2023 Houston Dynamo FC season

The 2023 Houston Dynamo season was the 18th season of the team's existence since joining Major League Soccer (MLS) prior to the 2006 season. The Dynamo missed the playoffs in 2022 for the eighth time in nine years.

2023 was the first season under head coach Ben Olsen, who was hired on November 8, 2022. It was the second season under GM Pat Onstad and technical director Asher Mendelsohn. It was the third season (second full season) under majority owner Ted Segal. 2023 saw the Dynamo qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017 after finishing 4th in the Western Conference. There they would advance past Real Salt Lake in the first round 2 games to 1 in a best of 3 series and defeat Sporting Kansas City 1–0 to advance to the Conference Finals, where they would fall 2–1 to LAFC. The season was highlighted by the club's second ever Open Cup title, winning 2–1 at Inter Miami CF in the final.

Team captain Héctor Herrera set a club record for assists in a season with 21 and was the first Dynamo player included in the MLS Best XI since Brad Davis in 2011.

Current squad
Appearances and goals are totals for MLS regular season only.

In
'' Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed. ''

Appearances, goals, and assists
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" | No. ! rowspan="2" | Pos. ! rowspan="2" | Nat. ! rowspan="2" |Player ! colspan="3" |Total ! colspan="3" |MLS ! colspan="3" |Playoffs ! colspan="3" |U.S. Open Cup ! colspan="3" |Leagues Cup ! Apps !! G !! A !! Apps !! G !! A !! Apps !! G !! A !! Apps !! G !! A !! Apps !! G !! A
 * 2||DF||🇦🇷||align=left|Franco Escobar||41||3||1||28||2||1||5||1||0||4||0||0||4||0||0
 * 3||DF||🇦🇺||align=left|Brad Smith||21||1||2||18||1||2||3||0||0||4||0||0||2||0||0
 * 4||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Ethan Bartlow||32||0||1||27||0||1||0||0||0||5||0||0||0||0||0
 * 5||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Daniel Steres||28||2||2||26||2||2||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 6||MF||🇧🇷||align=left|Artur||47||2||1||34||2||0||5||0||0||4||0||1||4||0||0
 * 7||FW||||align=left|Iván Franco||33||3||4||26||3||3||0||0||0||3||0||1||4||0||0
 * 8||MF||🇲🇦||align=left|Amine Bassi||42||15||8||28||10||4||5||2||0||5||2||4||4||1||0
 * 9||FW||||align=left|Sebastián Ferreira||13||0||0||11||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 11||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Corey Baird||48||14||8||34||8||6||5||1||0||5||3||2||4||2||0
 * 12||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Steve Clark||41||0||2||33||0||2||5||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0
 * 13||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Andrew Tarbell||8||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||6||0||0||1||0||0
 * 14||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Beto Avila||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 15||DF||🇸🇷||align=left|Djevencio van der Kust||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0
 * 16||MF||🇲🇽||align=left|Héctor Herrera||44||6||21||30||4||17||5||1||2||5||1||1||4||0||1
 * 17||DP||||align=left|Teenage Hadebe||16||1||0||12||1||0||2||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 18||FW||🇳🇬||align=left|Ibrahim Aliyu||37||6||4||24||3||3||4||0||0||5||3||1||4||0||0
 * 19||MF||||align=left|Charles Auguste||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0
 * 20||MF||🇵🇦||align=left|Adalberto Carrasquilla||38||4||11||25||3||8||5||0||1||4||1||1||4||0||1
 * 21||FW||🇨🇴||align=left|Nelson Quiñónes||41||5||4||28||4||2||5||0||1||5||1||0||3||0||1
 * 22||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Tate Schmitt||5||1||0||5||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 23||FW||🇳🇬||align=left|Ifunanyachi Achara||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 24||DF||🇳🇬||align=left|Mujeeb Murana||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 25||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Griffin Dorsey||33||5||3||19||3||2||5||0||0||5||1||0||4||1||1
 * 27||MF||🇨🇴||align=left|Luis Caicedo||37||1||0||25||0||0||2||0||0||6||1||0||4||0||0
 * 28||DF||||align=left|Erik Sviatchenko||30||0||1||17||0||1||5||0||0||4||0||0||4||0||0
 * 30||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Chase Gasper||8||0||0||5||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||0||0||0
