CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Independence announced on Wednesday the sale of midfielder Michaël Maria to Adelaide United FC of Australia’s A-League. Per club policy the transfer fee will not be disclosed. 

A Curacao international, Maria made six starts for the Independence, registering six interceptions, seven tackles won and an 83.9% pass accuracy rate. Over the past month, Maria joined the Curaçao National Team as it made a historic run to the Quarterfinals of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup where it was eliminated by the United States Men’s National Team.

Prior to the Gold Cup, Maria lifted Curaçao to the King’s Cup Championship by converting the last penalty kick in a shootout against Vietnam. Maria has made 20 appearances for Curacao over his career.

In Adelaide, the 24-year-old will be reunited with Adelaide United Head Coach Gertjan Verbeek. United finished fourth in the A-League a season ago and reached the semifinals of the A-League Finals Series.

“I’m very happy to be here and to work with the team,” Maria told reporters at his official unveiling on Thursday in Australia. “For me the most important thing is the way that the team will play and besides that the facilities and everything it’s just like in Europe actually, so that’s a good thing.”

Maria is the second player to depart the USL Championship for the A-League in recent seasons, following former FC Cincinnati defender Harrison Delbridge, now a member of Melbourne City FC.