A wonderkid from Brazil is living up to the hype in his first season in MLS NEXT Pro. The 21-year-old defender Henri Santos, has been a defensive stalwart this season for North Texas SC playing 18 games this season while also leading the team in minutes played.
Santos was a highly heralded prospect, featuring for Palmeiras’ youth teams and even playing in the renowned Brazilian youth tournament Copinha, a showcase for the most talented players in the country.
It’s not very often a club can bring in a high caliber player, let alone one with unquestionable leadership characteristics. For Henri, that’s natural.
“The leadership role here comes with my position, my communication, and marking.” said Santos. “How I play is very patient, I think this patience is essential for my teammates so they can play more calmly on the field.”
Highly touted young players such as Talles Magno (NYCFC), Kaio Jorge (Juventus), and Gabriel Veron (Porto) all highlighted the Brazilian U17 World Cup winning team in 2019, yet it was Santos that was the captain starting all seven games and lifting the trophy. Henri played the full 90 minutes in all seven games in the campaign, keeping three clean sheets and contributing a critical assist in the semifinal, a 3-2 victory over France.
The North Texas coaching staff including General Manager Matt Denny, became increasingly aware of how vital Santos is to the team, not just for his play on the field but his leadership skills off it.
“He (Henri) has quite the resume for his age. He captained the Brazilian U-17 National Team in their World Cup winning run. Before joining North Texas, he was the captain of Palmeiras. They are one the biggest clubs in Brazil. Henri brings maturity to the team, and in the games, it shows how high his standards are.”
Prior to North Texas, Santos made three first team appearances totaling 188 minutes for Palmeiras in the Brazilian top-flight division, the Campeonato Paulista.
The 6-foot-2 defender has been immense for the North Texas defense this season, with a team-high 27 interceptions and an 82.1% headed duel win rate. Santos’ vision on the field is the reason why he leads the league in accurate long balls with 136 and leads the team in accurate short passes with 790 completed.
North Texas aims to play a very progressive style with focus on controlling the ball and completing passes, so it’s important for the coach to have players within the defense that can distribute the ball properly and execute the tactics put in place.
“Our play style helps out a player like Henri who has the attributes and ability to launch a long ball accurately to a teammate,” said Matt Denny.
As the season winds down and games speed up, Santos and North Texas hope to make a final surge into the playoff picture.
“My goals are to be in playoffs and this can be a goal for our team as well, to close the space within the championship and on move up the table, this is the vision for us and what gives us energy for our team.”
North Texas SC will be back in action on Saturday, July 22nd, at Choctaw Stadium, where it will take on Sporting KC II. Saturday’s game will kick off at 7:30PM on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
