World Cup Team Profile: Honduras

Honduras will be appearing in only their second World Cup when they take to the pitch in South Africa, their previous appearance yielding two draws, one defeat and first round elimination in the 1982 tournament in Spain.

With Costa Rica leading the United States 2-1 after 90 minutes in Washington, Honduras looked to be heading for a playoff with Uruguay to determine whether or not they would qualify for South Africa. That was until United States defender Jonathan Bornstein secured himself hero status in Honduras by scoring a 94th minute equaliser that saw Los Catrachos qualify courtesy of a better head-to-head record against the Costa Ricans.

They line up alongside Chile, Switzerland and European Champions Spain in Group H of the tournament proper.

The Coach

Reinaldo Rueda (COL)
53 years old

Colombian Rueda rose to prominence as the coach of his home nation’s youth sides, winning the 2000 Toulon Tournament and securing a third place finish at the 2003 Under-20 World Cup. His success in this role saw him graduate to the senior team, but he left in 2006 after a fairly undistinguished two years at the helm.

Given the chance to re-build his reputation, Rueda took on the Honduras job in 2007 and has been an unprecedented success, skilfully blending together older players with the new generation who are beginning to make a name for themselves in Europe.

Expectations will be fairly low at the World Cup and Rueda will just be looking for his players to give a good account of themselves on the world stage. “We’re going to give it everything and do all we can to put in a good performance.”

Players to watch

Amado Guevara
33 years old
Attacking Midfielder
Motagua (HON)

Honduras’ record cap holder is sure to enjoy the opportunity to test himself against the world’s best after a number of agonising near misses over the years. Guevara is a classy midfield player of good technique and superb vision, well respected across the CONCACAF region, and as the captain will look to dictate the rhythm of the game when his side are in possession.

Wilson Palacios
25 years old
Midfielder
Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)

Palacios couldn’t be more different from his midfield partner Guevara if he tried. While Guevara effortlessly glides across the turf, Palacios charges around like the proverbial bull in a china shop, putting himself about, harassing the man in the possession and generally looking to break up play. He is a one man wrecking machine – one that Honduras will need to be well-oiled and in full working order if they are to cause an upset in South Africa.

Carlos Pavon
36 years old
Striker
Real Espana (HON)

Like Guevara, Pavon will see this tournament as a reward for years of toiling away with the national team in the vain hope of one day reaching the promised land of the World Cup. He was never able to translate his Latin American goal scoring form into success in Europe, but as Honduras’ leading scorer of all time he will be hopeful of adding at least one World Cup goal to his CV before he calls time on his career.

Johnny Palacios
23 years old
Central Defender
Olimpia (HON)

The younger brother of Wilson, Johnny Palacios has emerged on the scene since the end of the qualifying campaign and may even have done enough to force his way into the starting eleven in South Africa. As physically imposing as his sibling, but with a more disciplined positional sense, he is one of those who could find themselves with a ticket to Europe if impressive performances are forthcoming this summer.

The view from Honduras:

There were parties in the streets all over Honduras when they sealed their place in South Africa and there appears to have been little dampening of that enthusiasm in the intervening period. Most will accept that they are unlikely to make it past the group stage, so as long as the players give their all and perform to their best there will be very few disappointed Hondurans come their inevitable elimination.

Prediction

Honduras have been drawn in a tough group and it is hard to see them progressing to the knockout stages. They lack the sufficient organisation to suffocate the Spanish and are unlikely to pick up any more than a point against either Chile or Switzerland. Qualifying was a massive achievement in itself and it would be asking too much for them to perform further miracles once they touch down in South Africa.

Honduras are the only CONCACAF team to have ever defeated and eliminated Brazil in an international tournament having defeated them 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the 2001 Copa America in Colombia.

16/06/10: Honduras  0 – 1  Chile    – Nelspruit
21/06/10: Honduras  0 – 2  Spain   – Ellis Park, Johannesburg
25/06/10: Honduras  0 – 0  Switzerland    – Bloemfontein