Written by Juan Pereira

Photo by Houston Dynamo FC

Ezequiel Ponce had his introductory press conference on Wednesday, July 3, giving the media a chance to get a look at Houston’s new DP striker and number 10. 

“He was our number one target three months ago,” Pat Onstad said regarding his most recent signing. “You don't often land your number one target in this sport, and we're fortunate that he chose us and that we were able to convince him on our project.” 

This comment may come as a surprise to many Dynamo fans, who associated the Dynamo’s lack of signings in the winter with the team being rejected by other targets. However, according to Onstad, this isn’t the case. 

“He'll do the dirty work that it takes to win games,” Onstad said. “He’s a guy that will be able to step right in and help us compete for more trophies, more titles and keep going here for a playoff push down the stretch.” 

Ezequiel Ponce’s resume speaks for itself. He’s played in the Argentina u20 and u23 squads while also featuring in their Olympic team. Ponce is the definition of a journeyman, playing in La Liga, Copa Libertadores, Champions League, Europa League, and more. 

“I have been competing at the top levels of this sport for 10 years and now I join a great club like Houston,” Ponce said. “They shared their vision for this project and their ambitions, both as an institution and as a group.” 

Ponce brings up an interesting point here; with Sebastian Ferreira still at the club, what does the club plan to do with two striker DPs? Keeping them both on DP contracts isn’t a smart idea if they’re not playing on the field at the same time. If Ponce is on board, it’s because the Dynamo promised him a lot of playing time. Ferreira’s future is certainly in question. 

However, this press conference wasn’t about Ferreira or Onstad. This event was to introduce Ponce to the Dynamo faithful, and from the looks of it, he’s excited for this brand new chapter of his life. 

“I am also very happy because my family is here. I have two children - a five-year-old son and my daughter,” Ponce said. “I wanted to give them the best future, and I think this is the right step for my family and my football career.”