Go back a decade-and-a-half and you will find yourself in the middle of one of Honduran football’s most decorated moments. The Central Americans qualified for the FIFA World Cup™ twice, reaching South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. There were also three successive Concacaf Gold Cup semi-finals from 2009-13, a Men’s Olympic Football Tournament quarter-final at London 2012, and the famous ‘Aztecazo’ in 2013 when they became just the second team to beat Mexico in a qualifier at the legendary Estadio Azteca.
The mention of those achievements brings a wide smile to the face of Boniek Garcia, a fixture in many of those teams. Throughout his career in which he became the fourth-most capped player for Honduras, the midfielder tormented opponents with a hard-nosed style, combined with a ferocious appetite for getting forward. In retirement, he remains as amiable as ever, coaching in the Houston Dynamo Academy, the Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit where he spent ten seasons.
But near and dear to Garcia’s heart is the national team, La H. Currently, Honduras are in the third round of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™ and leading Group C with four points. With the World Cup returning to North America next year, the 41-year-old tells FIFA the path is there for Honduras to return to the global showpiece, and possibly get a chance to play in his adopted home of Houston.
Boniek Garcia: Against Haiti, I think if Honduras had been more intent on attacking in the opening minutes, they could have done damage, because Haiti in those first minutes were very nervous, especially on the defensive end, and I feel like the Honduras players didn’t detect that. After that, Haiti took more control of the ball and it was tough for us to have any consistency in the game. An away draw is always important though. In regards to the game against Nicaragua, I think we lacked intensity at the start and didn’t go looking to take control against a Nicaragua side that basically played to defend, but we won and that’s important, too.
It’s a Central American clasico. I think Costa Rica dropped two points against a Haiti side that have improved a lot, so they’ll be going to Honduras looking to get full points. I think for Honduras, getting the result against Costa Rica lays the groundwork for qualifying for the World Cup.
I think more than anything the defensive side of things has improved. Honduras have done well in keeping clean sheets, but beyond the defence I think we need to try to push the players to be more intense when it’s time to attack.
Yes, they need to be more intense, more consistent in games. That’s what the prevailing sentiment should be in a match, the desire to go out and win the game while of course doing everything necessary to protect yourself in the back. When you go out trying to win, things go better for any team.
Yes, I continue to believe in this group that Rueda has been calling up. I think there is a very good stable of players in which things are slowly coming together. Four points from the first two games is very good and now we get two matches at home where, if we can earn wins in both, we’ll practically be in the World Cup.
The truth is that we had a very good national team. There was Carlo Costly, Jerry Bengston joined in, Luis Garrido and Mario Martinez who had stood out with the U-23s, Brayan Beckeles, also Arnold Peralta, Walter Martinez and Juan Carlos Garcia, may they rest in peace… Emilio Izaguirre, Victor Bernardez, Maynor [Figueroa] in a defence that was so solid, with Noel [Valladares] and Donis Escober in goal. I think we had a really good base. There was also Wilson [Palacios], Roger Espinoza, Marvin Chavez… We had a group of players that all wanted to be in the national team, and so we all competed to be in the starting line-up. When you arrived to the national team and got to training, you had so much enthusiasm just being there.
There are three games. On a personal level, I’d say the best match I played was the 8-1 win against Canada in San Pedro Sula. Another one was against Grenada in the Gold Cup in Miami. I had about four or five assists in that one. And then of course the ‘Aztecazo’. I think just having been there left a mark on me and also on the national team. In the first half we were losing 1-0 but in the second the coach made changes and we were able to come back and win 2-1.
My first game against France, even though we lost. I wasn’t able to be a starter because I was coming off an injury, but in the second half I got in. That is a really wonderful memory for me. Debuting in a World Cup was something that I had waited for. Sadly, we lost 3-0, but in the other two games I think we played well against Ecuador and Switzerland. Unfortunately we weren’t able to score the goals we needed when we had chances.
It’s my home. We have settled down here and are still with the club in the Academy. Next year we’ll have the World Cup here, so what more happiness can we have? We have a city that is gearing up for the World Cup and working hard to make it the best it can be for fans to enjoy it.
It is a very big city. It is a community of many Latinos and of many nationalities, so they are going to be able to enjoy many types of food from all kinds of countries. It is a city that is quite appealing and very spacious.
With the national team we played three or four games there. One was against Guadeloupe if I remember correctly, and two against Mexico… It is a really beautiful stadium. It’s spectacular and even more so when it is totally full. Fans will be able to enjoy great matches there.
No doubt! I would love if Honduras were in the World Cup and especially if they came to play here in Houston where there is a very big community of Hondurans. They would be fully supported. Yes, that would be a dream come true.
