KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Orlando City SC Homegrown midfielder Colin Guske went from facing 60,000 hostile fans at Estadio Azteca with the U.S. U-20 National Team to anchoring the Lions’ backline in Leagues Cup 2026, a rapid-fire stretch that has accelerated the young player’s transition to center back ahead of Saturday’s MLS match against FC Cincinnati at Inter.co Stadium.

“Going with the national team is always an honor, especially to represent them at such a big tournament with a lot on the line, a U-20 World Cup, and then playing against our rival in the final. Obviously a huge honor,” Guske said at Orlando Health Training Ground at Osceola Heritage Park. “And then coming back on Wednesday was just great to get back on the field with the guys.”

Guske started at center back Wednesday night in Orlando City’s final Phase One match of Leagues Cup 2026. After beginning the season in midfield, the Homegrown product has been shifted into the backline, drawing on his height, technical ability and experience playing the position in the club’s Academy. His brother, Owen, a former center back, has been coaching him through the transition.

“I played a little bit of center back in the Academy here and there,” Guske said. “I want to be a leader and commander, always helping my guys out, talking left, right, up, down, all that. Because at the end of the day, we’re one team. We want one goal, which is to win every game, win a championship.”

Interim head coach Martín Perelman praised the performance of Guske and the club’s young players during Leagues Cup, even as Orlando missed out on advancing from Phase One. “I think not only Colin, but every player the other day, they competed really well,” Perelman said. “We were winning until the last second of the game. They competed and represented our ways. Happy for the development of our homegrowns and academy players for sure.”

Attention now turns entirely to MLS play. Pat Noonan’s FC Cincinnati squad arrives in Central Florida on a short week after its own Leagues Cup exit. The last meeting between the clubs came in May, when Orlando fell at TQL Stadium in the final match before the World Cup break.

“Every game is important, every game is three points. We know them and they know us. It’s going to be a tough game like always against them. They have really good players, a really good coach. We respect them, but we prepare our team. We are at home, we will fight, we will play, and we will try to win,” Perelman said.

Kickoff against FC Cincinnati at Inter.co Stadium is set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the match available on Apple TV.