HOUSTON (Sept. 2, 2025) – Houston Dynamo FC acquired forward Sergio Santos off waivers, the Club announced today. The Brazilian is under contract through 2025 with a Club option for 2026.
“Sergio is a proven MLS veteran that brings additional physicality to our attack,” said President of Soccer Pat Onstad. “He has been a part of multiple winning teams in MLS and understands how to earn results during this critical stretch of the season. We look forward to welcoming Sergio to Houston as we continue our push to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight year.”
Santos brings extensive MLS experience to Houston, totaling 167 regular season and postseason appearances over eight years in the league with FC Cincinnati and the Philadelphia Union. The 30-year-old has netted 27 goals and 14 assists in MLS play, while helping lead both Philadelphia (2020) and Cincinnati (2023) to Supporters’ Shields, given to the team with the best regular season record each season.
Notably, the forward helped Cincinnati secure its first ever postseason victory after assisting Brandon Vazquez’s game-winning goal versus the New York Red Bulls in Round One of the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Santos began his MLS career with the Union ahead of the 2019 season, featuring in 89 matches for the club in all competitions during a four-and-a-half season stint (2019-2022). The Brazilian scored 22 goals and registered 13 assists, including eight goals and two assists in regular season action in 2020. Santos scored his first MLS hat trick against Toronto FC that same season, and two weeks later netted the goal that clinched the 2020 MLS Supporters’ Shield, Philadelphia’s first trophy.
The Brazilian was acquired and signed by Cincinnati in July 2022 and went on to the be part of the club’s 2023 Supporters’ Shield winning team, where he scored four goals in 25 appearances that season. Santos totaled 102 appearances for the orange and blue in four-and-a-half seasons (2022-2025), while recording 10 goals and 10 assists across all competitions. He also scored Cincinnati's first Concacaf Champions Cup goal in February 2024 against Cavalier FC at National Stadium in Jamaica.
Prior to playing in MLS, Santos kicked off his professional career with Audax Italiano in Chile, making his first team debut in April 2015, before going on to make 65 appearances for the club. Santos tallied 20 goals and seven assists, including a goal in a Copa Sudamericana match versus Brazilian side Botafogo in 2017. He also helped Audax to the 2017 Copa Chile Final, where the team finished runner-up to Club Deportivo Palestino.
