HOUSTON (Feb. 19, 2025) – Houston Dynamo FC signed free agent midfielder Nicolás “Nico” Lodeiro through 2025 with a club option for 2026, the Club announced today.
“Nico is one of the great competitors in the history of MLS, who inspires others with his relentless work ethic, dedication to his teammates and will to win,” said President of Soccer Pat Onstad. “We are proud that he wants to be part of our project in Houston and look forward to his contributions on and off the field in our 20th MLS season.”
Lodeiro brings extensive MLS and championship-winning experience, with 225 regular season appearances (195 starts) and 31 postseason appearances (21 starts) for both Seattle Sounders FC (2016-23) and Orlando City SC (2024), while registering 50 goals and 102 assists. A key contributor for both teams, he helped Orlando reach the Eastern Conference Final last season and played a pivotal role in Seattle’s success over the past decade, winning three trophies, including the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019, as well as the Concacaf Champions League title in 2022, when Seattle became the first MLS club to win the modern version of the tournament. Notably, Lodeiro was named to the competition’s Best XI in both 2018 and 2022.
Lodeiro has totaled double-digit assists in seven of his nine seasons in MLS, most recently tallying 11 assists last season with Orlando. The 35-year-old is the fifth player in MLS history to record six or more seasons with at least 10 assists. He is also the Sounders’ all-time leader in assists across all competitions, a record he broke in 2018, while setting Seattle’s single season record with 16 assists that regular season.
The Uruguayan midfielder kicked off his MLS career with Seattle in July 2016 and tallied four goals and eight assists in 13 regular season appearances, going on to win 2016 MLS Newcomer of the Year. That postseason, Lodeiro scored four goals, including the game winner in the first leg of the Western Conference Final, and scored from the spot in the penalty shootout during the MLS Cup Final.
After his debut season, Lodeiro went on to spend eight seasons with the Sounders, making 231 appearances across all competitions, while scoring 58 goals and recording 95 assists.
Lodeiro captained Seattle to their second MLS Cup title in 2019 with nine goals and 17 assists in regular season and postseason action, earning him MLS All-Star recognition. In 2020, the midfielder was the league’s top assist provider and earned MLS All-Star recognition, MLS Best XI honors and was named a finalist for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award after a stellar MLS campaign that included seven goals and 10 assists.
Prior to playing in MLS, Lodeiro played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe and South America. He started his career with Uruguayan power Nacional before moving to the Dutch powerhouse Ajax at 20 years old, where he won two Dutch Championships (2010/11 and 2011/12) and the KNVB Cup (2009/10). He then joined Brazilian powers Botafogo and Corinthians before joining Boca Juniors in 2015. He helped the storied Argentinian club win the 2015 Copa Argentina and the league.
On the international stage, Lodeiro represented Uruguay in 60 games at the senior level, participating in two FIFA World Cups (2010 and 2014) and the Uruguayan squad that claimed the 2011 CONMEBL Copa America title. He also represented Uruguay at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
TRANSACTION: Houston Dynamo FC signed free agent midfielder Nicolás “Nico” Lodeiro through 2025 with a club option for 2026.
NICOLÁS LODERIO BIO:
NAME: Nicolás Lodeiro
POSITION: Midfielder
DATE OF BIRTH: March 21, 1989 (35)
BIRTHPLACE: Paysandú, Uruguay
HEIGHT: 5 ft. 9 in.
WEIGHT: 157 Ibs.
PREVIOUS CLUB: Orlando City SC
FIFA NATIONALITY: Uruguay
