Wilson Palacios facts for kids
Palacios with Honduras in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wilson Roberto Palacios Suazo | ||
| Date of birth | 29 July 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | La Ceiba, Honduras | ||
| Height | 1.78 m | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2002 | Victoria | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002–2008 | Olimpia | 102 | (32) |
| 2007–2008 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Wigan Athletic | 37 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Tottenham Hotspur | 65 | (1) |
| 2011–2015 | Stoke City | 38 | (0) |
| 2016 | Miami FC | 18 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Olimpia | 3 | (0) |
| 2019 | Real Sociedad | 9 | (0) |
| Total | 279 | (33) | |
| National team | |||
| 2003–2014 | Honduras | 97 | (5) |
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Wilson Roberto Palacios Suazo (born on July 29, 1984) is a former professional footballer from Honduras. He was known for playing as a defensive midfielder, a player who helps protect the defense.
Wilson started his football journey in Honduras with clubs like Victoria and Olimpia. Later, he moved to England, where he played for famous teams such as Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, and Tottenham Hotspur. He also played for Stoke City before returning to Honduras to finish his career.
Wilson was a key player for the Honduras national team from 2003 to 2014. He helped his country reach the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments, which are huge events in football! He retired from playing in December 2019.
Contents
Wilson's Club Career
Starting in Honduras: Olimpia
Wilson Palacios began his football career with his brothers Milton, Jerry, Johnny, and Edwin. They all started at Victoria before moving to Olimpia, a big club in Honduras.
Wilson played 102 games for Olimpia and scored 32 goals. He became a fan favorite and caught the eye of international teams. He helped Olimpia win five league titles! One memorable moment was in 2006 when he scored a goal from the halfway line against Marathón to win the championship.
After his success in Honduras, Wilson wanted to play in Europe. He had trials with clubs like Red Star Belgrade, Cagliari, AS Monaco, and even Arsenal.
Playing in England: Birmingham City
Thanks to a suggestion from Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, Premier League club Birmingham City offered Wilson a trial. He did well and joined them on a six-month loan in August 2007. He played his first game on September 22 against Liverpool. The manager, Steve Bruce, really liked Wilson and wanted to sign him permanently. However, Bruce left the club, and Wilson had to be away due to a personal family matter, so the new manager didn't get to see him play enough to make the transfer permanent.
Moving to Wigan Athletic
On January 11, 2008, Wilson joined Wigan Athletic, reuniting with his former manager, Steve Bruce. He quickly became a very important player for Wigan. His strong performances made big clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Real Madrid interested in him. In January 2009, a deal was made for him to join Tottenham Hotspur.
Joining Tottenham Hotspur
Wilson signed a 5.5-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur in January 2009 for about £12 million. He made his debut on January 31 against Bolton Wanderers. In his second game, against local rivals Arsenal, he played so well that he was named "man of the match."
He scored his first goal in English football against Hull City in August 2009. After scoring, Wilson pointed to the sky to honor his brother, Edwin, who had been kidnapped and sadly passed away earlier that year. His manager, Harry Redknapp, praised Wilson's ability to make Tottenham a tough team to play against. In the 2009–10 season, Wilson played 43 games and helped Tottenham qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever!
Time at Stoke City
Wilson joined Stoke City on August 31, 2011, signing a four-year contract. He made his debut on September 10 in a win against Liverpool. However, his time at Stoke was affected by a knee injury and illness, which made it hard for him to play regularly. The manager, Tony Pulis, said that Wilson needed to get fully fit to show his best.
In the 2013–14 season, Wilson played more games and helped Stoke finish ninth in the Premier League. He left Stoke City in 2015 after playing 53 games in four years. The club chairman, Peter Coates, said it was a shame things didn't work out as planned, mentioning Wilson's personal challenges.
Later Career and Retirement
After leaving Stoke, Wilson had a trial with Hull City but didn't sign. In December 2015, he joined Miami FC in the North American Soccer League. He played 18 games before leaving in November 2016.
He then returned to Honduras, playing for his old club Olimpia and for Real Sociedad. In December 2019, Wilson Palacios announced that he was retiring from playing football. He shared his plans to become a players' agent, helping other footballers with their careers.
Playing for Honduras: International Career
Wilson Palacios wore the number 8 jersey for the Honduras national team. He played his first game for his country in April 2003 against Paraguay. He went on to play 97 matches for Honduras, scoring five goals, over an international career that lasted until 2014. He is one of the most famous Honduran international players, alongside David Suazo.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Honduras made history! Wilson, along with his brothers Jerry and Johnny, were all part of the squad. They were the first trio of brothers to represent the same country in a World Cup.
In the 2014 World Cup, Wilson was sent off in the first half of Honduras's opening game against France. Honduras lost that game 3–0.
Wilson's Personal Life
Wilson Palacios comes from a football-loving family. His brothers are Milton, Jerry, Johnny, and Edwin. In October 2007, his younger brother, Edwin, who was 14 years old, was kidnapped from their family home in La Ceiba.
The family paid a ransom, but Edwin was not released. This was a very difficult time for Wilson and his family. In January 2009, Wilson's mother made a public appeal, asking for news about Edwin and expressing her worries. She also mentioned how hard this situation was for Wilson, even with his football career.
In May 2009, police found a body they believed to be Edwin's. Wilson returned home to Honduras during this sad time. Later that month, it was confirmed that the body was indeed Edwin's, and his funeral was held. Despite his great loss, Wilson showed incredible strength and rejoined the national team to prepare for important World Cup qualifying games.
Honours and Achievements
Club Success
CD Olimpia
- Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras (5 times):
- 2002–03 Apertura
- 2003–04 Clausura
- 2004–05 Clausura
- 2005–06 Apertura
- 2005–06 Clausura
Individual Awards
- Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Supporters Clubs' Best Team Player: 2009–10
Images for kids
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Wilson Palacios playing for Birmingham City.
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Wilson Palacios playing for Tottenham Hotspur.
See also
In Spanish: Wilson Palacios para niños
