Sixteen goals. Nine assists. 61 key passes. Guilherme arrived in Houston to quiet skepticism, and he's spent the entire MLS season making people feel foolish for doubting him.
The 31-year-old Brazilian has been the engine, the finisher, and the playmaker for a Dynamo side that bounced back from a 12th-place finish last year and now sits firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture. Head coach Ben Olsen put it plainly: "He's just gifted. The game makes sense to him."
That's not praise for a player who's been adequate. That's a coach describing someone who has made his team functionally dependent on one man — which is both a testament to Guilherme's quality and, frankly, a structural concern worth watching as the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs approach.
One man, too much weight
Olsen said it himself: "He's carried a big load for us — it's too much." Until last weekend against Minnesota United, not a single Houston striker had scored all season. The goals from Lyle Foster and Duncan McGuire were the first of the campaign from a forward not named Guilherme. That's a staggering statistic for a side with playoff ambitions.
When your DP is also your only reliable source of goals, that's a vulnerability any opponent worth their preparation will target. In a knockout playoff format, neutralising one player — even a gifted one — is a realistic gameplan. The Dynamo need their summer additions to contribute, and quickly.
Saturday's Texas Derby against FC Dallas (8:30 pm ET | Apple TV) arrives at a pivotal moment. Standings implications, the El Capitán cannon rivalry trophy, and a chance to prove Houston is more than a one-man show. Guilherme's 25 goal contributions make him one of the strongest Newcomer of the Year candidates in the league — markets reflecting that honor should have him near the top of the list.
The Neymar connection that MLS ignored
What's easy to forget is how loudly his quality was advertised before he arrived. Neymar — not some mid-table teammate, but Neymar — was his partner at Santos FC last season. Guilherme has noted that nearly half his Santos goals came with the global icon's involvement. That endorsement didn't get the weight it deserved when Dynamo president Pat Onstad introduced him in January.
"There's a narrative out there saying that he's not a goalscorer," Onstad said at the time. "He's averaged 23 points — goals and assists — over the last two years. I'm not sure where that's coming from."
He wasn't wrong. The market underestimated Guilherme; the Dynamo didn't.
Off the pitch, his compatriot Artur offered the clearest picture of what the club actually signed: "He came to compete — not just to play and see what happens. He came to fight for trophies and make a mark."
Through 31 matchdays, that's exactly what he's done. The question now is whether Houston can build enough around him to make it mean something in October.
