Maynor Figueroa facts for kids
Figueroa playing for FC Dallas in 2017
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Maynor Alexis Figueroa Róchez | ||
| Date of birth | 2 May 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Jutiapa, Honduras | ||
| Height | 1.82 m | ||
| Playing position | Left-back, centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1993–1999 | Victoria | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2003 | Victoria | 24 | (2) |
| 2003–2008 | Olimpia | 100 | (6) |
| 2008 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2008 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 29 | (1) |
| 2008–2013 | Wigan Athletic | 148 | (3) |
| 2013–2015 | Hull City | 35 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2015 | Colorado Rapids | 10 | (1) |
| 2016–2018 | FC Dallas | 70 | (4) |
| 2019–2021 | Houston Dynamo | 58 | (2) |
| Total | 482 | (19) | |
| National team | |||
| 1999–2003 | Honduras U20 | 3 | (1) |
| 2001–2003 | Honduras U23 | 8 | (0) |
| 2012 | Honduras Olympic (O.P.) | 4 | (0) |
| 2003–2022 | Honduras | 181 | (5) |
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Maynor Alexis Figueroa Róchez (born on May 2, 1983) is a former professional football player from Honduras. He played as a left-back or centre-back. Figueroa is famous for his time at Wigan Athletic, where he played in 179 Premier League games. He also helped them win the FA Cup in 2013.
Maynor Figueroa played for the Honduran national team an amazing 181 times between 2003 and 2022. He even played in two FIFA World Cups and the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Honduras
Maynor Figueroa was born in Jutiapa, Atlántida, Honduras. He began his football journey with a club called Victoria. Later, in 2003, he moved to Olimpia, another team in Honduras. He even became the captain of Olimpia, showing his leadership skills.
In 2007, some clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States wanted to sign Figueroa. However, Olimpia decided not to let him go at that time.
Joining Wigan Athletic
In January 2008, Figueroa got a chance to play in England. He joined Wigan Athletic in the Premier League on a loan deal. A loan means he played for them for a short time before returning to his original club. After a successful loan, he joined Wigan permanently in December 2008.
Memorable Goals at Wigan
Figueroa scored his first goal for Wigan on January 11, 2009. It was a late winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur.
One of his most famous goals happened on December 12, 2009, against Stoke City. He scored from his own half of the field! He took a quick free kick and sent the ball flying over the opposing goalkeeper, Thomas Sørensen, right into the net. This amazing goal was even chosen as the "Goal of the Season" for 2009–10 by Match of the Day.
Figueroa played his 100th Premier League game on February 26, 2011. He also scored a crucial goal against Birmingham City that helped Wigan win 2–1. On the very last day of that season, he set up the winning goal against Stoke City. This win kept Wigan safe in the Premier League.
FA Cup Victory
In the 2012–13 season, Wigan Athletic had a fantastic run in the FA Cup. They reached the final and beat Manchester City 1–0 to win the trophy! Figueroa played in every round of the FA Cup that season. Sadly, he was injured for the final match, but he still received a winner's medal. Even though they won the FA Cup, Wigan was relegated from the Premier League that season.
Time at Hull City
After leaving Wigan, Figueroa joined Hull City in June 2013. Hull City had just been promoted to the Premier League. He played his first game for them against Chelsea.
Figueroa reached the FA Cup Final for the second year in a row with Hull City in 2014. He played in all the games leading up to the final. This time, he was a substitute in the final, which Hull City lost 3–2 to Arsenal. In October 2014, he went back to Wigan Athletic for a short loan spell. Hull City released him in May 2015.
Playing in Major League Soccer (MLS)
After his time in England, Figueroa moved to the United States to play in the MLS.
Colorado Rapids
On August 7, 2015, Figueroa joined the Colorado Rapids. He made his debut a week later. He scored his first goal for Colorado on August 29, helping them win 2–1 against Sporting Kansas City. He played 10 games for the Rapids that season.
FC Dallas
In January 2016, Figueroa was traded to FC Dallas. He quickly became an important player for them. He scored his first goal for Dallas in the CONCACAF Champions League on August 4, 2016.
Figueroa helped FC Dallas win two trophies in 2016: the U.S. Open Cup and the Supporters' Shield. The Supporters' Shield is given to the MLS team with the best regular season record. He played 28 MLS games that year. In 2017, he scored three goals for Dallas, including one against his former team, Colorado. In 2018, he played a smaller role, making 20 appearances. His contract with Dallas ended in November 2018.
Houston Dynamo
On January 30, 2019, Figueroa signed with the Houston Dynamo, a big rival of FC Dallas. He made his debut for Houston in the CONCACAF Champions League. He played 25 league games in his first season with the Dynamo.
In 2020, Figueroa scored two goals for Houston. One of them was a late goal in the 89th minute to help the Dynamo get a 1–1 draw against Nashville SC. He played in 20 games during that season, which was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Figueroa's contract with Houston ended after the 2021 season.
International Career
Maynor Figueroa started playing for the Honduras national team in 2003. He is a true legend for his country, having played an incredible 181 times. This makes him the player with the most appearances for Honduras! He scored 5 goals for his country.
He played in many important tournaments, including:
- Seven CONCACAF Gold Cups (in 2005, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021)
- Two FIFA World Cups (in 2010 and 2014)
- The 2012 Summer Olympics (as an older player in the Under-23 squad)
Figueroa was also the captain of the Honduran national team from 2014 until 2022. In 2021, he led Honduras to the finals of the first-ever CONCACAF Nations League. They finished in third place after beating Costa Rica in a penalty shootout.
Personal Life
Maynor Figueroa is married to Sandra Norales, who is a handball player. She has even represented Honduras in her sport. They have two sons and one daughter. One of their sons, Keyrol, is also a football player and plays for the Liverpool Academy in England.
Figueroa is from the Garifuna people. He is good friends with his former teammate, Boniek García, who is also from Honduras. In 2020, Figueroa received his U.S. green card, which allowed him to be considered a local player for MLS teams.
Honours and Achievements
Maynor Figueroa has won many awards and trophies throughout his career:
With Olimpia
- Liga Nacional (Honduran League): 2003–04 Clausura, 2004–05 Clausura, 2005–06 Apertura, 2005–06 Clausura
With Wigan Athletic
- FA Cup: 2012–13
With Hull City
- FA Cup runner-up: 2013–14
With FC Dallas
- U.S. Open Cup: 2016
- Supporters' Shield: 2016
See also
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
