Commerce City, Colo. – Dante Sealy has had his mind made up to be a footballer as long as he can remember. The newest Colorado Rapids winger, born while his parents were visiting Dante’s grandmother in Brooklyn, NY, spent his early days seeing the game up close and personal before setting down roots in Dallas.
“I’ve been all over the place because my dad (Scott) was a professional as well. I grew up in Missouri, the first part in Kansas City, and then he went to the Earthquakes in California for a bit, and we settled down in Texas after he went to Israel for half a season when I was 7 or 8,” the 22-year-old told Burgundy Wave this week
Scott Sealy, himself a veteran of MLS for seven years, was understandably Dante’s biggest influence into making the game his occupation through his proximity to the attacking forward born in Trinidad & Tobago. “Obviously watching my dad with his daily routines, and being there watching him play really motivated me to follow his footsteps and build my own career.”
“He’s helped me every step of the way, sacrificed a lot, and I’m really grateful for him and my mother.” Dante isn’t the only Sealy following in father Scott’s footsteps. Dante’s sister is an accomplished player herself on trial with a WSL squad, and also recently featured for Trinidad & Tobago as well.
Youth career: From Dallas to Ruud van Nistelroy:
Ultimately, though, Dante admits being another footballer in the Sealy household was his decision. “It was all me. I wanted to be a soccer player. I found out I was left-footed at a very young age and I was very excited.”
After the Sealy family settled in Texas eventually, Dante naturally began playing competitively for the FC Dallas Academy, which has produced many talented players who have gone full professional.
“I loved the academy days. I was scoring for fun,” Dante says with a big grin on his face. “A coach in the beginning of my U14-U15 Chris Hayden (Current VP, FC Dallas Youth Soccer, Academy Director) was a great guy. He let me really express myself.”
“Growing up, I have a good connection with a lot of those guys I was in the academy with, obviously we went to school together, so it was an experience I was really grateful for. We had a great team, I had great players around me, so we were playing amazing. I wouldn’t want to say to grow up in any other academy in the US because we had the best foundation.”
Dante’s development took a big step for a young man in the Summer of 2021, going on loan for 2 years to Eindhoven, Netherlands and PSV’s second team, Jong PSV. At the age of 18, relocating to Europe could easily have been expected to be overwhelming, but Dante admits he enjoyed his time there after a short uncertain beginning. “I was definitely nervous, but I slowly adjusted. In the beginning I was a little homesick, but as the season went on I had a good relationship with some of the guys on the team so that helped me.”
After settling in Dante started to find his feet and mature as both a player and person in the professional environment. “That definitely got me out of my shell, and I was working under Ruud van Nistelroy, a legend of the game, so it was a great environment to be in and as a player I improved a lot.”
“My technical game increased, but my mentality is something that improved the most– being in that tough environment, seeing how those guys train every day, how they prepare really opened my eyes. It’s another level and it gave me great experience to know what it takes at that level. I always carry that in my head and I won’t forget it.”
The 2025 season with CF Montreal that sparked a trade:
Returning to MLS and a new club in CF Montreal, Dante found a steady spot in the lineup and on the scoresheet, totaling nine goals in 30 appearances north of the border. That success inevitably brought on outside interest, and would eventually pave his path to Colorado and the Rapids this season.
“Towards the end of the (2025) season I knew there was a little interest, but things happen very quick”, explains Dante, with a bit of nonchalance. “You know how it goes – you have a good season and there’s always interest. I expected it, but it was surprising how quickly everything happened. I think I landed in a very good place. I have a manager that really believes in me, the front office believes in me, so that’s good.”
New Rapids Head Coach Matt Wells has already spoken highly of Dante, and expects him to be vital to a Colorado attack keen on running people ragged at altitude, as well as pressing constantly into the attacking third and wreaking havoc on defenders.
“I’ve always been a very direct, creative winger. I like making things happen,” Dante explains of what fans can expect from him on the pitch. “I’ll never shy away from that and it will always be at the forefront of my game. If I’m not playing positive, or I’m playing safe, that’s not good. As a forward player, I need to go into those duals, I need to make mistakes, I need to try and make things happen because that’s the only way you can score, assist, and help the team.”
“They’re going to see great connection between me and my teammates”, Dante confidently predicts. “Once they know my spaces I like to operate in, and I feel like I know theirs, we have a very good group of high-quality players. I’m a guy that’s positive, every time he gets the ball he wants to impact the game. They’ll see a different side on the field. I’m very passionate, I like talking throughout the games. It’s all business.”
Making friends and getting settled in Denver:
Coming into a Rapids side that has seen quite a few roster changes, in addition to the new coaching staff, doesn’t worry Dante. In fact, he has a fair few existing friends in the side, but also the fact that he and the large number of younger and newer players are acclimating together, will surely help that all important chemistry on the pitch.
“It’s tough to acclimatize to everything, but they’ve made it very easy, it’s a very welcoming group. It’s going to take some time on the field, the chemistry is building day by day, but it’s been good so far. I knew a few guys before – Paxton (Andersson), Josh (Atencio), Wayne (Frederick), Reggie (Cannon) of course in Dallas – so that helps a lot. I can reach out to them at any time. Guys like (Darren) Yapi, Jackson (Travis), young guys, it’s been easy to connect with them.”
“There’s guys going through the same process and that obviously helps a lot. There’s going to be learning moments.” That may have further been enhanced due to the fact that as soon as the Rapids players reported for the season, they were off to camp in Florida for three weeks before Dante could even get set up with a place to live. “I just moved into my apartment (in Denver). I’ve got my bed, my couch, I’m getting my TV set up, so slowly but surely I’m getting everything situated. Everything’s scattered all over the place,” he laughs.
Away from the pitch, Dante admits he’s pretty relaxed and really just likes to stay in touch with family and friends outside of Colorado for now. “Since I’m out of my home state, I like to stay connected with my boys playing video games. That’s something I like to do to take my mind away from the game as well. That’s one way we try to stay connected. I’m really just a chill guy, I don’t do much, and I just relax because this ( job) is a lot, both mentally and physically.”
Soca Warriors:
Another aspect of Dante’s blossoming career has been his recent call-up and taking a position with the National Team from Trinidad & Tobago, courtesy of his immediate family heritage. “I’ve always played for the U.S. youth teams growing up, and I honestly wasn’t thinking about, but playing a lot of minutes last season it started getting serious.”
“I realized it’s always better to be at a place where you’re wanted and where they value you. I want to be on the field, I want to play, so it’s just a perfect opportunity to show myself at the international level. (Trinidad) has given me a good platform to show myself, so I take a lot of pride in that and wearing that jersey.”
T&T, which also features current Rapids teammate Wayne Frederick, is really beginning to embrace a youth movement that Dante hopes will serve them all well in the future in a situation not all that different from the current age profile in Colorado he’s joined.
“The team is growing a lot, a very young team. I’m excited to see how that team shakes out because we’ll be together for a long time. The system is they want me to be on the right, come inside, and make things happen.”
Expectations for 2026:
As for the Rapids in 2026 – look, those with opinions spread throughout social and traditional media have shown very little faith in this Colorado side. But Dante, as well as HC Wells, is already looking forward to showing exactly how wrong they all are in their low expectations.
“I never listen or pay any mind to what those guys say,” Dante says brushing those things aside. “I know the quality this team can have. It’ll be great to surprise a lot of people, honestly. There will be a lot of pleasure in that. I’m a player that likes to prove people wrong and I’ve done that early on in my career.”
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Eamon Shaw 
Spencer Baldwin 