Honduras national football team

Honduras national football team
Name	Honduras
Association	Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras
Confederation	CONCACAF
Coach	Diego Vázquez
Captain	Maynor Figueroa
Most caps	Maynor Figueroa (149)
Top scorer	Carlos Pavón (57)
Home stadium	Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano
Fifa code	HON
World cup apps	3 (1982, 2010, 2014)
Regional name	CONCACAF Gold Cup

Honduras national football team represents Honduras in international FIFA-sanctioned association football and is governed by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras. The team competes in CONCACAF competitions including the CONCACAF Gold Cup and has qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals in 1982, 2010 and 2014. Notable domestic and international players who have appeared include Carlos Pavón, David Suazo, Wilson Palacios, Maynor Figueroa, and Roger Espinoza.

History

The team played its first international matches in the 1920s and took part in early regional tournaments such as the Central American and Caribbean Games, the CONCACAF Championship, and the Copa Centroamericana. Honduras achieved a landmark by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in 1982 under coach Chelato Uclés, with key figures like Jimmy Bailey and Ángel Obando contributing to regional success in UNCAF Nations Cup qualifiers. The 1982 squad competed in Group 5 alongside Spain, Northern Ireland, and Yugoslavia and recorded a draw against Spain; decades later, the team returned to the World Cup stage in 2010 and 2014, led by players who featured in Premier League and Major League Soccer clubs such as Wigan Athletic, Nottingham Forest, Sporting Kansas City, and Sheffield Wednesday. Honduras has also taken part in Olympic qualifying, the Pan American Games, and gave rise to professionals in leagues like La Liga, Serie A, and Liga MX.

Team identity and badge

The national kit traditionally features the national colors derived from the Flag of Honduras—blue and white—worn in combinations by clubs such as Club Deportivo Olimpia, Real C.D. España, and C.D. Motagua. Badges and crests have evolved, incorporating elements from the Coat of arms of Honduras, national symbols, and motifs used by the federation and by historic kits made by manufacturers who have supplied jerseys during eras alongside sponsors from regional brands. Fan identities overlap with supporters of clubs in the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras; chants and banners reference national heroes, civic symbols, and celebrated fixtures such as matches against regional rivals Costa Rica national football team, El Salvador national football team, and Mexico national football team.

Stadium and home venues

Primary home venues have included Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Estadio Nacional Tiburcio Carías Andino in Tegucigalpa, and other grounds like Estadio Francisco Morazán in San Pedro Sula city used for qualifiers, friendlies, and tournament matches. Matches have also taken place at stadiums in municipalities where prominent clubs such as C.D. Victoria, C.D. Marathón, and C.D. Platense play, and at international venues when diaspora communities in United States cities like Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City host friendlies or neutral fixtures.

Players

Squads have drawn on talent developed at clubs like F.C. Motagua, C.D. Olimpia, Real C.D. España, C.D. Marathón, and academies producing internationals such as Carlos Pavón, Amado Guevara, David Suazo, Roger Espinoza, Maynor Figueroa, Wilson Palacios, Emilio Izaguirre, Andy Najar, Hendry Thomas, Víctor "Muma" Bernárdez, Luis "El Bombero" López, and others who have played in English Football League, Major League Soccer, Liga Nacional de Honduras, Liga MX, and European leagues. Youth teams compete in FIFA U-20 World Cup and CONCACAF U-20 Championship tournaments, producing players who later represent Honduras in senior FIFA World Cup qualifiers, CONCACAF Gold Cup campaigns, and friendly matches against national sides such as Argentina national football team, Brazil national football team, and Uruguay national football team.

Coaching staff and management

Coaching appointments have included domestic and international managers like Chelato Uclés, Reinaldo Rueda, Hernán Medford, Luis Fernando Suárez, and contemporary coaches aligned with federation directives. Technical staff typically features assistants, fitness coaches, goalkeeping coaches, medical teams, and scouts who liaise with clubs from leagues including Premier League, La Liga, MLS, and Liga MX to monitor eligible players. Administrative oversight rests with executives and committees within the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras and interacts with confederation offices at CONCACAF and global governance at FIFA concerning competitions, disciplinary matters, and match calendar coordination.

Competitive record

Honduras has a varied record in regional and global competitions. In the FIFA World Cup, Honduras appeared in 1982, 2010, and 2014, facing opponents such as Spain national football team and Switzerland national football team across group stages. At the continental level, Honduras competes in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and its predecessors like the CONCACAF Championship and has secured notable finishes and knockout-stage appearances against teams such as United States men's national soccer team, Mexico national football team, Costa Rica national football team, and Panama national football team. In Central American competition, Honduras has won titles at the Copa Centroamericana (UNCAF) and performed strongly in qualifiers for the Olympic Games and Pan American Games.

Honours and notable achievements

Honduras' honours include multiple regional titles in the Copa Centroamericana and successes in Central American Games and Central American and Caribbean Games football tournaments. Individual players have earned recognition through selections to regional best XI lists, transfers to clubs like C.D. Olimpia, Wigan Athletic, Atalanta B.C., and Sporting Kansas City, and participation in major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup. Historic achievements include World Cup qualification milestones, landmark away results in qualifiers, and producing players who have captained clubs and national teams across CONCACAF and global competitions.

Category: Central American national football teams Category: National sports teams of Honduras