Houston Dynamo and Dash underwent a rebrand last year, reflecting the club’s evolution.

The two clubs of Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League respectively, are aligned and tweaked their name and logo for 2021.

They adopted the umbrella name Houston Dynamo Football Club, or Houston Dynamo FC, as they’ll be colloquially known, a nod to the game’s traditions. In Europe, soccer teams are often called ‘FC’, and the move may well help drive Houston’s brand in different markets.

“Adding the term ‘Football Club’ to the Dynamo name was an important decision because it illustrates how much we have grown,” Houston Dynamo FC controlling owner Gabriel Brener said in a press release. “When we first started, there was only a team, but we have grown into a true club. But just saying we are a club is not enough; what matters is truly becoming a club. Today is an important step, but only the first step of becoming the type of club that represents a great community like Houston. Now we begin the work of building Houston’s club.”

The club’s badge was also changed to a six-sided hexagonal shape, nodding to their formation in 2006 and the six wards that made up Houston. Houston Dynamo Football Club is now made up of more than six elements, with players, coaches, and staff making a dynamic and vibrant club that is the cornerstone of the local community. Who are those people, not honored in a badge but every bit as important in the continued rebrand of the club? Here are the major faces.

Tab Ramos

Credit: US Embassy from New Zealand, Tab Ramos USA-Columbia, FIFA U20 World Cup (18657899156) (cropped), marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons

Tab Ramos is a legend of the game in the US; he played for the USMNT at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, the first appearance by a US team in 40 years. Since then, the USMNT has only missed out on one World Cup, so you could say Ramos was a trendsetter for a generation of young players. He’s now the coach of Houston Dynamo and was at one stage assistant coach for the USMNT. Ramos has had a tough time as coach; he took over before the pandemic and was recently sent off at the BBVA Stadium, but he got a standing ovation from the crowd, making him a key figure in the rebrand.

Zarek Valentin

Credit: Frenchieinportland, Zarek Valentin Timbers (cropped), CC BY-SA 4.0

Valentin was one of the players pictured immediately after the rebrand and is the face of Dynamo. He’s a well-liked and respected player for his ability on the field, but also admired off it for being a role model for Houston’s young people. He has done some stellar work for charity, including raising $18k for a food bank charity last Thanksgiving. He’s very much a man of the people, with relatable interests outside of the game. He revealed he collects footwear on a sneaker podcast; he’s been spotted wearing unreleased sneakers in practice and is super proud of his Nike Air Force 1 X. Whilst with Montreal, he also revealed he likes cooking and playing the guitar.

Jane Campbell

Credit: Jamie Smed, Jane Campbell USWNT 2017, CC BY 2.0

While Valentin opted to represent Puerta Rico at the international level, Campbell is a much all-American girl and part of the USWNT. She was also one of the faces associated with the rebrand, and rightly so, having represented her country from Under 15 level to the seniors, where she won a bronze medal in the 2020 Olympics. She’s also relatable outside of the game and epitomises the American dream, having attended Stanford and started her own business. Like Valentin, she has an interest in apparel; she runs her own company called Ace of Spades Apparel, which originally started as a sock company.

For more great football/soccer content, be sure to check our look at some of the world’s top players.