Three Dynamo players on national duty during this FIFA window

(image via Houston Dynamo FC)

The Houston Dynamo find themselves on a break for a FIFA window that will see the team return to league play on September 16th. However, a few players will be out competing with their respective national team. Let’s look at the three players who will spend this break playing for their country.

Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla 

Carrasquilla returns to the Panamanian national team after his last appearance in the Gold Cup final. Now, Coco has been called up to help Los Canaleros during their CONCACAF Nations League A fixtures against Martinique on September 7th and Guatemala on September 10th. The first match will likely be an emotional one for Adalberto and the nation after one of his teammates, Gilberto Hernandez, died after being shot in the city of Colón on Sunday. Hernandez had just broken into the senior team. 

Héctor Herrera 

Houston’s captain, Héctor Herrera, returns to a Mexico training camp after a very disappointing 2022 World Cup appearance by El Tri where a limping Herrera couldn’t help his team make it out of the group stage in Qatar. Now, with a newly named head coach in Jimmy Lozano, Mexico will hope to ready a team for the 2026 World Cup knowing that they will not need to qualify being one of the three host nations. Herrera’s leadership and knowledge might be just what the new group of Mexican players will need during this pre-World Cup process, with a long shot of him being there himself in 2026. But for now, HH might suit up again for El Tri during their friendlies against Australia on September 9th and Uzbekistan on September 12th. 

Xavier Valdez

Xavier has been the first-choice keeper for Kenny Bundy’s Dynamo 2. He hasn’t appeared in every single game as Andrew Pannenberg and Andrew Tarbell have had some time as starters. The young Valdez has shown his work ethic and ability to soak in the knowledge that veterans like Steve Clark deposit on him. At just 19 years of age, he is one of the youngest players called up to the Dominican Republic national team. Xavier has been called up for the CONCACAF Nations League B fixtures against Nicaragua and Montserrat. Interestingly enough, the most cap player in the nation’s history is Miguel Lloyd, which at 40 years old is the current goalkeeper for Los Quisqueyanos.