ORLANDO, Fla. — Santiago Patiño’s jersey is kept neatly folded inside a frame and his achievements are enshrined in a nearby trophy case inside Freedom High’s gymnasium.
- Santiago Patiño led Freedom High School to 2015 State Soccer semifinals
- After four seasons at FIU, Patiño returns home to Orlando to play pro
- Patiño was selected 3rd overall by Orlando City in Friday's MLS Superdraft
“You look younger now than you did in that picture,” Patiño’s high school coach Joe Ginel jokes about when picking up his senior portrait.
“No I don’t, I can see, I just had my braces taken off,” Patiño chimes back.
Patiño looks about the same as he did in that senior photo back when he helped elevate the Patriots program to new heights.
“Every opponent we went up against couldn’t figure him out,” Ginel remembers. “They tried to put one, two, three players on him and Santi was so smart that he would just capitalize.”
It’s not the 30 goals he scored his senior year, or taking the team to the state semifinals in 2015, that Patiño remembers most.
It’s celebrating Senior Night alongside his neighborhood friends, who he grew up with. Coach Ginel decked out the stadium in balloons, flags and cameras to capture the big night.
“We were playing our rival school, which is Cypress, so the stands were packed and he (Coach Ginel) brought a drone and we could see everything after the game that was a really special night,” Patiño said of the memory.
Four years later, he’s stepping back out at his high school with Coach Ginel and it brought back all those feels.
Patiño has been back to his alma mater several times, but now he’s returning as a professional soccer player. As Orlando City Soccer Club selected him third overall in the MLS Super Draft last Friday.
The 22-year-old reaching his childhood goal with the team he grew up idolizing.
“I supported Orlando when they were in the USL, second division and then they started in the MLS and I went to the home opener,” Patiño said of being a fan.
“I would go to the games with my friends, just as a normal fan and just seeing the fields, seeing the atmosphere see all the fans –it makes me feel like, yeah I want to start my career here.”
Patiño played college soccer at FIU, where he compiled 37 goals and nine assists. He also spent time with Orlando City’s Development Academy and is familiar with the team.
Initially the club tried to get Patiño on a homegrown deal but that fell through before the draft, so he was uncertain where he’d land.
“Because now I had to go to MLS combine and anyone can pick me up and no,” Patiño explained of the situation.
“Orlando showed me that they really wanted me and they care about the homegrown and care about the city and they picked a guy from here.”
He’s wowed supporters since his playing days at Freedom — showcased his growth at FIU and very soon we’ll see him on the pitch inside Orlando City Stadium.
“Number one, God gifted him with amazing skills. There’s nothing that Santi cannot do with a soccer ball,” Ginel said. “He’s a beast on the field but a gentleman off the field and just a class act.”
Something everyone else will learn when the new chapter begins for Patiño this spring.
“I know it’s not going to be easy, I am going to be playing against people that have more experience than me and are older but you have to learn from the older guys every day. I know I’ll get my opportunity and chance and I’ll take care of the opportunity.”
Patiño will join the team for training camp on January 21 at IMG Academy.