Maynor Figueroa’s been on the red, white and blue side of the Texas Derby a number of times; today, with the Houston Dynamo signing the veteran Honduran international defender, he joins the orange side.
The 35-year-old Figueroa, released by FC Dallas last October after 87 appearances spanning the past three seasons, will join a remade defense in what is turning out to be a lively offseason for the Dynamo. Figueroa, who made his MLS debut with the Colorado Rapids in 2015, has spent the bulk of his career in top-tier English football, playing with both Wigan Athletic and Hull City in an eight-year stretch between 2008 and 2015.
Figueroa also has significant international experience; his nearly 150 caps, dating back to 2003, include World Cup appearances in 2010 and 2014, as well as the 2015 and 2017 Concacaf Gold Cups (where he captained the squad) and the 2012 Olympics.
“We are really excited about bringing Maynor to our club. He is an icon, a well-known leader with the Honduran National Team. He is the captain. Adding his experience, as a center back and a left back in this league, is invaluable,” head coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “We believe he is going to bring good experience and give us depth and help solidify our backline. He was excited to be part of our project and having him in our team will be a big help to us.”
He’ll get the Dynamo some positional flexibility in the back, handling left back as well as center back duties throughout his career.
“Maynor is a consummate professional who will bring invaluable experience, quality and leadership to our team both on the field and in our locker room,” said Dynamo Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan. “We welcome him to the Houston Dynamo as we prepare for the 2019 season.”
Figueroa’s signing gives Houston 26 players under contract for the 2019 season, and he will occupy an international roster spot, making him the seventh on the squad — following yesterday’s announcement that former international roster spot holders Tomas Martinez and Juan David Cabezas have earned green cards, allowing the Dynamo to change their designations.