it was mostly holidays but when he retired, he spent even more time here.”

Silva continued, “It’s the perfect combination because it’s really his second home after Milan. He cares about the city and he knows it well.”

Silva believes it’s the right marketplace for a club due to the multi-cultural nature of the city. He believes that the Latin American communities in particular are the ones that are waiting to be tapped into.

“We believe it’s the right market because it’s a big market, and we believe it’s very good for soccer,” he said. “Many years ago, the Latin immigration into Miami came mostly from the Caribbean – Cuba, Puerto Rico, Domincan Republic – which are more baseball countries.

“In the last five to 10 years, it’s been more from South America, like Columbia, Venezuela, and Argentina, which are home to soccer fans. The newest immigration is a big quantity of people from South America – soccer fans – so I think that Miami can be a really good market for soccer.”

Silva and Maldini are looking to plant their roots even further into the ground in Miami by establishing a club that will be entrenched in the fabric of South Florida.

“We are not here for a few years. This is a long-term project, and we are super committed to making it work,” Silva said.