Wilson Palacios facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wilson Palacios

Palacios with Honduras in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Wilson Roberto Palacios Suazo
Date of birth	(1984-07-29) 29 July 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth	La Ceiba, Honduras
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	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)
International career
2003–2014	Honduras	97	(5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Wilson Roberto Palacios Suazo (born on July 29, 1984) is a former professional footballer from Honduras. He played as a defensive midfielder, which means he helped protect his team's goal.

Wilson started his career in Honduras with clubs like Victoria and Olimpia. Later, he moved to England and played for several well-known teams, including Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, and Stoke City. He was known for his strong and energetic style of play in the midfield.

After his time in England, he played for Miami in the North American Soccer League before returning to Honduras. He retired from playing football in December 2019. Wilson also proudly represented his country, Honduras, in two FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Wilson Palacios' Club Journey

Playing for Olimpia

Wilson Palacios began his football journey with his brothers, Milton, Jerry, Johnny, and Edwin, at the club Victoria. All five brothers later moved to Olimpia, a big club in Honduras.

Wilson played 102 games for Olimpia and scored 32 goals. He became a fan favorite and helped his team win five league titles! One of his most memorable moments was scoring a goal from the half-way line in 2006, which helped Olimpia win the league championship. After his success in Honduras, Wilson wanted to play in Europe.

Loan to Birmingham City

Palacios preparing to take a corner kick for Birmingham

In August 2007, Wilson got a chance to play in the Premier League in England. He joined Birmingham City on a six-month loan. This move happened after Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, recommended him.

Wilson made his first appearance for Birmingham City in September 2007. His manager, Steve Bruce, was very impressed and wanted to sign him permanently. However, Bruce left the club, and Wilson also had to be away due to a very sad family event. Because of these changes, the new manager didn't get to see enough of him, so the permanent transfer didn't happen.

Joining Wigan Athletic

In January 2008, Wilson reunited with his former manager, Steve Bruce, at Wigan Athletic. He quickly became a key player for the team. His strong performances in midfield caught the attention of many big clubs.

By January 2009, it was clear that Wilson would be moving to another club. His manager, Bruce, said it would be like "losing his right arm" because Wilson was such an important player. Soon after, a deal was made for him to join Tottenham Hotspur.

Time at Tottenham Hotspur

Palacios playing for Spurs

Wilson Palacios signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur in January 2009. The club paid about £12 million for him. He made his debut for Tottenham on January 31.

In his second game, against local rivals Arsenal, Wilson played so well that he was named the "man of the match." He became a vital part of Tottenham's midfield. In August 2009, he scored his first goal in English football against Hull City. After scoring, Wilson pointed to the sky to honor his brother, Edwin, who had sadly passed away earlier that year.

During the 2009–10 season, Wilson played 43 games and helped Tottenham reach the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever. He also played an important role in the team's journey to the Champions League quarter-finals the following season.

Playing for Stoke City

On August 31, 2011, Wilson joined Stoke City, signing a four-year contract. He made his debut for Stoke on September 10. However, his time at Stoke was affected by injuries and health issues, which made it hard for him to play regularly.

His manager, Tony Pulis, mentioned that Wilson's fitness and a knee injury were problems. Later, under a new manager, Mark Hughes, Wilson played more games in the 2013–14 season. However, he struggled to secure a regular spot in the team. He left Stoke City in 2015 after playing 53 games over four years.

The chairman of Stoke City, Peter Coates, explained that while Wilson was a great player at his previous clubs, things didn't work out at Stoke. He mentioned that Wilson had faced personal problems, including the kidnapping and death of his brother, which might have affected his career.

Later Career and Retirement

After leaving Stoke City, Wilson Palacios joined Miami FC in the North American Soccer League in December 2015. He played 18 games for them before leaving in November 2016.

He then returned to Honduras and played for his old club, Olimpia, and later for Real Sociedad. In December 2019, Wilson announced that he was retiring from playing football. He shared his plans to become a players' agent, helping other footballers with their careers.

Wilson Palacios' International Career

Wilson Palacios was a key player for the Honduras national team, wearing the number 8 jersey. He made his debut for Honduras in April 2003 and played 97 matches for his country until 2014, scoring five goals. He is considered one of Honduras's most famous international players.

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Wilson and his brothers, Jerry and Johnny, made history. They became the first group of three brothers to play for the same country in a World Cup tournament!

Wilson also played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In their first game against France, he was sent off (meaning he had to leave the field) after getting two yellow cards.

Wilson Palacios' Personal Life

Wilson Palacios comes from a family of footballers. He has four brothers: Milton, Jerry, Johnny, and Edwin.

In October 2007, a very sad event happened to Wilson's family. His younger brother, Edwin, who was 14 years old, was kidnapped from their home in Honduras. The family tried everything to get him back, including paying a ransom, but Edwin was not released.

In January 2009, Wilson's mother made a public plea, asking the kidnappers for news of Edwin. She worried that Wilson's big transfer to Tottenham Hotspur might make the kidnappers demand more money. She also explained that the transfer fee went to the club, not directly to Wilson, and that the situation was very hard on him and the family.

In May 2009, police found a body that they believed was Edwin's. Wilson returned to Honduras to be with his family. Later that month, it was confirmed that the body was indeed Edwin's, and his funeral was held. Despite this terrible loss, Wilson showed incredible strength and rejoined the national team to prepare for important World Cup qualifying games.

Career Statistics

Club

International

International goals

Scores and results list Honduras's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Palacios goal.

List of international goals scored by Wilson Palacios

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	21 February 2005	Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala	Belize	4–0	4–0	UNCAF Nations Cup 2005
2.	6 September 2006	Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino, Tegucigalpa, Honduras	El Salvador	2–0	2–0	Friendly
3.	4 June 2008	Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras	Puerto Rico	2–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.	14 June 2008	Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel, Bayamón, Puerto Rico	Puerto Rico	2–2	2–2	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.	10 September 2013	Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino, Tegucigalpa, Honduras	Panama	2–2	2–2	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

CD Olimpia

• Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras (5): 2002–03 Apertura, 2003–04 Clausura, 2004–05 Clausura, 2005–06 Apertura, 2005–06 Clausura

Individual

• Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Supporters Clubs' Best Team Player: 2009–10

See also

In Spanish: Wilson Palacios para niños