Houston Dynamo FC signed defender Franco Escobar as a free agent through the 2024 season plus a club option for 2025, the club announced today.
“Franco is a winner in our league. Since coming to MLS in 2018, he has won every major domestic trophy available, including two MLS Cups, a Supporters’ Shield, Campeones Cup, and the U.S. Open Cup,” Dynamo general manager, Pat Onstad said. “He will strengthen our backline and provide valuable experience to our locker room. We are thrilled that Franco chose Houston in the next step in his career.”
The right back joins the Dynamo after winning the 2022 MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield with Los Angeles Football Club. He finished with 19 appearances in his lone season with LAFC. He scored a goal in the 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union on May 7 and tallied an assist in the 5-0 victory over Charlotte FC on Aug. 13.
Escobar has won five titles in Major League Soccer since he joined the league in 2018. He signed with Atlanta United FC prior to the 2018 season and started in all five matches of the 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, culminating with a 2-0 MLS Cup victory over Portland Timbers FC on Dec. 8, 2018. The defender played key minutes as Atlanta went on to win the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the inaugural Campeones Cup with a 3-2 victory over Club America from Mexico.
The defender played in 82 MLS regular season matches over four seasons for Atlanta and LAFC, plus an additional nine MLS Cup Playoff appearances.
Escobar is a product of Newell’s Old Boys youth system and made his professional debut as a 20-year-old on June 7, 2015, against Boca Juniors. He left the club following a 3-1 victory over River Plate on Nov. 26, 2017 and finished with 34 appearances in all competitions for Newell’s.
Escobar is the fifth player to join the Dynamo as a senior roster player this offseason. All five players have won domestic titles prior to coming to Houston: Artur (MLS Cup 2020), Andrew Tarbell (MLS Cup 2020), Brad Smith (MLS Cup 2019), Ivan Franco (Paraguay Apertura season 2021 and 2022), and Franco Escobar (MLS Cup 2018 and 2022). Additionally, the club signed Ifunanyachi Achara (2019 NCAA National Champion) and drafted Isaiah Reid (2021 NCAA National Champion).
