When Dwayne De Rosario moved his family from California to Texas in 2006, he wasn’t sure what to expect. The San Jose Earthquakes had just relocated to Houston, forming the Dynamo, and the city’s reception was uncertain.
“The question we had of how we would be received was answered very quickly by the support we received when we relocated,” De Rosario told MLSsoccer.com. “The community was backing us.”
Two decades later, the bond between the city and its team remains strong. This weekend, De Rosario, Brad Davis, Brian Ching, Stu Holden, and other club legends return to Houston to celebrate the Dynamo’s 20th MLS season. The festivities include a 5v5 fan match at Discovery Green park and an autograph session before the team’s home game against Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday night.
It’s a full-circle moment for a group that helped establish soccer in Houston. After the relocation from San Jose, the Dynamo quickly won over fans—thanks in part to explosive performances on the pitch. In the club’s inaugural game, De Rosario assisted four goals in a 5-2 win. He and Ching each finished the season with 11 goals and helped lead the team to an MLS Cup victory.
The Dynamo repeated as champions in 2007, with De Rosario scoring in the final and earning MVP honors. He played one more season in Houston before joining Toronto FC, but his bond with the Dynamo never faded.
“The unknown of moving to Houston brought us closer together, not just as teammates but as family,” DeRo said. “When you create that atmosphere, it’s a very tough team to beat.”
Now 46, De Rosario is returning not just as a legend but as a proud soccer dad. His son Osaze plays professionally for Tacoma Defiance and represents Guyana internationally. His younger sons, Adisa and Tinashe, are both goalkeepers—something De Rosario jokingly blames on “spending too much time at Pat Onstad’s house.”
Adisa recently signed a homegrown contract with Toronto FC, while 13-year-old Tinashe is already showing promise. “I’m very blessed and thankful to have kids that are healthy and chasing their dreams,” De Rosario said. “I can only give them what I know—and all I knew was soccer.”
While his kids enjoy elite facilities and high-level coaching, De Rosario reflects on how far the sport has come in North America, including the stadium the Dynamo now call home.
“It’s always nice to sit in that stadium and look around and say, ‘Wow, if only we were around when this was here,’” he said. “But to know we had a part in building it—that’s special.”
De Rosario will also reunite with Onstad, now the club’s president of soccer. The former goalkeeper will be honored with a bobblehead giveaway celebrating his 2006 MLS Cup heroics, when he made the decisive save in the penalty shootout.
“Seeing Pat in that role is a full-circle moment,” DeRo said. The two also helped Canada win the 2000 Concacaf Gold Cup—a feat De Rosario hopes the national team can replicate soon.
With the 2026 World Cup coming to Toronto and Vancouver, and a generation of Canadian talent rising, De Rosario is optimistic.
“We have the technical ability and football IQ. Now we need that fire to finish games, especially against teams like Mexico,” he said.
That mix of grit, quality, and brotherhood helped Houston lift two MLS Cups. This weekend, those memories—and the players who made them—will take center stage once again.
