Miami FC To Embrace Competition In Florida And Abroad

Miami FC is co-owned by one of the greatest defenders of all-time, Paolo Maldini. To reach those heady heights as a winner of five European Cups and several other domestic club titles, one needs to combine ability with determination.

When the expansion side begins play in 2016, it will embrace the competition of the NASL, particularly when it plays the other Florida sides, with a chance to win the Coastal Cup on the line as well.

Miami FC, though, wants to build the competitiveness between the clubs even more, according to co-owner Riccardo Silva.

“I’m looking forward to speaking with the other owners for the other clubs to have, before the start of the season, a cup or soccer tournament,” he told NASL.com. “It would be very nice, and eventually we could even invite Orlando City, the MLS team, to play, and when and if there is the MLS team in Miami.”

Entering the South Florida soccer scene, Miami FC will have an instant rival in the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, and should create some dynamic matchups in a South Florida derby.

“Rivalries are valuable, something interesting for the fans. I think the rivalries with the Strikers will bring a value to both teams and the fans,” Silva said.

He certainly isn’t worrying about the proximity between the clubs, but sees it as a benefit to have support from both sides to travel easily to see the rivalry clashes.

“It’s even crucial to have a derby; it will raise interest. The market is big, so it’s about raising interest rather than splitting the market. There are a million people in South Florida.”

While the competition will be fierce in the Coastal Cup and around the NASL, Miami FC is also looking to test itself on an international stage.

With Maldini and Silva’s connections to AC Milan (Maldini as a player, Silva as the CEO of the AC Milan channel), matches or a relationship with the Italian club may not be out of the question. But relationships with international clubs wouldn’t be limited to the Italian side, if there is going to be one.

“We can do a lot of things, not only with AC Milan, but with many clubs,” Silva said. “My group is also the media advisor with Arsenal. We have been working a lot with AC Milan. There are a lot of clubs that we work with, so we can have some tournaments, some friendly games. We have a lot of possibilities and connections.”

He added, “Going international is very important for us and the league. It’s something we would work very carefully on the international side of the project.”

But, whomever Miami FC lines up against, it’s safe to say they will exude the same type of determination of its owners, and compete on a high level every time the club steps on the pitch.