 * 31||DF||🇧🇷||align=left|Micael||37||1||0||24||1||0||5||0||0||4||0||0||4||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇨🇴||align=left|Juan Castilla||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇵🇱||align=left|Sebastian Kowalczyk||9||0||1||8||0||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 33||FW||🇸🇻||align=left|Danny Ríos||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||28||4||1||18||3||1||3||0||0||3||1||0||0||0||0
 * 35||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Brooklyn Raines||10||1||0||7||0||0||0||0||0||3||1||0||0||0||0
 * 38||GK||🇩🇴||align=left|Xavier Valdez||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 40||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Talen Maples||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 20||MF||🇵🇦||align=left|Adalberto Carrasquilla||38||4||11||25||3||8||5||0||1||4||1||1||4||0||1
 * 21||FW||🇨🇴||align=left|Nelson Quiñónes||41||5||4||28||4||2||5||0||1||5||1||0||3||0||1
 * 22||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Tate Schmitt||5||1||0||5||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 23||FW||🇳🇬||align=left|Ifunanyachi Achara||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 24||DF||🇳🇬||align=left|Mujeeb Murana||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 25||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Griffin Dorsey||33||5||3||19||3||2||5||0||0||5||1||0||4||1||1
 * 27||MF||🇨🇴||align=left|Luis Caicedo||37||1||0||25||0||0||2||0||0||6||1||0||4||0||0
 * 28||DF||||align=left|Erik Sviatchenko||30||0||1||17||0||1||5||0||0||4||0||0||4||0||0
 * 30||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Chase Gasper||8||0||0||5||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||0||0||0
 * 31||DF||🇧🇷||align=left|Micael||37||1||0||24||1||0||5||0||0||4||0||0||4||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇨🇴||align=left|Juan Castilla||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇵🇱||align=left|Sebastian Kowalczyk||9||0||1||8||0||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 33||FW||🇸🇻||align=left|Danny Ríos||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||28||4||1||18||3||1||3||0||0||3||1||0||0||0||0
 * 35||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Brooklyn Raines||10||1||0||7||0||0||0||0||0||3||1||0||0||0||0
 * 38||GK||🇩🇴||align=left|Xavier Valdez||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 40||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Talen Maples||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 30||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Chase Gasper||8||0||0||5||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||0||0||0||0
 * 31||DF||🇧🇷||align=left|Micael||37||1||0||24||1||0||5||0||0||4||0||0||4||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇨🇴||align=left|Juan Castilla||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇵🇱||align=left|Sebastian Kowalczyk||9||0||1||8||0||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 33||FW||🇸🇻||align=left|Danny Ríos||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||28||4||1||18||3||1||3||0||0||3||1||0||0||0||0
 * 35||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Brooklyn Raines||10||1||0||7||0||0||0||0||0||3||1||0||0||0||0
 * 38||GK||🇩🇴||align=left|Xavier Valdez||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 40||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Talen Maples||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||28||4||1||18||3||1||3||0||0||3||1||0||0||0||0
 * 35||MF||🇺🇸||align=left|Brooklyn Raines||10||1||0||7||0||0||0||0||0||3||1||0||0||0||0
 * 38||GK||🇩🇴||align=left|Xavier Valdez||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 40||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Talen Maples||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 38||GK||🇩🇴||align=left|Xavier Valdez||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 40||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Talen Maples||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 40||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Talen Maples||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0
 * 40||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Talen Maples||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0

