Marcelo Santos Becomes Houston Dynamo 2 Head Coach
The former Assistant and Associate Head Coach joins Houston after spending seven seasons in New England.
Former Revolution II assistant, associate, and interim Head Coach Marcelo Santos found a new home on Friday when he became the second-ever head coach for MLS NEXT Pro side Houston Dynamo 2.
Santos spent two seasons working within the New England Revolution Academy before taking an Assistant Coaching gig under Clint Peay ahead of Revolution II’s inaugural season.
After spending three seasons as an assistant under Clint Peay, 2023 saw Santos serve in various roles throughout the season. After starting the year as an assistant, August 1 saw Santos take the reins of Revs II after Clint Peay took an interim assistant coaching role with the first team.
Santos made his Revs II head coaching debut on August 9, 2023, as he led the club to a 5-4 victory over Orlando City B. Santos’ time with Revs II also saw him secure a scoreless draw against Toronto FC II, a 3-0 win over Philadelphia Union II, a 3-0 win over Huntsville, and a 1-1 draw against Orlando City B.
Santos’ 2023 season saw another promotion on September 12, when he ascended to the first team to serve as an interim assistant coach under interim head coach Clint Peay.
Santos returned to Revs II with a new title as he became the club’s associate head coach as former first-team assistant and interim head coach Richie Williams became Revolution II’s second head coach.
Things didn’t go exactly to plan for Revs II in 2024, as the club finished dead last in the league table with 22 points on a 4-18-6 record with four shootout victories.
January 4, 2024, saw his time with the organization end when he took to social media to announce his departure. In his announcement, Santos thanked the Revolution for the opportunity and stated the time had come for him to step away to explore a new chapter.
Santos joins a Houston Dynamo side that is fresh off a 10-11-7 season, which saw them secure the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Their postseason run was short-lived as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to The Town FC in the opening round.
Dynamo Assistant General Manager Nick Kowba expressed his excitement over Marcelo joining Dynamo 2 and pointed out his proven track record.
“He has a proven track record of developing professional and international players and will be a champion for our style of play and soccer philosophy in MLS NEXT Pro,” Kowba said. “Dynamo 2 is a crucial steppingstone in our Club’s player pathway, and we are confident that Marcelo will continue our club’s tradition as a leader in providing opportunities for Academy players and preparing international talent for MLS. We welcome Marcelo and his family to Houston, and we are excited to start the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season.”
After expressing his gratitude to the Houston organization for the opportunity, Santos explained what attracted him to the club.
“I was drawn in by the Club’s strong culture, style of play and commitment to developing young talent, and my goal is to continue the club’s tradition as a leader in MLS NEXT Pro in providing academy players opportunities and developing first team players,” he said.