Houston Dash 2024 player report cards: Elin Rubensson
(image via Houston Dash)
We’re continuing our 2024 report card series, recapping each Dynamo and Dash player’s season. Next up is Elin Rubensson. Rubensson was a big offseason signing for the Dash to bring in some international experience and add to a lackluster midfield group.
2024 Grade: D
2024 by the numbers (NWSL play)
Appearances: 15
Minutes played: 1018
Goals: 0
Assists: 1
G+ per 96: -0.06
2024 in review
(via FBref.com and FBcharts.com)
Elin Rubensson was a very exciting signing after putting up some absurdly good numbers in Sweden over the past three seasons. The Dash’s midfield group in 2023 was nothing short of awful, with Sophie Schmidt being the only midfielder to provide any value all season. Joelle Anderson and Marisa Viggiano left Houston and went on to have great years with their new clubs, but that’s a separate discussion to be had.
Elin suffered the same issue that a lot of these veteran foreign players suffered in 2024 and that’s she simply did not play enough. She missed loads of games through injuries, an illness, and an excused leave. When she played, she was not awful by any stretch, just not very impressive either.
She played very well defensively at times, putting up some very good numbers. Her passing ability was never shown off at really any point in the season in a very stiff and boring Dash midfield. Interestingly, she never played part in any of the games in 2024 that the Dash won. It is a team game, but only earning three points out of the fifteen games you played in is going to give you a poor grade.
Moment of the season
Elin’s best moment of the season came against Orlando in late September when she shrugged off a challenge and played a great pass to Yuki Nagasato to cut Orlando’s lead in half. Unfortunately, the Dash went on to lose 3-1 in this game.
Looking forward
Elin is still under contract for 2025 so she should play a role in this coming rebuild. Hopefully she will be available for more games to show what she can do. We know from her time in Sweden that can really play. This will be her chance to prove it.
