Few Seagoville High School athletes have built a professional career as international as Moisés Hernández. The 2010 graduate rose from the Seagoville Dragons to Major League Soccer. His journey later carried him across Central America and onto two senior national teams.
Hernández played professionally in the United States, Guatemala and Costa Rica. He represented the United States at the Under 20 level before later playing for Guatemala’s senior national team.
For a Seagoville athlete, it was a remarkable journey that stretched far beyond North Texas.
From Seagoville to FC Dallas
Hernández was born in Dallas in 1992. He developed into a defender who could play on the left side or in central defense.
He joined the FC Dallas Academy in 2008 while still attending Seagoville High School. The academy was part of an American system built to develop local talent for Major League Soccer.
Hernández became one of its early success stories. He graduated from Seagoville in 2010, and on July 30 that year he signed a professional Homegrown contract with FC Dallas at age 18. FC Dallas lists Hernández as the third Homegrown signing in team history.
The distinction carried weight. Homegrown rules let FC Dallas sign an academy player directly instead of using the usual MLS draft process. Hernández had gone from Seagoville High School student to professional soccer player almost overnight.
Facing Inter Milan at Eighteen
Hernández received an unusual introduction to professional soccer. Just days after signing, he took the field against one of the most famous clubs in the world.
FC Dallas hosted Inter Milan in an exhibition at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco on Aug. 5, 2010. Inter was the reigning UEFA Champions League winner at the time.
Hernández played the final minutes of a 2-2 draw. It was not a regular season match. At just 18, Hernández had already shared a field with one of the most famous clubs on the planet.
Central American Experience
Hernández’s path to MLS regularity was not immediate. FC Dallas sent the young defender abroad to gain experience.
In 2012, he joined Comunicaciones in Guatemala on loan. The move gave him his first sustained exposure to top flight soccer in Central America.
Another opportunity followed in Costa Rica. Hernández spent the 2013 season with Deportivo Saprissa, one of the region’s most successful clubs. He made 20 appearances for Saprissa before returning to FC Dallas.
The experience proved valuable. Rather than sitting on the bench in Dallas, Hernández played meaningful matches in two countries where soccer carries deep cultural significance.
Breaking Through With FC Dallas
Hernández returned to North Texas ready for a bigger role. His MLS regular season debut came on March 8, 2014.
He played all 90 minutes as FC Dallas opened the season with a 3-2 win over the Montreal Impact. The 2014 season became his strongest with the Dallas first team.
Hernández appeared in 17 MLS matches that year and started 13 of them. He played more than 1,100 minutes and also featured in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Across the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Hernández made 31 regular season appearances for FC Dallas. For a former Seagoville Dragon, that represented the highest level of professional outdoor soccer in the United States.
A Career That Kept Moving
Hernández kept searching for consistent playing time. FC Dallas loaned him to Rayo OKC of the North American Soccer League for the 2016 season.
He became a regular there, appearing in 26 matches while scoring one goal and recording one assist. The move added another chapter to a career defined by Hernández’s willingness to play wherever an opportunity existed.
Hernández returned to Comunicaciones in 2017, this time on a permanent deal rather than a loan. He appeared in 46 matches across two seasons for the Guatemalan club.
FC Dallas brought him back to MLS in 2018. His second stint did not produce the same starting role he had earlier in his career, and Hernández instead spent time on loan with San Antonio FC. He appeared in six matches for San Antonio late in the 2018 season, then returned for another loan spell in 2019.
After his second period with FC Dallas ended, Hernández returned to Guatemala to continue his professional career. He joined Antigua GFC and later played for Municipal, another prominent Guatemalan club.
His career eventually brought him back to the United States. Hernández signed with Miami FC of the USL Championship for the 2023 season, extending an outdoor career that had already lasted more than a decade.
He later also played indoor soccer with the Dallas Sidekicks.
By that point, Hernández had experience in Major League Soccer and the North American Soccer League. He also played in the USL Championship and the top divisions of Guatemala and Costa Rica.
Representing Two Nations
Hernández’s international story is unusual because it involves two countries. As a young player, he was part of the United States Under 20 program.
He trained with U.S. squads and was selected for the 2011 CONCACAF Under 20 Championship in Guatemala. The tournament produced an unexpected twist.
Hernández was playing for the United States when the Americans were eliminated by Guatemala in the quarterfinals. Years later, Hernández would wear Guatemala’s colors instead.
Hernández qualified for Guatemala through his father Javier, who was born there. After representing the United States at the youth level, Hernández accepted a call to Guatemala’s senior national team.
He made his senior debut in 2015. That year he also played for Guatemala in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, starting two of the country’s three matches.
His international appearances also included World Cup qualifying and international friendlies. FC Dallas records credit him with 15 appearances for Guatemala’s senior national team.
It was another distinction few Seagoville athletes have achieved: playing at the senior international level for a national team.
A Legacy Unlike Any Other
Moisés Hernández’s career does not follow the traditional path for a Seagoville athlete. There was no college stop and no professional draft.
Instead, he entered an MLS academy while still in high school. He signed professionally immediately after graduation and built a career across multiple leagues and countries.
He played for two of Central America’s most respected clubs. He became an MLS starter and competed in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
He played professionally in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Oklahoma City. He also spent time in San Antonio and Miami, and he represented both the United States youth program and Guatemala’s senior national team.
For Seagoville High School, Hernández remains one of its most accomplished soccer products. His journey from Seagoville to international soccer stands as one of the most remarkable in school history.
