Houston Dash bets big with Messiah Bright to revolutionize their attack this season | OneFootball

Houston Dash shook the market with the signing of Messiah Bright, a forward acquired in a trade with Angel City FC. With $100,000 in intra-league transfer funds and up to $50,000 in performance-based incentives, this deal clearly points to the Dash building their offense and rebranding themselves.

A game-changer on the field

At 25 years old, Messiah Bright has compiled an impressive résumé both professionally and in college. She can make game-changing plays in the final third, which is just what Houston Dash needs to re-ignite their ambitions in the league.

Bright played 21 regular-season games last season for Angel City FC and delivered on the big moments. She scored her first league goal in September against the Washington Spirit and scored the first hat-trick in history for Angel City in a 7-0 friendly win over Juarez FC from Liga MX Femenil.

Additionally, the forward has been vocal about her excitement for the move. “I’m ecstatic to join this team and support the ambitious project they have for the upcoming season,” Bright said. Her return to her home state, Dallas, Texas, also seems to be a motivating factor, promising a positive impact both on and off the field.

Look at Messiah Bright's record itself: During her collegiate career with Texas Christian University, she banged in a startling 50 goals with 18 assists over 103 games. The program-record 17 goals Bright compiled this past 2021 season set the marker to what made her the recognized natural goal getter.

Her first NWSL season with Orlando Pride was similar. She scored seven goals in the rookie season, quickly becoming one of the promising players in the league. She was expectedly in the running for the NWSL Rookie of the Year and Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month in August 2023.

A bold move by Houston Dash

The Houston Dash are reinforcing their attack but, more so, making the first big step toward reshaping themselves for the future. "Messiah is a dynamic player who can instantly change a game with her ability to create space and convert opportunities in the final third," Dash President Angela Hucles Mangano said.

The Dash had a refreshed coaching staff, lofty ambitions for the season, a mix of core experience, and some budding youth all going into action with one mind to deliver impact with poise. Bright's arrival promises more than just goals, it adds an emotional spark that might lead the whole roster.

Impact beyond the field

Messiah Bright's arrival at Houston Dash means something local, too: Born in Dallas, Texas, she returns to the state where she built her collegiate legacy and will likely draw even more eyes on her. Her experience with the U.S. youth national teams-like the U-23s and U-18s-fortifies her standing as a key figure in American women's soccer for years to come.

For fans, this transfer means a new hope for a more competitive and offensively-minded team, which the Dash has clearly needed in recent years.