'A difference maker for our club': Houston Dynamo FC inks Mexican international star Herrera

Mexican international star Héctor Herrera signed with Houston Dynamo FC to a pre-contact Wednesday, according to a franchise issued press release. 

The 31-year-old Herrera is currently under contract with Atlético de Madrid and will make his way toward the Bayou City in the summer.

“On behalf of the City of Houston and our loyal, passionate soccer fans, I’m honored to welcome Héctor Herrera to the Houston Dynamo Football Club," Dynamo majority owner Ted Segal said in the release. "General Manager Pat Onstad and I have focused on identifying a difference maker for our club and Héctor’s talents make him a perfect fit. Through this signing process I was heartened to hear Héctor’s commitment to our club and the city of Houston, and I look forward to him becoming part of our community very soon.”

The captain of Mexico's men's soccer team, Herrera enjoyed a stellar professional career in Europe where he captured domestic titles in Spain and Portugal, as well as logged a whopping 55 Champions League appearances, the release said.

He and Atlético are looking to defend their La Liga crown.

Herrera, who hails from Tijuana, Baja California, led Mexico, also known as El Tri, to a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012. It was Mexico's lone gold at those Games and its first overall in the sport, according to the release.

He also guided Mexico to a 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup victory, with appearances at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups in between.

The signing of the most well-known El Tri player is considered a gold mine for a club based in a city with one of the largest Mexican communities in the U.S.

Houston deadlocked with Real Salt Lake at zero to begin the 2022 season and the Paulo Nagamura era, MLS.com reported.

The Dynamo will play their first road match of the year against Sporting Kansas City.