Disciplinary record
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" !width=15 rowspan="2" |No. !width=15 rowspan="2" |Pos. !width=15 rowspan="2" |Nat. !width=100 rowspan="2" |Player ! colspan="2" |Total ! colspan="2" |MLS ! colspan="2" |Playoffs ! colspan="2" |U.S. Open Cup ! colspan="2" |Leagues Cup !style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off: !!style="width:30px;"|!!style="width:30px;"|sent off:
 * 2||DF||🇦🇷||align=left|Franco Escobar||16||0||11||0||2||0||1||0||2||0
 * 4||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Ethan Bartlow||4||0||4||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 5||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Daniel Steres||2||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 6||MF||🇧🇷||align=left|Artur||8||0||6||0||0||0||1||0||1||0
 * 7||FW||||align=left|Iván Franco||3||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 8||MF||🇲🇦||align=left|Amine Bassi||2||1||1||1||1||0||0||0||0||0
 * 9||FW||||align=left|Sebastián Ferreira||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 11||FW||🇺🇸||align=left|Corey Baird||6||0||4||0||1||0||1||0||0||0
 * 12||GK||🇺🇸||align=left|Steve Clark||5||0||4||0||1||0||0||0||0||0
 * 16||MF||🇲🇽||align=left|Héctor Herrera||11||2||8||2||1||0||1||0||1||0
 * 17||DP||||align=left|Teenage Hadebe||2||0||1||0||0||0||1||0||0||0
 * 18||FW||🇳🇬||align=left|Ibrahim Aliyu||3||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 20||MF||🇵🇦||align=left|Adalberto Carrasquilla||13||0||9||0||3||0||1||0||0||0
 * 21||FW||🇨🇴||align=left|Nelson Quiñónes||5||1||5||1||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 22||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Tate Schmitt||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 25||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Griffin Dorsey||10||0||7||0||1||0||2||0||0||0
 * 27||MF||🇨🇴||align=left|Luis Caicedo||7||0||6||0||0||0||1||0||0||0
 * 28||DF||||align=left|Erik Sviatchenko||8||0||7||0||1||0||0||0||0||0
 * 30||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Chase Gasper||2||1||1||0||0||0||1||1||0||0
 * 31||DF||🇧🇷||align=left|Micael||7||1||7||1||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇵🇱||align=left|Sebastian Kowalczyk||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 18||FW||🇳🇬||align=left|Ibrahim Aliyu||3||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
 * 20||MF||🇵🇦||align=left|Adalberto Carrasquilla||13||0||9||0||3||0||1||0||0||0
 * 21||FW||🇨🇴||align=left|Nelson Quiñónes||5||1||5||1||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 22||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Tate Schmitt||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 25||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Griffin Dorsey||10||0||7||0||1||0||2||0||0||0
 * 27||MF||🇨🇴||align=left|Luis Caicedo||7||0||6||0||0||0||1||0||0||0
 * 28||DF||||align=left|Erik Sviatchenko||8||0||7||0||1||0||0||0||0||0
 * 30||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Chase Gasper||2||1||1||0||0||0||1||1||0||0
 * 31||DF||🇧🇷||align=left|Micael||7||1||7||1||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇵🇱||align=left|Sebastian Kowalczyk||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 27||MF||🇨🇴||align=left|Luis Caicedo||7||0||6||0||0||0||1||0||0||0
 * 28||DF||||align=left|Erik Sviatchenko||8||0||7||0||1||0||0||0||0||0
 * 30||DF||🇺🇸||align=left|Chase Gasper||2||1||1||0||0||0||1||1||0||0
 * 31||DF||🇧🇷||align=left|Micael||7||1||7||1||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇵🇱||align=left|Sebastian Kowalczyk||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 31||DF||🇧🇷||align=left|Micael||7||1||7||1||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 32||MF||🇵🇱||align=left|Sebastian Kowalczyk||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
 * 34||FW||🇮🇸||align=left|Thorleifur Úlfarsson||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0

Clean sheets
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" !No.!!Nat.!!Player!!width=60|MLS!!width=60|Playoffs!!width=60|Open Cup!!width=60|Leagues Cup!!width=60|Total !14 !4 ! colspan="3" |Total!!13!!1!!3!!1!!18
 * 12||🇺🇸||Steve Clark||12||1||0||1
 * 12||🇺🇸||Steve Clark||12||1||0||1
 * 13||🇺🇸||Andrew Tarbell||1||0||3||0
 * 13||🇺🇸||Andrew Tarbell||1||0||3||0